SOUTH BRUNSWICk – Coinciding with the one-year anniversary of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, the South Brunswick Police Department is launching an ambitious plan to better prepare its community for an active shooter.
Chief Raymond Hayducka announced on Feb. 13 the creation of the Active Shooter Awareness & Preparedness (ASAP) program.
“This program is the result of a series of conversations and meetings with business leaders, houses of worship, and community members over the past year. We took a look at the ongoing efforts within our schools, but realized that 42 percent of all active shooter situations take place in commercial areas,” Hayducka said in a prepared statement.
He pointed to past incidents at the Newport Centre Mall in Jersey City, Garden State Plaza Mall in Paramus, and the UPS facility in Logan Township in January as examples of where the training can assist, according to the statement.
The one-hour program is designed to increase community members’ situational awareness and ability to respond to an active shooter.
“By being aware of your surroundings and having a plan you are already ahead of most people. Doing nothing in an active shooter situation is not an option. The 60 minutes you spend in this program will provide you with an advantage when every second counts,” Community Policing Division Lt. Gene Rickle said in the statement.
The program has set a goal of educating more than 5,000 community members over the next 10 months.
“Based on the initial interest in the program, I believe there is a strong desire for this presentation. We already have several presentations scheduled with businesses and community members,” Hayducka said.
South Brunswick police have scheduled a public presentation for the ASAP program at 7 p.m. on March 12 at Crossroads North Middle School, 635 Georges Road, Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick.
In addition to the public presentation, South Brunswick police will present the program to any group, business, houses of worship, club or organization at their location or at a training room in the municipal building.
“We know this information is valuable so we are flexible to meet the needs of anyone who asks for this program” Rickle said in the statement.
To RSVP for the March 12 presentation, email pdtraining@sbtnj.net with your name and number of attendees. In the subject line of the email, type “YES – MARCH 12.”
For more information on the program, or to schedule a presentation outside of the March event, email pdtraining@sbtnj.net with the subject line “MORE INFO.”
For more information, call the Community Policing Division at 732-329-4000, ext. 7459.
