PGPD Informs Public About Active Shooter Preparedness

Updated December 16, 2012:  Mjr. George Nader, Commander of District III, will be available Monday morning to speak with reporters about school safety in Prince George's County.  Mjr. Nader will be near Thomas Pullen Elementary School on Brightseat Road in Landover from 8:30 - 9 am.  A PIO will be on hand as of 8 am to ensure reporters and live trucks are stationed at a location designed to minimize student, staff and parent concern.

After the tragedy in Connecticut, the Prince George’s County Police Department would like to keep the public informed on how we prepare and would respond to a similar event.  Our hearts go out to everyone involved in the tragedy that continues to unfold.

• PGPD trains annually for active shooter events
• PGPD began training for active shooter events after the Columbine High School massacre in 1999
• PGPD officers are trained to immediately enter a location and engage active threats, with the intention of capturing or neutralizing the assailant(s)
• In July of 2012, PGPD and PGFD collaborated in a mock active shooter event at Wise High School, where officers trained under very realistic conditions
• Last month, all PGPD police officers were required to view a training video which covered PGPD procedure in response to active shooters, and highlighted techniques to engage the threat as quickly as possible to prevent the loss of life
• PGPD police officers already boosted their presence at county elementary schools; this will continue into next week
• There is no specific threat and/or intelligence to suggest that Prince George's County schools are at increased risk
• PGPD staffs school resource officers at many area schools

The PGPD will deploy patrol and community resources as a "soft presence" over the coming days.  Citizens seeing a police car should not assume the worst.  Please report any suspicious behavior or activity to authorities:   “See something say something.”