Active shooter training Tuesday at C.A. Gray Junior High School

Residents in Northwest Moultrie may hear the occasional bang of gunshots and see large numbers of officers Tuesday as police conduct active-shooter training at C.A. Gray Junior High.

Officers will conduct the training and drills to maintain readiness and hone skills needed if they ever need to respond to such a situation. The training will involve multiple law enforcement agencies.

Officers in Colquitt County have been trained in ALERRT (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training), a nationally recognized law enforcement training for responding to active shooters.

“Training has been conducted at Colquitt County High School, and we hope to train at as many schools as possible in Colquitt County,” said Moultrie Police Department Lt. Michael Cox. “This gives law enforcement a chance to learn each school’s layout.”

Similar exercises have been held on multiple occasions in the county, including several at the high school.

“As the principal of C.A. Gray Junior High School, I believe that it’s essential that local law enforcement understand the workings and architectural layout of our school building, school principal Frederick Smith said. “C.A. Gray has a unique configuration with a number of separate buildings in a fenced-in environment. In the case of an emergency, I want our local officers knowledgeable and aware of these buildings’ specific layouts so that they can keep my students safe. This exercise is good practice for the officers and great for our school community.”

During the training people nearby may hear sounds including gunshots and the yelling and screams of those involved in the scenarios, Cox said.

Only law enforcement will be allowed in the training area at the school.

School officials who would like to participate or host training at a campus can call Cox at (229) 985-3131.