University, city police plan training exercises for campus in July

On July 17 and 24, the University Police Department and the Winston-Salem Police Department will conduct a joint training session in the Hearn Plaza area on responding to an “active shooter” report on campus.

Uniformed, armed police officers will participate in the training exercise that will take place at Poteat Residence Hall on July 17 and Taylor Residence Hall on July 24.

On each occasion, the training will not interfere with normal campus activities on Hearn Plaza or elsewhere, although those residence halls will be reserved entirely for the exercise.

“We expect about 30 law enforcement officers to participate in the training on each date,” said University emergency manager August Vernon, “The exercise is intended to prepare them for how to respond most effectively to a situation in which an armed person has been firing a weapon on campus.”

While officers will be armed, no weapons will be fired at any time, said Vernon, who is helping organize the exercise.

He expects the officers to be training inside the buildings, primarily, but they will be outside on occasion.

Police vehicles will be parked nearby.

On each date, the training exercise will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Anyone with questions in advance of the exercise may call August Vernon at 758-3377. During the exercise, calls may be made to the University Police Department at 758-5591.