Active-shooter training courses fill up

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut has one lawmaker filing a bill that would help school workers train to become "covert" armed marshals.

The bill comes as a growing number of law enforcement agencies and school districts across the country are turning to Central Texas to protect our children.

On Wednesday in Modesto, Calif., police simulated an extensive active school shooting scenario. It's an example of the intense training more and more school districts and law enforcement agencies are counting on.

Don Montague, the director of the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training ( ALERRT program)   at Texas State, says his office has been swamped with calls and emails for the past few weeks.

"After incidents like Sandy Hook and Columbine, it heightens the awareness of all local law enforcement agencies to re-examine their training to specifically respond to an active shooter," said Montague.

State lawmakers are also re-examining safety procedures at school.

At  the top of the list is the "Protection of Children Act" that would allow school staff to volunteer to be armed and ready to respond to a threat on campus.

The marshals would undergo hours of training classes similar to the ones Montague teaches.

Just last week the ALERTT program received additional funding from the governor's office to allow more training classes for law enforcement officers.

Montague says that training will be essential in being prepared for active shooting situations that can happen anywhere.

"Once these officers are trained and practice their training, once these situations occur, they don't even have to think about it," said Montague.

Under this new bill, school marshals would be classified as a new form of a licensed law enforcement officer. Their credentials would have to be renewed ever two years.