KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
February 20, 2024
By Natalie Cook Clark
Harris County Constable Ted Heap’s Precinct 5 Departments offers free active shooter training to businesses, churches, and schools. Each month they also offer sessions open to the public and the next one is in Katy. Every session is free and full of valuable, life-saving information.
Photo credit: Harris County Constable, Precinct 5 Ted Heap's Office
Harris County Offers Free Active Shooter Response Classes
For over 8 years Harris County Constable’s Office, Precinct 5 has offered local businesses, churches, and schools active shooter training for free. Once a month, they offer general sessions for the public as these occurrences continue to plague the news. The next public session will be held on Monday, March 4, 2024 at CrossRoad Church (700 Westgreen) in Katy from 6:30 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. The class is free and no registration is required.
“These classes are incredibly important as active shooter events are increasing each year,” says Active Shooter educator Lt. Roy Guinn. “The most important question you can ask is what would you do during an active shooting event? If you can’t answer that question, then you are not prepared for such an event.”
Lt. Guinn says that the class covers case studies such as Virginia Tech where 32 people were killed. “An animal went in there and took their lives,” says Lt. Guinn. “I do believe those 32 didn’t have an answer on what to do.”
To date in 2024 the department has offered 4-5 sessions. It greatly depends as businesses seek them out. Last year, they taught around 50-60 classes including school.
“The odds of any person being in an active shooter event is low, but based on stats the next active shooter is out there,” says Lt. Guinn. “If they are preparing, then so should we.”
These classes are for adults only as Lt. Guinn says that during a school shooting they need students following their teacher’s instructions.
“At a school, there are many more factors at play and we teach educators accordingly,” explains Lt. Guinn. “In non-school settings people will act on their own best interest, which is just different from a school shooting scenario.”
Don't be a Victim
A big goal of the class is to eliminate being a victim. They talk about exits and what to look for and how to navigate various situations.
“I hope I can work my way out of teaching these classes, but I don’t see that happening,” says Lt. Guinn.
It is legal to carry a handgun in the state of Texas, though individuals should be aware of when and where they can and cannot carry.
“I have no issue with people carrying, but a concern I have is the individuals ability to handle their own gun,” says Lt. Guinn.
During an active shooter event Lt, Guinn says that the response is to protect you and your family and that anyone who is willing to carry must be able to handle their gun.
Precinct 5 gets a rush for their classes after every active shooting event. They have been hearing from local businesses and churches since the recent shooting at Lakewood Church.
Every Business, Church, and School Should do This
“I would encourage every business, church, and school to get this education,” says Lt. Guinn.
Harris County Precinct 5 teaches the ALERRT (Advance, Law, Enforcement, Rapid, Response) curriculum. The ALERRT curriculum was founded in 2004 and the direct result of a need to act and change the response to active shooting after the Columbine High School shooting on April 20, 1999.
The curriculum is federally funded and involves an informative power point presentation and a reenactment of various scenarios led by officers. The key points focused on are Avoid, Deny, and Defend.
The department also follows the FBI’s push to not name the shooter. Shooters want attention and they won’t give them the exposure.
Lt. Guinn says that training requirements for law enforcement continue to involve in addition to communities becoming more educated. Texas Commission of Law enforcement requires active shooter training for all officers and retraining every two years.
Learn more about this Civilian Active Shooter Response Training and other community programs on Precinct 5’s website.