Due
to the shootings and crimes on school property over the past few months,
the EPCC police department now has a solution for campus safety.
They are well prepared and ready for any threats that might take place
any time on any campus.
Campus police, along with the Socorro and El Paso School Districts,
attended an Active Shooter Training program recently. It is an updated
and more realistic version of traditional training.
“Originally, when extreme situations happened, we had to stay
right where we were and wait for a SWAT team, which could take up
to an hour,” said J.R. Grijalva, EPCC police chief. “Now
we are trained to use more advanced weapons. We go in and handle the
situation right away, instead of waiting for the SWAT team.”
(Standing
L-R) EPCC officer Frank Ordaz, police chief J.R. Grijalva and officer
Nathan Atkins show off some of the firepower available to them in
case of a major emergency at the college.
EPCCPD
also purchased a set of “special” equipment, such as rifles
stromg enough to counter assault rifles that a shooter might use against
them. There’s also a team specially trained and certified to
use the equipment in emergency situations.
“These
weapons are available at every campus and are ready to patrol 24/7,”
said Lieutenant Frank Ordaz. “The sooner we get there, the sooner
we can neutralize the threats.” Besides the special weapons
and equipment, the police department carries eight defibrillators
used for heart attacks, which are spread throughout each campus.
They are also in charge of security cameras in several different areas
on every campus and are able to view suspicious activities or persons.
All the added firepower doesn’t come cheap. A mandatory $5 fee
which students pay for vehicle registration stickers goes directly
to the department and is used for campus safety.
According to Grijalva, EPCC is at risk just like any other school
in the nation. Terrorism is also a concern.
“They might make their way in through a border location,”
said Grijalva.
To further expand its area of safety coverage, the department is planning
on increasing the amount of equipment, services and locations of cameras
on each campus.
“We try to make a campus as safe as we can for people to come
and get their education,” said Grijalva. “It is hard enough
to worry about tests and homework without having to worry about other
things.”
