Sheriff's Drill a Sobering Exercise

More than 40 law enforcement officers took part in a sobering emergency response drill held by the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department June 2 at Westmont. The drill allowed Sheriff’s deputies to practice their rapid-response skills for violent incidents and become more familiar with the campus.

After a briefing at Montecito Covenant Church, officers were called to campus in various sized groups for a simulated-shots-fired call. They also used the opportunity to train dispatchers. “I’m at Westmont, and I just saw a guy wearing camouflage and carrying a very large gun,” Sheriff’s Sergeant Mike Perkins said into his cell phone to the training dispatcher. Other times he gave information about what classroom the shooter was in or that several students had just been shot.

After officers parked near Carroll Hall and were given special weapons armed with blanks, the sound of gunshots rang out from Murchison Gym. Screaming students and staff members ran from the gym toward the approaching deputies. Some officers asked for a description of the armed suspect, others asked where they last saw him. Eventually, the officers followed the sounds of gunshots through the gym, where there were several people covered in fake blood and pretending to be dead, down the stairs to a locker room where another bloodied victim directed them to the shooter inside. Later, the officers returned to campus to review the video that was shot during their drill and to evaluate their effectiveness.

After lunch, sheriff's deputies and members of the Special Enforcement Team (SET) responded to a scenario that included an armed assailant who had taken several hostages in Van Kampen Hall. Westmont’s Situation Readiness & Response Team was able to practice as well, using portable radios and directing officers to the scene. Members of the California Highway Patrol, Montecito Fire District and Carpinteria-Summerland Fire District participated in the drills as well.