UK Happenings

UK Police to Offer Active Aggressor Training

photo of student participants in UKPD Active Aggressor Training
UK Police will offer active aggressor training to UK students, faculty and staff, as well as the public.

(LEXINGTON, Ky.) Sept. 1, 2017 Recent statistics released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) indicate that active aggressor incidents in the United States are on the rise with 60 percent of incidents occurring in an educational setting. Knowing what to do in advance of a threat is key in survival. The University of Kentucky Police Department (UKPD) is offering open sessions of their one-hour active aggressor training to all UK students, faculty, staff as well as members of the public free of charge.

These sessions will be offered on the following days; 

  • 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, at Chemistry Physics Building Room CP320;
  • noon Thursday, Sept. 28, at Blazer Dining;
  • 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18, Patterson Hall Room 219 or 218; and
  • noon Friday, Nov. 17, White Hall Classroom Building Room 118.

Training will discuss a variety of topics including understanding the reaction of law enforcement responders, the distinction between an active aggressor and hostage-taker, and preventative measures to avert violence. Since August of last year, Officer Alan Saylor and Officer Amy Boatman of UKPD Community Affairs have trained approximately 7,000 individuals throughout the community by request.

“Knowing what to do during an active aggressor event is one important key to safety,” UKPD Chief Joe Monroe said. “There are often tell-tale signs of emerging aggression before an incident takes place which can be sent anonymously through utilizing the LiveSafe app to crowdsource information to our police agency.”

The LiveSafe app was co-founded by Kristina Anderson, survivor of the second deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history at Virginia Tech (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) in April 2007. Over 120 colleges and universities in the U.S. utilize the free app to crowdsource information regarding suspicious activity or safety concerns to local law enforcement. For more information or to download the free LiveSafe app, please visit www.uky.edu/EM/LiveSafe.html.