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Active shooter situations are unpredictable, rapidly evolving and can result in a significant loss of life, making them a serious threat in today’s world. Police must regularly train to respond to active shooters to ensure they can effectively neutralize the threat and safeguard the public. Such training equips law enforcement officers with the necessary tactical skills, psychological preparedness and decision-making abilities to handle these high-pressure situations with precision and speed.
This two-hour learning event aims to fortify this necessary preparedness by exploring the following areas:
- Understanding the active shooter: How the psychology of active shooters can help officers understand their likely behaviors and motivations, which can aid in effective response strategies.
- Active shooter response strategies and tactics: What specific tactics and procedures should officers use when responding to an active shooter situation, such as how to enter and clear a building, how to locate and engage the shooter, and how to evacuate and protect civilians.
- Medical response in active shooter situations: Critical medical procedures officers should know in an active shooter situation, such as how to provide first aid to victims, how to prioritize injuries and how to coordinate with medical personnel.
- Interagency cooperation and leadership in active shooter incidents: How different agencies can work together effectively in an active shooter situation, including how to coordinate with fire and EMS services, how to share information with federal agencies and how to manage the incident command structure.
WHAT ATTENDEES LIKED FROM THIS PRESENTATION:
“The presenters were articulate and engaging.”
“The presenters were excellent!”
“I enjoyed hearing from multiple speakers about teamwork and cross-discipline collaboration and training.”
“Informed discussion about translating experience into prevention and response.”
“I appreciated hearing from multiple professions and perspectives.”
“Very informative.”
MEET THE SPEAKERS:
Joshua Bitsko has been a law enforcement professional for 23 years and has held a variety of positions including K9 Handler, K9 Training Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Internal Affairs Lieutenant, Policy and Procedure Lieutenant, Commander of the Las Vegas Resort Corridor, and Commander over the Health, Wellness, and Safety Bureau. He has a BA in Public Administration and is an experienced instructor with over 18 years of teaching both law enforcement employees and community members. Josh responded to the largest mass shooting incident in US history, the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival shooting in Las Vegas, as a tactical element. Josh was one of three officers to breach the suspect’s door and led a team of officers to make entry and clear the suspect’s room. Josh was also the incident commander over a mass stabbing incident on the Las Vegas Strip. This gives him unique insight on both the stressors of being on the front lines.
Peter Blair, Ph.D., is a Professor of Criminal Justice and the Executive Director of the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center at Texas State University. He is a world-renowned expert on active shooter events and has published numerous books, articles, and reports on the topic. He has also presented his research on active shooter events to the FBI, PERF, police chiefs’ organizations and internationally.
Juan Carlos Cardona retired in 2023 as EMS Division Chief for the Coral Springs - Parkland Fire Department in Florida, after a 30-year career in EMS and fire. Chief Cardona is a firefighter and paramedic, has a bachelor’s degree in Professional Management from Nova South Eastern University and a master’s degree in public administration from Barry University. Cardona is a former member of the NAEMT Board of Directors, an international representative of the International Paramedic Registry (IPR), and a member of the editorial board of EMS World and APH Latam magazines. He is an international writer and lecturer who collaborates to improve the profession of firefighters and emergency medical systems throughout the world.
Jack Rozel, MD, MSL, DFAPA, has been working in emergency mental health since 1990 and has been the medical director of resolve Crisis Services of UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital since 2010. He is a Past President of the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry, the leading national organization dedicated to the improvement of compassionate, evidence-based care for people with psychiatric emergencies. He divides his time between emergency psychiatry and violence work. Dr. Rozel trains and consults with teams across UPMC and the country on projects related to violence and threat management, staff injury prevention, firearm injury prevention, and crisis and emergency psychiatry. He has served as an incident commander after mass shootings and been involved in the behavioral health response to several mass casualty events. He is the co-director of the UPMC Systemwide Threat Assessment and Response Team and works extensively with regional and national partners on behavioral threat assessment and management.