Law enforcement agencies in North Carolina and across the country are taking extra steps to train for active shooter situations in the wake of the recent Nashville school shooting that claimed six lives.

Police departments like the Gastonia Police Department and the Pineville Police Department in North Carolina are implementing realistic scenario-based training to prepare for potential similar incidents following the shooting.

Gastonia Police Detective Eddie Lovingood emphasized the importance of training for officers in active shooter situations.

“We want to train our officers as close as we can make it to the real thing.”

He added that local law enforcement approaches to these scenarios have evolved significantly over the years.

Sergeant Josh Harb of the Pineville Police Department also stressed the need to learn from and modify tactics from each incident.

“We try to learn from all of the incidents that happen,” he said. “We take what we can apply there and learn new methods each and every time.”

However, both officers emphasized the importance of community involvement and understanding.

Eddie Caldwell, executive vice president and general counsel for the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, urged training for schools, churches and businesses to help individuals prepare for potential life-threatening situations.

“[The] community needs to understand the challenge that officers face, and it goes a long way in a community when they understand why officers took certain actions,” Caldwell said.