June 17, 2016 - Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino addressed a group of Westchester County police officers and observed the active-shooter tactical training they received on Wednesday, June 15 at the Westchester County Police Academy in Valhalla.

“The horrific events that occurred in Orlando are a stark reminder of the need for patrol officers to have the best training, equipment and tactics possible to handle an active-shooter event,” said Astorino. “That has always been my commitment and I renew it here tonight.”

The updated Police Academy training, known formally as Uniformed Response to Active Shooter Incidents, has been offered under the county’s Safer Communities initiative, which was launched in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut.

The active-shooter training has been conducted during the past year for all members of Department of Public Safety. Wednesday’s session for about a dozen officers completed a cycle of active-shooter training provided to all of the department’s police officers.

The training was conducted on the Academy’s drill floor and in the Academy’s maze-like interactive training area. Officers were instructed on a variety of weapons and tactical skills, including making use of cover and utilizing ballistic shields, in confronting and neutralizing an active shooter.