Seminar made recommendations for police action in school shooting situations
School shootings and similar situations require special measures from the police. The task of the first officers arriving at the scene is to stop the assailant as soon as possible. The next task is to take care of the victims and organise other police measures. The relatives of those who were involved in the situation, as well as the large public, must constantly be given up-to-date information on the events. Afterwards, it is important that the necessary help is given for coping with the shocking experience.
Participants of an international seminar on school shooting incidents, held yesterday in Vantaa, Finland and attracting representatives of the police from 13 EU countries, agreed on the above mentioned recommendations. The seminar was organised by the Ministry of the Interior, and it was part of the cooperation and exchange of information between EU Member States' police forces.
The seminar dealt with tactical police work in a shooting situation. Finnish representatives presented the action plans, based on experiences from the incidents in Jokela and Kauhajoki, for school shootings and other situations where an individual randomly kills people. Representatives of German and Canadian police forces presented similar practices from their countries.
In Finland, police practice is to resolve even the most difficult situations peacefully through negotiations. According to the seminar recommendations, however, in school shooting type situations, other kinds of measures must sometimes be taken. The police must start actions as soon as possible, with the first objective being to stop the killing. In particular the first police officers arriving at the scene must take risks which are not a normal part of police work. This requires mental preparedness which can be acquired through training. The seminar recommended that police training, starting from the basic level, should comprise more this type of exercises.
In order to be prepared for school shootings and similar situations, a police expert group has prepared in Finland a training programme and a national operating model.
Prevention was not a topic at this seminar, but the conclusions emphasized the importance of cooperation with schools, authorities and other interest groups. National Police Commissioner Mikko Paatero also accentuated the role of cooperation. Paatero stated that in order to prevent incidents like Jokela and Kauhajoki, extensive cooperation between authorities is required, and in particular that early signs of this type of behaviour are recognised in homes, schools and health care.
- The police must have a functional action plan and operational model in order to react swiftly and efficiently when these situations emerge, said Paatero. Police Commissioner Paatero convened the seminar at the EU Police Chiefs' Task Force, and will also report to the PCTF on its conclusions.
More information available from Superintendent Seppo Sivula, tel. +358 (9) 160 42533.