PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Police Department and Clallam County Sheriff’s Office are hosting a large-scale active shooter training at Peninsula College on Thursday.
Residents in the area should expect a large police and firefighter presence and be prepared for streets around the college to be closed.
East Lauridsen Boulevard will be closed between Liberty and Ennis streets. Porter Street will be closed between Highland Street and Park Avenue. Residents in the area will have access to their homes.
The goal is for several city, county, state and federal agencies locally to prepare in case the worst-case scenario happens locally, said Sgt. Randy Pieper of the Sheriff’s Office.
“The active shooter incidents around the country and the world are increasing,” he said. “It can happen anywhere, any place and any time.”
Participating agencies include Clallam County Emergency Management, Sequim Police Department, Elwha Police Department, State Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Port Townsend Police Department, Olympic National Park, Olympic Medical Center, Port Angeles Fire Department., U.S. Coast Guard, Clallam County Fire District No. 2, Red Cross, Olympic Ambulance and Peninsula College.
Pieper said notices will go out to people living nearby about the training and that the Sheriff’s Office and Port Angeles Police Department are working to let the public know about the training.
The training will run from about 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with the active shooter portion starting at about noon, he said.
Several flashbang grenades will be used at about noon and much of the activity will be inside campus buildings and not visible from the outside.
First responders will be around the perimeter of the campus, he said.
Ambulances will be traveling between Peninsula College and Olympic Medical Center, though they will not be using sirens or lights, he said. Pieper said it’s part of an annual effort to train for active shooters and to keep local first responders prepared.
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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsula dailynews.com.
