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Police, emergency crews handle mock attack in Streator
By Greg Stanmar
gregstnmar@insightbb.com
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STREATOR — What Streator Township High School experienced for 2½ hours Wednesday afternoon, “I hope never happens in real life,” said Streator police Sgt. Dave Smith. | Photo gallery

Smith headed tactical operations for a drill on how the school would handle two gunmen who came into the building, held hostages and injured several staff members.

The drill was planned long before real-life campus lockdowns occurred in Pontiac, Dwight and Downs in the past four weeks. While those involved students bringing guns or ammunition to school or making a bomb threat, the scenario practiced at Streator involved students intent on violence.

“What you are going to see today was nothing like what happened at our school,” Pontiac police Maj. Jim Wilford, the public liaison for the drill, told people observing the exercise. “In that situation no shots were fired and there were no injuries.”

The drill began after the 1,000 Streator students were dismissed for the day.

It started with administrators being told two students seeking revenge had called to say they were going to enter the building with high-powered weapons.

Observers then heard a rapid exchange of gunfire. Tactical responders armed with assault rifles were firing blank ammunition.

Once the first-responders had secured the area, emergency medical personnel from St. Mary’s Hospital, Streator, and local ambulances began treating the wounded.

Area police officers and other available emergency agencies from LaSalle and Livingston counties participated, though Wilford would not give an actual number.

In fact, few details in the drill were made available “since we don’t want to tell the bad guys how we’re going to react,” said Wilford.

The drill was planned more than a year ago “as part of our continuing development for a crisis plan,” said David Holmes, the high school’s dean of students.

Such drills help police and school officials better prepare for emergencies, they said.

For example, the learned in a drill last spring that doors could not be locked quickly enough, but that has been changed, officials said.

The district already has banned cell phones on campus, Wilford said.

“In an emergency, what would happened if 400 students were to call 911?” he asked. ”Then 911 (emergency phone service) would be down.”

Some extra precautions have been discussed but won’t be implemented, including metal detectors and routine searches of student backpacks.

“We’re not at that point in our lives where we need them,” said Wilford.

Take a look
Police with weapons drawn protect a shooting victim and her rescuers, during a mock exercise at the Streator Township High School on Wednesday (Sept. 19, 2007). (PANTAGRAPH/STEVE SMEDLEY)
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Reader comments on this story - 14 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Just A Guy #2 wrote on Sep 20, 2007 3:55 PM:

" What has happened to the admiration and support that our police had just six years ago last Tuesday? I take it the police are back to being incompetent, foolish, revenue generators and "Nazis" again. "

Just A Guy wrote on Sep 20, 2007 3:53 PM:

" To: "J O". How is this "prepping for the police state"? Don't you want a trained knowledgeable police department ready for whatever kind of situation that could come up? Police officers are not the bad guys. Criminals are the bad guys. Let's make sure the police are ready for the criminals. "

Cynic wrote on Sep 20, 2007 3:08 PM:

" Looks more like a photo op. Why are those two standing there "guarding" one "victum"? Are there two for every victum? Hope the victum is not a decoy. "

jimmy wrote on Sep 20, 2007 2:43 PM:

" keep 'em scared and prepare 'em for the police state- heckuva job, "tactical" guys! "

SGT wrote on Sep 20, 2007 2:27 PM:

" I think this was an awesome training exercise for the Local law enforcement to help perpare them if this sort of thing ever happen. Congrats SPD, SFD, and SPD E.R.T. "

To: or wrote on Sep 20, 2007 1:06 PM:

" What? Come on. How many teachers do we read about these days that are accused of molesting or fondling children? Let's put guns in there hands too, good idea. "

To: or wrote on Sep 20, 2007 12:24 PM:

" What? Come on. How many teachers do we read about these days that are accused of molesting or fondling children? Let's put guns in there hands too, good idea. "

OR.... wrote on Sep 20, 2007 10:35 AM:

" We could arm our teachers with guns then teach them how to use them. In the 5 minutes it going to take for the police to get there, a crazy person could cause a lot of damage. Typically criminals do not want to commit a crime if they are going to be met with resistance. If you think that I am totally nuts for such a comment. Just ask one of the parents of one of the children that were killed at Columbine or (insert school name here) what they think. I am going to guess they wished that the teachers were armed, and could have had the possibility of taking out one of these little punks before they killed their child. "

The Nazi's won! wrote on Sep 20, 2007 10:06 AM:

" This is another beautiful example of a "police state". The system wants us to get used to them haveing guns drawn on the civilian population constantly, and turn a blind eye when they grab an innocent of the street for random interigation. So they start the brainwashing early by useing the youth as "training" for the gastapo. If you believe this is a good thing then you too may be a nazi. When did Americans become such fascists? I didn't serve this nation for things like this to become the norm. Please wake up America! "

Amazing wrote on Sep 20, 2007 9:33 AM:

" So students shouldn't have cell phones because, in the event of a shooting, 9-1-1 will be jammed up? Following that same reasoning, cell phones should be banned at hospitals, malls, large office buildings, and stadiums. No cell phones should be permitted at any large gatherings because 9-1-1 could be overloaded. Brilliant. "

EPG parent wrote on Sep 20, 2007 9:05 AM:

" At El Paso Gridley the kids are not allowed to have cell phones on them (or any other electronic devices except for calculators). It has been this way for quite a while here. "

Sad, wrote on Sep 20, 2007 7:58 AM:

" but this needs to happen in all schools. I hope in time it does. "

J O wrote on Sep 20, 2007 7:42 AM:

" Prepping for the police state. "

Just A Guy wrote on Sep 20, 2007 3:26 AM:

" Finally, a school with a working brain. Banning cell phones on campus. More schools need to follow suit, but also include ALL electronic devices that are not for educational or medical needs. No iPods, no cell phones, no PSPs, no Game Boy Advances, nothing of that sort. The only electronics a high schooler (or any child) needs to be carrying is a calculator. Not even a laptop (unless needed for a specific class project). "
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