MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shelby County court deputies got hands-on active shooter training at 201 Poplar.
This comes after the Mid-South experienced two of these cases in the last month – at the Orange Mound post office and the Collierville Kroger.
“You never can be too prepared for whatever the case may be. You have to stay up on your training,” Captain Oscar Harris said.
Captain Oscar Harris is with the Shelby County sheriff’s office who says the tragic, recent shootings at the Kroger in Collierville and the postal facility serve as reminders it’s important to be ready to respond to any possible scenario.
Deputies from criminal, civil and juvenile courts have run through scenarios throughout the week.
“You train for that muscle memory so long as you keep training, keep training, you know the ins and outs of the particular place you’re working at,” Harris said.
“Nothing prepares you for an event like having trained for it. So, we the criminal court judges who depend for our security on the sheriff’s department, are happy we’re taken great care of. Just the fact that they’re getting this training, this one more layer, it’s a really wonderful sense of security for us.” Judge Bobby Carter said.
Carter acknowledges 201 Poplar is a place where emotions can run high with victims’ families and defendants often just feet apart.
He says it’s crucial it remains a place anyone can access.
“They need to be able to do that without being fearful. so this gives them the added security to allow what we do to be transparent which benefits everyone,” Carter said.
The sheriff’s office is also offering this kind of training to groups as well.
