Last Tuesday, Dunedin and Invercargill Armed Offenders Squads (AOS) were in Cromwell holding a Southern District camp which included an active armed offenders exercise at the college.
Dunedin-based Sergeant Tyron Wall said the scenario portrayed two offenders entering the school grounds with weapons, leaving multiple students with injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening.
About 30 AOS staff and two local officers were involved in the drill while 30 senior students and a handful of teachers and parents helped set the scene.
"AOS teams were deployed into the school in a staggered formation to replicate a more realistic environment to deal with the offenders and provide first aid to the casualties and injured victims," Sgt Wall said.
It was a good opportunity to simulate the school’s lockdown procedure with students and he thanked the school and the community for their assistance.
"Police training in this capacity is so invaluable and there were many good learnings that came out of the exercise.
"It also gave the students and some of the community an opportunity to meet police and AOS staff and observe police training."
Cromwell College principal Mason Stretch said it was a valuable insight into what the AOS do — "it was certainly realistic and memorable for all involved".
