OHP Completes Training Requirements in Governor’s “Secure Oklahoma Schools” Order

OKLAHOMA CITY –

Gov. Kevin Stitt issued an executive order in June, making sure law enforcement officials are prepared to take down any threat. This is to be completed by 2023.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said they are in compliance with the Governor’s Secure Oklahoma Schools order. They said all troopers have received the most up-to-date training for responding to an active shooter situation.

Trooper Eric Foster said when an active shooter call comes over the radio, it’s all hands-on deck.

“We respond all together at the same time,” Foster said.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a hospital, a mall or a school, OHP said they’re on the scene in any part of the state.

“Out in a rural area, very rarely are you going to have one trooper with 10 other troopers there. You’re going to have one trooper, one deputy, one municipal police officer, an off-duty guy you’re going to have a lot of guys there and gals there all responding together, so we need to know how to act together,” Foster said.

Following the tragic shooting at an elementary school in Texas, Governor Stitt issued an order called “Secure Oklahoma Schools”, requiring all troopers get the latest training. The order states, “Children deserve to be safe in school. School personnel deserve to be safe in school,”

“We are in every school. We are in every county. Our children go to school there and our grandchildren go to school there, our wives, husbands all are involved in these school systems, so we have a vested interest to be there,” Foster said.

Troopers have also been training with agencies at schools throughout the state.

“Now in the state of Oklahoma, we’re all trained the same, we all move the same, we all respond the same,” Foster said.

The order also required every school district to implement a Rave Panic Button. This is a school safety app to keep students safe during an emergency. OHP said right now they’re testing that system.