OCEAN VIEW, Del.- The Ocean View Police Department is leading a multi-agency training this week aimed at improving local response to school shootings. From June 23 to 26, certified instructors will conduct the nationally recognized Active Attack Integrated Response training at Lord Baltimore Elementary School.
Officials say the annual course is designed to bring together police officers, school constables, 911 dispatchers, fire crews, and EMS providers to practice integrated responses during active shooter attacks.
Police Chief Kenneth McLaughlin, who is also a certified instructor and a member of Delaware’s statewide active shooter committee, emphasized the importance of the training for school safety.
“The Ocean View Police Department has invested significant resources in protecting Lord Baltimore Elementary School,” McLaughlin said. “Our embedded School Resource Officer serves as the first line of defense in the event of an active attack.”
According to McLaughlin, School Resource Officer Sgt. Rhys Bradshaw, also an instructor, helped coordinate the training.
All Ocean View officers are required to complete the course, and participants include first responders from nearby communities. Past trainings have welcomed members of the Bethany Beach and Millville Volunteer Fire Companies, Sussex County paramedics, school constables from across Delaware, and other law enforcement partners.
“When it comes to school safety, we must maintain a constant state of readiness,” McLaughlin said. “This training ensures first responders work together seamlessly when it matters most.”
The urgency for preparation is underscored by national data. From 2000 to 2022, there were 50 active shooter attacks at elementary and secondary schools, resulting in 131 people killed and 197 hurt. In 2022, four events caused 52 casualties—the second-highest total on record after the 2018 Uvalde tragedy.
Delaware saw the nation’s highest student exposure rate between 2020 and 2024, with 359 per 100,000 students—exceeding the national average of 51.
According to the Ocean View Police Department, a 2023 study by the National Association of School Resource Officers found that schools with embedded School Resource Officers see quicker threat detection, better lockdown compliance, and fewer people hurt during attacks.