Active Shooter Preparedness | Police Department

The Monmouth University Police Department (MUPD) takes pride in maintaining a safe campus for staff, faculty, students, and visitors to our main campus and at the Graduate Center. This presentation is part of the department’s ongoing program and commitment to providing informative training to our campus community. MUPD patrol officers are available to answer any questions and address any concerns. In addition, MUPD can provide an officer to speak to any campus group by contacting us at 732-571-4444.

Life-threatening situations can occur anywhere, even with ongoing training and safety precautions in place. Among the most publicized and dangerous incidents are those involving an active shooter. An active shooter situation is defined as any incident in which a person or persons armed with a deadly weapon is actively and presently employing the weapons against innocent victims.

Active Shooter Situation

The following guidelines are intended to reduce your personal risk in the event of an Active Shooter Situation.

Run. Hide. Fight.

What Are Your Options if You Encounter an Active Shooter?

An active shooter is actively engaged in the killing or the attempted killing of people. In most cases, active shooters use firearms as their weapon of choice, while displaying no predetermined selection of their victims. Active shooter incidents are often fluid, fast-changing situations, placing tremendous demands upon law enforcement as they deploy personnel in an effort to halt a shooter from killing innocent people. This presentation will provide more insight into what is involved in an active shooter scenario and what to expect from responding law enforcement officials.

If you are outside a building when someone begins to shoot at people in the area:

Immediately take cover (hide behind something hard, that will stop or slow bullets) or, circumstances permitting, enter an unaffected building.
In the event neither cover nor entering a building is possible, run in a zigzag fashion away from the sound of gunfire. Dial 9-1-1.

If you are in a building when someone begins to shoot at people in the area:

If possible without compromising your safety, EXIT immediately and dial 9-1-1.

If leaving would jeopardize your safety, secure your immediate area by:

Locking and barricading doors.
Turning off lights.
Closing blinds and/or locking windows.
Keep quiet. Silence cell phones (not even vibrate); turn off radios and computer monitors.
Staying out of sight and take adequate cover/protection (i.e., concrete walls, filing cabinets).
Do not stand by doors or windows.
Do not huddle in masses. Make a plan with the other occupants of a room to decide action if the suspect(s) should enter.

What to Report

Shooter(s) location, number of suspects, and their identities if known.
Race/gender, clothing description, physical features of suspect(s).
Type of weapons (long gun or handgun), backpacks or duffel bags, separate explosions from gunfire, etc.
Your specific location building name and office/room number.
Number of people at your specific location. Injuries, number of persons injured, and types of injuries.

Things To Consider

Remember, the shooter will not stop until they are stopped by an outside force.

Consider the risks before unlocking and entering any rooms.

If doubt exists for the safety of the individuals inside the room, the area should remain secured.

Police Response

If you are approached by police officers, keep your hands visible.

Do not run up to officers if you see them approaching.

Police officers are trained to handle active shooters in certain situations.

An initial team of police officers will be trying to stop the shooter and will not be stopping to assist others at this time.

What Happens When It’s All Over?

Remain in secure areas until instructed otherwise.
When the police arrive, put down any item you may have in your hands and keep them visible at all times.
You may be instructed to keep your hands on your head.
Avoid making any quick movements toward officers such as holding on to them for safety.
Avoid pointing, screaming, or yelling.
You may be searched.
You will be escorted out of the building by law enforcement personnel.
Do not stop to ask officers for help or directions when evacuating.
Once evacuated, no one will be permitted to re-enter the crime scene.
You will likely be interviewed about the incident by police officers.

Medical care and post-incident counseling services will be made available as soon as practical, with additional follow up in the days, weeks, and months following.

Safety is a shared responsibility of all members of the Monmouth University community.

Please help us keep our community safe by being aware of possible threats, by quickly reporting observations, and by taking a leadership role during emergencies.

IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.

Contact MUPD at 732-571-4444 or 9-1-1 from any campus phone.