Monday, August 19, 2013

"The freaky deaky 'SWAT schoolbus drill' clip."

But wait — listen to what the reporter says at the beginning about the fear being real and that, for some on the bus, it’s a “nightmare turned into reality.” Did the kids know? Why the hell are school districts holding SWAT raid exercises anyway?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Students used as drill props is bad enough, whether they've been briefed or not.

Police agencies, which usually get antsy about people snapping photos about what they do, are now putting on displays to reveal their tactics?

If the kids weren't briefed on the drill before hand, there's risk one (or some) of them might be injured in an escape or overpowering attempt.

Even if they were briefed, what happens if the early stages of the takeover drill is spotted by an armed civilian or even an off-duty LEO from another agency?

And is any real bad guy just going to sit and watch as the SWAT formation struts toward the bus?

This is one freaky event. Seems more designed to created goodwill and public image for SWAT than it does practical rescue training.

Real training would have enough variables where things can go wrong. This look more like a scripted show. Complete with live studio audience.

Michael Gilson said...

I recently read a Japanese comic about a Japanese girl attending a US high school, "Ketchup Ninja". In the end of chapter 2 and all of chapter 3 there is a "Code Red Lockdown Drill" that only the heroine doesn't know is a drill, using a student with a ketchup launcher made to look like a shotgun. The author's comments at the end (for the Japanese audience) explain she has experienced lockdown drills, they are really boring, she doesn't think they do much good, and they don't use ketchup guns. I thought it didn't sound any dumber than things that have really been done in drills.