Bowie Police Hosts Active Shooter Drill

More than 160 people are expected to show up at Samuel Ogle Middle School, 4111 Chelmont Lane, in Bowie on July 31 for an active shooter drill.

Bowie Police Department is hosting the drill to practice police and fire/EMS response to dangerous situations at local schools.

The drill will simulate an active shooter at a public school. Officers and first responders are expected to use their training in a real time environment to react, communicate and coordinate personnel and resources during a chaotic event.

“Drills such as these are critical not only for reinforcing tactical skills but for also providing a firsthand understanding of how large in scope and challenging an event like this will be,” said Bowie Police Chief John Nesky, according to a press release. “This drill will test everyone from the first officer on the scene to the supervisors trying to establish command and control of units and personnel from numerous jurisdictions. We want to make sure that all of the potential players in this scenario are prepared, that the response is well coordinated, and that everyone is communicating effectively.”

Drill participants include Bowie Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Department and Sheriff’s Office, Public Schools, Public Schools Security Services, Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Response System, Homeland Security, Maryland State Police, Bowie State University Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department and City of Bowie Park Rangers.

“Embedding a crew of paramedics with a law enforcement entry team is a growing trend across the country and requires an overabundance of oversight and training,” said Prince George’s County Fire Chief Marc Bashoor. “We will use every opportunity to train to the point we can’t get it wrong.”

Setup for the drill will take place beginning around 6:30 a.m. The drill begins around 9 a.m. and ends around noon with cleanup finishing around 1 p.m.

Local residents are warned to not be alarmed by the strong police, fire and emergency personnel present. The drill will also impact traffic near the middle school. Chelmont Lane through traffic will be closed. Residents of the street will only be able to access their homes from the Clearfield Drive end of the street.