Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training

The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program, administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP's) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), furthers the Department's mission by assisting state and local jurisdictions in improving the criminal justice system and assisting communities in preventing drug abuse and crime. In fiscal year 2007, the Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program will focus on funding local, regional, and national efforts within six major categories: 1) targeting violent crime; 2) preventing crime and drug abuse; 3) enhancing local law enforcement; 4) enhancing local courts; 5) enhancing local corrections and offender reentry; and 6) facilitating justice information sharing. All categories combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime.

The Texas State University-San Marcos will use the grant funds, awarded under the Category III (Enhancing Local Law Enforcement), to fund the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Program. ALERRT and its partners will train law enforcement patrol officers to effectively address and stop active shooters. ALERRT partners include the Hays County Sheriff's Office, the San Marcos Police Department, the Texas Tactical Peace Officers Association, and the Texas Engineering Extension Service, a member of the Texas A&M University System. The ALERRT Program will fully support four basic classes in each of the nine regions taught by certified instructors, in addition to providing equipment, consumables, and one senior instructor. The senior instructor will assist in 36 basic classes, which will train an estimated 1,080 officers, to assure that consistent instruction is being presented by the certified instructors.

The goal of the ALERRT Program is to aid patrol officers in their ability to safely and effectively respond to, address, and stop an active shooter. Their primary objective is to provide high quality, dynamic, affordable first responder training classes utilizing 'force-on-force' training techniques.

CA/NCF