Law Enforcement Officers converged on the campus of Northern Oklahoma College, Wednesday. Sounds of gunshots and explosions may have been heard. There presence was not in response to an emergency, rather to attend a vital training course. The gunshots and explosions were simulations. The Northern Oklahoma College (NOC) and the Kay County Sheriff’s Office hosted a 3-Day Training Event instructed by the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT). The training instructed officers how to respond to an active attack event safely, tactically, and effectively in an “exterior environment.” Officers from around the county and even the United States attended the training. This particular course is a “physically demanding” course and the triple-digit temperatures made it all the more difficult, however, the students pushed through and completed the certification. Tonkawa Police Chief Nick Payne stated, “we are so fortunate to have NOC care for it’s community and allow us to use their facilities to bring in this much needed and sought-after training to our law enforcement professionals. There is immense planning and preparation undertaking this type of course but it allows our first responders to stay trained with innovative tactics to keep our community safe.”
