Retired police officers train Danish teachers for school shootings

Retired police officers are training Danish school staff to protect students in the event of a shooting, DR reports. The issue has gained renewed attention after three young men were arrested and remanded in custody on Monday on suspicion of attempting a terrorist attack against Hadsten School in Favrskov Municipality.

Teachers at Viby School in Aarhus began the new school year on Tuesday by learning where they could seek safety if the school came under attack.

“The knowledge we have gained today provides great reassurance, because unfortunately this is something we have to think about,” said Jeppe Berghuis, a workplace safety representative and class teacher.

All schools in Denmark must have an emergency response plan covering the risk of school shootings. In Aarhus, the task has been handled by Safesec, whose employees have reviewed every school and trained staff in security procedures.

Safesec’s instructors are retired police officers. Over the past six years, they have trained staff at 900 schools and educational institutions in 52 municipalities.

At Viby School, the training was led by Jan Hem, who has 41 years of police experience. He has also worked as a security adviser at Danish embassies in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Hem told teachers to move away from the sound if they hear gunshots, noise or screams elsewhere in the school. If they cannot escape because an attacker is in the hallway, they should barricade themselves inside a classroom.

He reviewed all of the school’s rooms and classified them as red, yellow or green according to how secure they were, focusing on rooms with sturdy walls and doors.

If an attacker tries to enter, teachers should use the people and objects in the room to defend themselves as effectively as possible, Hem said.

“Before the police arrive, we are the ones facing the problem. We are the ones who have to act quickly,” said Viby School headteacher Dorte Jensen.

Jensen said the suspected attack against Hadsten School had made the training feel particularly relevant. Although the prospect of a school shooting was uncomfortable to consider, she said the instruction had made her more confident about what to do in such a situation.