Motlow's Public Safety Department Performs Emergency Drill

By Meghan Dackermann

SMYRNA, Tenn.-- The Motlow State Community College Police Department performed an annual practice active shooter drill at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 15 at the Smyrna campus, placing the school on lockdown for almost 30 minutes.  

Public Safety Officer Samuel Campbell of the Smyrna Campus explained that the Public Safety Department became a public police department in April 2016. It gained all the responsibilities of a city and county police department.   The chief of Motlow's Police Department is Ray Higginbotham. 

Higginbotham issued an emergency drill so students and faculty would be better prepared in the event of a real emergency. Motlow College is required by the state of Tennessee to conduct a drill at least once a year.  

The intercoms throughout both buildings sounded an alert to let everyone know there was an intruder somewhere on campus. Professors shut classroom doors, turned off the lights, and urged everyone to quiet down and get out of sight. Students that were outside of classrooms had to find a place to hide. 

"I knew it was a drill when the alarms went off, but the bell still scared me because it was really loud," Motlow student Constance Allen said. "They had us sit on the floor and against the wall." 

Police walked around the school to make sure all of the doors were locked and that no teachers or students were in sight. They called an all-clear alert on the intercom when the drill was over. 

"Students and professors have to remain in hiding until the drill is over,"  Campbell said. "A real crisis would not be over until an officer came face to face with you and said it was 'all clear'." 

Drills can help save lives. A recent attack on the Ohio State University left 11 people injured. Police shot the attacker and had everything under control within minutes after their arrival. The police were able to prevent any deaths from happening except the attacker's. 

Active shooters have attacked college campuses all over the country. Public safety officials have thought of the most effective ways to keep everyone out of danger. They perform these drills often to improve the procedure and to ensure that these attacks are not fatal.  

According to public safety officials, students and professors need to take a few small steps to prepare for a real crisis. Professors should always have classroom doors locked. Students need to know all possible hiding places throughout the entire school. Injuries can be prevented if students and professors do their part. 

For more information about Motlow's emergency preparedness plan, visit www.mscc.edu.  

 

 

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