DISD police officers train for active shooter

Across America, schools have become shooting grounds. And campus police have to ready for more than a campus fight, they have to be ready to fight for lives.

Dallas ISD police are training for real live active shooters.

At sunset High School, 12 Dallas ISD police officers learned new techniques to attack threats in schools.

It's advanced law enforcement rapid response training being taught nationwide to officers. Police are no longer waiting for SWAT teams, but even one officer trained on how to attack an active shooter.

“Learning different team movements, different techniques on searching for a suspect. Different techniques on communication — whether it be verbal, whether it be nonverbal or even just acts on fire,” said Dallas ISD Police Sgt. Monte Pearson.

Schools can pose unique challenges for law enforcement when seconds matter

“In schools, you have a lot more rooms,” Pearson said. “You have students. You have staff, visitiors in schools, families in schools. So it’s more to protect.”

Officers have been training weekly before the doors open for a new school year.

“We've found guns in our schools before this past year. Luckily, no damage was done,” Pearson said. “It’s not a matter of if it’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of when, and we want our officers to be prepared.”