SRO Active Shooter Response 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An SRO is told by dispatch that an active shooter is reported in the gym. Upon arrival, the SRO hears gunfire from the library. What should the officer do?
- Proceed to the gym as originally directed by dispatch
- Move toward the sound of gunfire in the library (Correct answer)
- Establish a perimeter around both the gym and library
- Request updated information from dispatch before moving
Correct answer: Move toward the sound of gunfire in the library
Officers must respond to real-time sensory information; gunfire is a more reliable indicator of threat location than initial dispatch reports.
Question 2: When clearing a classroom during an active shooter event, what is the recommended method for opening a closed door?
- Kick the door open and immediately enter in a two-officer stack
- Use a student or staff member to open the door while officers cover
- Use a 'button hook' or 'cross' entry technique from a position of cover (Correct answer)
- Knock and announce before opening to avoid startling occupants
Correct answer: Use a 'button hook' or 'cross' entry technique from a position of cover
Button hook and cross entry techniques minimize officer exposure to any threat that may be behind the door.
Question 3: What is the 'fatal funnel' in active shooter tactics?
- The area directly behind the shooter where ricochets are most dangerous
- The dangerous zone in a doorway where officers are most exposed when entering a room (Correct answer)
- The hallway leading directly to the main entrance of a school
- The kill zone established by the shooter around their initial position
Correct answer: The dangerous zone in a doorway where officers are most exposed when entering a room
The fatal funnel is the doorway opening where an officer is briefly silhouetted and exposed to fire from inside the room.
Question 4: How does the 'Rescue Task Force' (RTF) model improve outcomes during active shooter events?
- It replaces the traditional contact team model with a larger, slower but safer approach
- It pairs law enforcement officers with medical personnel to treat casualties in the warm zone (Correct answer)
- It designates specially trained SROs as the only responders authorized to enter the building
- It requires EMS to wait at the command post until a full building clear is declared
Correct answer: It pairs law enforcement officers with medical personnel to treat casualties in the warm zone
The RTF model pairs officers with medics to quickly reach and treat the wounded in semi-secure areas, reducing preventable deaths.
Question 5: A school principal demands the SRO stand down and wait for additional law enforcement before entering a building with an active shooter. What should the SRO do?
- Comply with the principal's order as the site administrator has authority
- Consult with dispatch before making a decision
- Proceed into the building based on law enforcement training and legal duty to act (Correct answer)
- Negotiate with the principal while the situation develops
Correct answer: Proceed into the building based on law enforcement training and legal duty to act
An SRO's law enforcement duty and training supersede a school administrator's authority in an active threat situation.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes 'concealment' versus 'cover' in an active shooter scenario?
- Concealment stops bullets; cover only hides you from view
- Cover stops bullets; concealment only hides you from view (Correct answer)
- Both concealment and cover stop bullets with equal effectiveness
- Cover is used outdoors and concealment is used indoors
Correct answer: Cover stops bullets; concealment only hides you from view
Cover (e.g., concrete walls, engine blocks) stops bullets, while concealment (e.g., curtains, drywall) only hides your position.
Question 7: During the post-incident phase, what is the SRO's role regarding student and staff statements?
- Collect all statements personally and submit them to the incident commander
- Preserve the scene and direct witnesses to investigators without conducting formal interviews (Correct answer)
- Immediately interview the closest witnesses to capture fresh memories
- Release all witnesses and direct them to provide written statements later
Correct answer: Preserve the scene and direct witnesses to investigators without conducting formal interviews
SROs should secure witnesses and the scene but leave formal interviews to detectives to avoid compromising the investigation.
SRO Active Shooter Response 4
An SRO is told by dispatch that an active shooter is reported in the gym.
Upon arrival, the SRO hears gunfire from the library.
What should the officer do?