LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. — The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office deputies and first responders often take part in active shooter drills, which are designed to keep kids safe in an emergency.
However, Sheriff Barry Faile said the school system has not participated. That will soon change after a recent meeting was held between officials.
[ READ: Lancaster County first responders hold active shooter training at high school ]
Faile told Channel 9 South Carolina Bureau reporter Tina Terry it’s important for school leaders to be on the same page with emergency workers.
Faile said he sat down with school leaders and the Lancaster Police Department chief to talk about changes when it comes to protecting schools.
“I don’t need to be singing from one page and they’re singing from another. We need to come together,” Faile said.
Deputies and emergency workers take part in active shooter training, including at Indian Land High School twice a year.
However, Faile said the school district does not participate in that training.
“It’s so important for us to be on the same page,” Faile said. “If something, God forbid, ever happens, when we pull up, everyone needs to understand what their role and responsibilities are. I certainly don’t want to pull up to a scene somewhere and the school administration has one way of doing things and we have a different way of doing things and it becomes a problem.”
Faile first shared information at a community meeting last month and this week, he met with school leaders and the police chief.
“It was good dialogue. Everybody wants the same thing for the teachers for the students,” the sheriff said.
He expects the district to participate in the next active shooter training.
“Without a doubt, and they made it perfectly clear that they’re going to start participating,” Faile said.
The Lancaster County Public Schools safety director told Terry that staff and students participate in four active shooter/intruder drills at every school each year.
However, the district has never trained with the sheriff’s office and other emergency workers.
That will change this school year.