Active shooter response class requests up in Pima County

TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - The Pima County Sheriff Department's community resource unit reports they have had three requests for 'how to respond to an active shooter' presentations in the last week. That is a spike from the average one request per month or few months.

Officials did not provide a clear reason for why, but the requests are timely considering the deadly mass shooting that happened in California last Wednesday.

Lt. Jim Murphy is the tactical response commander with the Pima County Sheriff's Department, responsible for the following units: bomb squad, regional E.O.D., Canine, S.W.A.T., hostage negotiations, tactical emergency medical support, regional S.W.A.T Training.

He told Tucson News Now all 500 plus of PCSD's commissioned deputies are required to go through active shooter training every two to three years. The last active shooter training happened at Pima County Superior court in 2014. No trainings were scheduled this year and none are set for next year so far.

"The tactics we utilized are a combination of tactics that deputies utilize every day," Lt. Murphy said."The reality is the active shooter has not changed over the years. We are dealing with the same things now that we did 20 years ago."

"We set up training as needed based on our experience here in Southern Arizona," he said. "While we train and are prepared, the reality is our response may be several minutes away and the public should educate themselves."

"It's not something people want to think about, but if they mentally prepare, they'll be prepared if the situation comes to their workplace, doing something is better than doing nothing at all. We make these training scenarios as realistic as possible so that deputies are acclimated and prepared to deal with they may encounter when they arrive on scene of an active shooter," said Murphy. "I don't want people to be scared. I want them to be prepared. With everything that's going on today, unfortunately fear is going to drive them to be prepared."

The Pima County Community Resource Unit provides free 'how to respond to an active shooter' classes for businesses located in unincorporated Pima County. Those interested in setting up a presentation at their office can call 520-351-4615.

The unit only teaches the classes to businesses and schools in unincorporated Pima County. For businesses or schools in Tucson, the Tucson Police Department offers active shooter response classes. Specifics are not available yet, because the TPD is still working out the details.