New Bedford Employees Complete Phase 1 Of Shooter Training

New Bedford city employees completed their first round of training for how they would respond to an armed shooter scenario.

Police Lt. Amos Melo told WBSM News this type of training lets people know what their options are when the shooting occurs and reduce incidents of injury and death.

"Just having the options and knowing what you can and can't do, can possibly save your life," said Melo "rather than just not knowing what to do and sticking to the old way of just freezing and locking yourself in a room just doesn't work."

Melo says that he would like to see this type of training become a more regular occurence such like the fire drills that take place at schools and businesses.

"We do four fire drills a year, which I think they're important, they're extremely important, we need to do them, but so is active shooting," said Melo "it happens often but yet we're not doing the active training that we should be."

Melo says that next week they will begin preparations for a second phase of shooter training.