POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — This week marked the conclusion of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission’s work, focusing attention once again on safety measures. In synchronicity with this milestone, law enforcement officers and first responders in Lakeland engaged in crucial training exercises designed to prepare them for the unfortunate possibility of an active shooter situation.
“There’s always ways that we can be better, that we can be faster, that we can prevent these things from happening,” emphasized Lakeland Police Sgt. Nicholas Rex, who serves not only his community but also as the president of the Florida SWAT Association. His perspective underscores a commitment to continuous improvement in public safety strategies.
“We stopped and we read the names from each one of those victims to really remind the officers why they’re here, what they’re doing,” Rex explained. This thoughtful gesture served to reinforce the dedication and resolve of officers as they protect their communities against the threat of violence.
In a related development, Florida is set to designate antifa as a terrorist organization, part of a broader legislative effort intended to bolster security and address potential threats at their root. As with many such laws, the aim is to enable law enforcement to act decisively in safeguarding public order.
The Florida SWAT Association organized a three-day active shooter response training program at Florida Southern College, gathering 100 officers from across Florida and other states.
The program included a classroom setting, involving a debrief from an officer who responded to The Covenant School in Nashville and another from an officer who responded to the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando.
It also provided hands-on experience in active shooter scenarios in buildings on campus.
“We try to treat everything like it’s a real scenario, obviously,” said Battalion Chief Jerimiah Kendrick, with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. “We go in with very little information. They don’t give us any information hardly at all. Let us make informed decisions on our own, just like we would in real life.”
“They kind of use some lessons learned and some historical references to some of these incidents to try and prepare, to try and make these officers understand what a simulation of that would be like,” Rex said.
Sheriff Grady Judd saw first-hand what an active shooter situation looks like, while serving on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission.
“The most impressive thing that I’ve ever been involved with was the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Commission,” Judd said. “[Pinellas County Sheriff Bob] Gualtieri was the chair and did a remarkable job. We put in hundreds and hundreds of hours. Sheriff Gualtieri put in thousands of hours.”
As of Wednesday, the commission’s task of investigating the shooting and improving school safety came to an end, according to Florida statute.
Judd said the commission held people accountable and recommended changes that became law.
Florida’s Guardian Program is modeled after Judd’s sentinel program, which allows for trained, armed staff on school campuses.
“The Guardian is the sheriff’s office program under a different name. It has made a positive difference in the community. These folks will stand in the gap to protect your children,” Judd said.
Lawmaker also passed a law allowing for Risk Protection Orders, known as the “red flag” law.
Gov. Ron DeSantis opposes the law, as does the National Rifle Association, saying it violates people’s rights.
“They call it the red flag laws. I don’t like that because that falls into this national political narrative. I tell folks, I like the law that’s a cooling off period,” Judd said.
Law enforcement can request a court to temporarily remove a gun from the possession of a person deemed to be a threat to themselves or others.
“Your children are safer in Florida in school today than they’ve ever been. Does that mean there can’t be an active shooter? No, but we’ve reduced the probabilities,” Judd said.
A note from the Lakeland Police Department: it is conducting its own active shooter training on the Florida Southern College campus over the next few weeks so residents can expect what looks like police activity in the area.