Lima SWAT team trains Shawnee police for active shooters

SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP — The Lima Police Department SWAT team conducted active shooter drills with the Shawnee Township Police and Fire Departments Wednesday at Shawnee High School.

The drills train patrol officers, who are the first to respond to active-shooter calls, in SWAT techniques so officers are better prepared to respond to active shooters or mass-casualty events.

“It might take a while for the SWAT team to respond,” Lima Police Lt. Ben Thompson said. “In a half-hour waiting on a SWAT team, a lot of people can be hurt or killed. We’re not going to wait on that, so these guys need to be training in that.”

The Lima Police Department’s Special Weapons and Tactics team trains with other agencies several times per year.

The team also works regularly with schools and businesses, Thompson said.

The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office conducted a similar exercise at Parkway schools Tuesday and Wednesday.

Fifty-two law enforcement personnel from Mercer County agencies registered to participate, according to a news release.

“Our hope is to allow all of the officers from Mercer County to train in differing types of structures so that they are better prepared for circumstances like this,” Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey said in the release.