Littlestown police officers are prepping for active shooter tactical training but require accompanying equipment, Police Chief Charles Kellar told for the borough council at its Tuesday meeting.
The goal is to have officers in the borough correctly trained to respond to mass shooter threats with up-to-date equipment, said Kellar, who is also the borough manager.
One major objective of the training itinerary is to “go chase the gunfire while making our officers’ safety a priority,” Kellar said.
“We can be there within a minute. There is an excellent working relationship with state police, and the surrounding municipalities. We know they would arrive as quickly as possible, 10 or 15 minutes, but a lot can happen in those minutes,” he said.
Littlestown Police Department has been collaborating with Littlestown Area School District Superintendent Chris Bigger to quickly respond to thwart a threat in an active shooter scenario. Training will utilize the school grounds and buildings, Alloway Creek Elementary School, Maple Avenue Middle School and Littlestown High School.
Familiarity with the schools’ interiors is essential in an active shooter scenario and a strong working relationship with Bigger has aided in the process, said Kellar.
“We’ve worked with each other for years,” he said.
To strengthen training and ensure the safety of the responding officers, current generation tactical equipment has been ordered for the nine officers. This includes tactical vests, helmets, ballistic shields, gasmasks, body bunkers and other body armor.
The new tactical gear, bought via manufacturer contracts, will cost approximately $50,000. Kellar told the council more than half of the cost will be provided by outside funding sources, including grants. He expressed concern over receiving the gear in a timely matter, citing the current supply chain nationwide, concluding, “it’s a crap shoot.”
Kellar expects the new equipment to be delivered in August. Active shooter scenario tactical training will begin in July.
The Littlestown Police Department operates around the clock seven days a week. Currently, there are nine officers on the roster.
Entry-level police officer salaries in the borough are between $60,000-$65,000, which increases annually. After serving on the force for four years, an officer can expect to earn $77,000 and close to $80,000 by the fifth year.
Kellar has worked in law enforcement for almost 40 years. He says it’s harder these days to hire new officers. Whereas in the past there would be 300-400 applicants at any given time, Littlestown Police Department now gets two or three.
“I’ve seen a lot of changes in law enforcement over the years and the dangers of ambush,” he said, but nevertheless, there is a quiet confidence in the safety in town currently, with the department fully staffed and attentive.
“We’re at full complement. Everything’s good in Littlestown. We’ve got it covered,” said Kellar.
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