Conn. school shooting prompts training for Newton Co. officers

After the tragic events that took place at a school in Connecticut last year, the Newton County Sheriff's Office is training officers to prepare for such an event in their area should it become necessary.

"This is one of the critical roles that a deputy has because you never know when the call is going to come. It could be a school, it could be a church, a Walmart and just give them different tools to use in order to be a better officer," said Sgt. Randy Downs with the Newton County Sheriff's Office.

The county is training officers to be able to respond should a shooter threaten a public place like a school or church. They recently took over Newton College, using their classrooms as their training ground. The officers, brandishing weapons, were put through different tactical situations.

Downs says moving officers during the training presents them with situations they may not have encountered in quite some time, or not at all.

"We try to build the officer's confidence and the abilities they have through training by pushing them through training like this, and try to make it intense and getting their adrenaline up," Downs said.

All Newton County officers will go through the training including sheriff's deputies, court officers, and school resources officers.

"Thorough training will help them be better officers, and return be better servants to the community," said Downs.

During the training, the officers actually shot pellets from their guns in order to make the simulation seem more real.