RLC’s Active Shooter training in demand for local schools, businesses

By ReAnne Palmer – Rend Lake College Public Information 

INA, Ill. – One training program at Rend Lake College is preparing locals for what to do in the case of an active shooter. These 2-, 4- or 8-hour training courses are designed for school or business professionals to learn how to proactively handle an attack or intruder.

Going into its second year, this unique training program is taught by three RLC ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) certified instructors with a combined 60 years of law enforcement experience: Ron Meek, RLC Criminal Justice Professor; Scott Peeples, RLC Criminal Justice Instructor; and Jeff Bullard, Detective Captain of the Mt. Vernon Police Department.

During the course, these instructors focus on tactics professionals can utilize in the workplace, such as learning to identify the offender, profiling the individual, and understanding and implementing a plan for dealing with an attack. These are all in place of the traditional and outdated lockdown-only approach.

The trainings can take place on RLC’s campus, or can be scheduled off-campus at schools or businesses to focus on specific building layouts. The trainings can also be broken down into shorter pieces to accommodate any time restraint.

Specifically, the 2-hour program will focus on the history and lessons learned from school shootings, as well as look to the future of school shootings. Participants will then discuss the options for preparation and defense during an attack.

The 4-hour training will expand on those lessons and includes brief scenario-based training. The 8-hour class is the preferred training which expands on scenario-based training and includes a safety briefing.

As part of the ALICE certification training, RLC’s instructors learned how to address various situations and challenges unique to police forces, schools, healthcare facilities, higher education institutions, businesses, government, places of worship, and much more.

In the coming months, RLC will host Active Shooter Trainings at two local schools – Woodlawn High School and Opdyke Grade School – and two business, one at the RLC MarketPlace in Mt. Vernon and another in Sullivan, Illinois. Since the implementation of the trainings in January of 2016, RLC has hosted eight presentations for local schools, businesses, and higher education institutions in addition to churches and places of worship.

For more information, to schedule a training, or to inquire about training costs, contact Margo Wagner, Director of Community and Corporate Education, at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1367 or wagnerm@rlc.edu.