A training exercise for local law enforcement held late Tuesday evening and into Wednesday’s early morning hours was a success. Uintah County Sheriff’s Office shared that dozens of officers from local, state, and federal agencies joined together for the training exercise that simulated an active shooter incident inside Vernal’s Walmart. “In a small, rural community like we have we are always going to work with our partner agencies and on a major scenario like this, at a Walmart or a school, we have to know what our capabilities are all the way around,” shares Uintah County Sheriff Steve Labrum. “We have to know how many people we have and the reality of what we’ll be working with. If we train together, we know what to expect from each other. And if we’re all trained the same, we’re going to respond the same.” Plans for the training exercise got underway earlier this year when a Walmart manager contacted the Sheriff with the idea. Sheriff Labrum explains that it took several months to get all the approvals in place and during that time Assistant Vernal Police Chief Keith Campbell spent countless hours creating the training plan and coordinating with all the entities involved. In addition to officers, dispatchers at the Uintah Basin Communications Center, Gold Cross Ambulance and Classic Air Med crews, and Ashley Regional ER staff participated in the exercise as well.
Photo credit: Uintah County Sheriff’s Office
TRAINING EXERCISE ONLY, not an actual incidence
