Orange County supervisors Tuesday approved a three-year, $4 million contract with the Orange County Department of Education to run a school-based violence reduction project that includes training to deal with active shooters.
The county has had a School-Based Violence Prevention Education Services program dating back to 2013, but this year training for active shooters was added.
The program includes supplying “crisis-response” experts for emergencies, education and training on how violence can affect “the development of a child’s brain,” anti-bullying services, and ways to help students deal with “high-risk behaviors” and stress related to “trauma and or violence,” according to a staff report.
The active shooter training will include “community forums, active shooter simulation drill exercises and proactive threat assessment training,” according to a staff report.
School administrators, teachers, campus police and other staff members will be trained to assess and respond to threats. The training will come from local law enforcement agencies, Orange County sheriff’s deputies, probation officials, prosecutors, the FBI, other first-responders and mental health experts.
The money will come from Prop. 63 funding, and will be doled out in about $1.3 million increments.
“Practically every week a gunman opens fire on a group of innocent people,” Supervisor Todd Spitzer said. “The most vulnerable members of society are defenseless children who are trapped in their classrooms or the cafeteria. We are going to learn techniques from the best in law enforcement that will substantially increase the chance for everyone to get out alive during one of these horrendous tragedies.”