The University of Toledo Police Department is conducting active shooter training exercises throughout the month of May that emphasize the role of the first officer to respond to an emergency situation.

Media are invited 9-11 a.m. and noon to 2 p.m. Thursday, May 18 at the former Main Campus Child Care Center near the south entrance of campus off of Dorr Street and Parking Area 9.

Most of the training will be contained inside the building. However, officers will be practicing entry into the north side of the building in the morning.

The community may see police cruisers with emergency lights on as officers practice their approaches in the parking lot. Signs will be posted that say, “UT Police Training Event.”

The training program called RAIDER, which stands for Rapid Deployment, Awareness, Intervention, Decisiveness, EMS and Recovery, provides the tactical skills necessary for the first officer responding to an active shooter situation to be able to intervene immediately in order to reduce the number of casualties.

The training provides officers with the mental and physical skills to draw the attention of the active shooter away from the potential victims, confuse and frustrate the shooter, and successfully neutralize the situation.