Police in Aalst have started to practise pupil and police responses to an armed incident in 10 secondary schools in the city from today. In this way, they hope to be better prepared if such a situation were to occur in reality. Role-plays will run in different schools until 18 February.
Aalst police are staging so-called AMOK exercises in cooperation with 10 secondary schools in the city. ‘This is an exercise in which an attacker tries to create as many victims as possible in a certain environment. In the present exercise these are school environments,’ says Lisa Wynendaele of Aalst police.
‘One of our colleagues plays the attacker and makes his way through the building. Unlike in other situations, he won't try to barricade himself in somewhere but will try to kill as many victims as possible.’
In all some 50 police officers are taking part in the exercise, half of them are on hand to provide support. Students and teachers also take part in the exercise. Pupils require explicit permission from their parents.
In a first school, the briefing started at 8.30 am today. Pupils and teachers are assigned their roles. The exercise starts around noon.
‘A distinction is made among the victims determining which are effectively injured. This helps to make the scenario as realistic as possible and re-enact all possible options,’ says Wynendaele.
Evaluation follows after all exercises
‘Each school also receives a debriefing, when everyone can share their experiences of the exercise. At the end of the series of exercises, police will collate all the information they have gathered and evaluate the good points and the points that need attention for the future.’