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Contact: Todd Cohen, University Relations, (785) 864-8858, or Mary Jane Dunlap, University Relations, (785) 864-8854.

Terror Attack:
KU law enforcement training prepares for terrorist attacks 'anyplace, anytime'

LAWRENCE -- The University of Kansas' Kansas Law Enforcement Center will be offering training in response to terrorist attacks on Oct. 10 and 11 at the Holiday Inn Express in Hutchinson.

The two-day seminars are offered at no charge by KU's Law Enforcement Center, a unit of KU's Continuing Education. The seminars are offered in response to requests received from law enforcement across Kansas. Last year, 62 Kansas law enforcement officers enrolled in three seminars, two on general response and one on training others in response to incidents involving weapons of mass destruction. Those officers were from units in Basehor, Buhler, Derby, Dodge City, Fort Scott, Goddard, Haven, Haysville, Herington, Hill City, Hutchinson, Leavenworth, McPherson, Mission, Mount Hope, Mulvane, Mound City, Newton, Olathe, Pratt, Tonganoxie, Salina, Topeka, Wichita and Kansas City, Kan.

The seminars cover the following topics:

 •terrorist threat
 • coordinated response to weapons of mass destruction incidents
 • weapons of mass destruction
 • personal protection and safety
 • strategies and tactics for weapons of mass destruction incidents
 • analyzing typical weapons of mass destruction scenarios.

In July 2000, general response seminars were offered in Hutchinson and also in Olathe. KU's Law Enforcement Training Center and the Academy of Counter-Terrorist Education at Louisiana State University co-sponsored the seminars. Both the training center and the academy are units in continuing education at their universities.

The general response seminars focused on first response law enforcement officers and the actions they must take to support an effective community response to weapons of mass destruction incidents. The seminars emphasized critical skills and knowledge needed during a response. The seminars focused on the terrorist threat; coordinated response to weapons of mass destruction incidents; weapons of mass destruction; personal protection and safety; strategies and tactics for weapons of mass destruction incidents; summary exercise; testing and administration.

The third seminar provided training for officers to conduct similar seminars in their own agencies. Eleven of the 62 officers enrolled in one of the two general seminars enrolled in "Train-the-Trainer for Law Enforcement Response to Weapons-of-Mass Destruction Incidents" in Hutchinson.

Comment from Ed Pavey, director of the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center

"Because of past tragic incidents such as the Oklahoma City and World Trade Center bombings, law enforcement officials are aware that incidents of this magnitude can occur anytime, anywhere. Law Enforcement Response to weapons-of-mass destruction training has moved to the forefront as one of several high-profile contemporary police training issues. The Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center has sponsored this type of training for the Kansas law enforcement community over the past two years."

"Responding to mass destruction incidents requires a coordinated effort between emergency first responders, other governmental agencies having similar responsibilities and volunteer organizations wanting to provide emergency assistance. Seminars of this type provide valuable insight into formulating the planning process for responding to critical mass destruction incidents."