Northeast Mississippi Community College

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NEMCC hosts multi-agency law enforcement active shooter training

by Michael H. MIller

BOONEVILLE, Miss. -- (07/25/2025) — Northeast Mississippi Community College's Campus Police Department recently partnered with the City of Booneville's Police Department and Prentiss County Sheriff's Department to welcome multiple law enforcement agencies from across the region for an intensive two-day active shooter response training on the college's Booneville campus.

Held inside Patterson Hall, the training brought together more than 30 officers from the Northeast Mississippi Community College Campus Police, the City of Booneville Police Department, the Prentiss County Sheriff's Department, the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security, and other regional agencies to the City of Hospitality.

Now in its third year, the annual training focuses on preparing law enforcement to respond effectively and collaboratively to potential threats in educational environments.

Each year, a different building on campus is used to provide a variety of real-world scenarios for participating officers.

This year's training emphasized teamwork, communication, and rapid decision-making in high-stress situations, particularly active shooter events.

"Whether it's training or a real-world situation, the goal is always to stop the threat," said Northeast Chief of Campus Police Jason Jackson. "You've got to be able to evaluate and act in milliseconds. Until you're stress inoculated and put into those situations, you won't be able to perform that way in real life."

Training consisted of both classroom instruction and hands-on tactical exercises.

Instructors led sessions on how to respond to dynamic, rapidly evolving incidents, teaching officers to properly assess and engage with individuals -- whether they are innocent bystanders, wounded victims, or active participants.

One of the keys of the training included simunition exercises -- realistic simulations using non-lethal rounds that leave visible marks.

Officers used special simulation guns, known as "sim guns," and wore protective helmets that limit vision and hearing to simulate sensory overload and help prepare them for real-life pressure.

Participants were taught how to navigate buildings both individually and as part of a team.

Law enforcement officers practiced entering and clearing rooms safely, managing threats, and performing basic life-saving measures such as applying tourniquets and administering first aid once a scene was secure.

Jackson said this type of collaboration not only improves response strategies but strengthens interagency relationships that are critical during emergencies.

"We are grateful to all the departments who took part," Jackson added. "The more we can work together and train together, the better prepared we are to protect our communities."

--NEMCC--

Information about Northeast Mississippi Community College

Northeast Mississippi Community College is a leading educational institution that provides comprehensive academic, technical, and workforce training programs to empower students and promote lifelong learning. With a commitment to excellence, Northeast Mississippi Community College fosters a supportive environment that prepares individuals for success in their chosen fields.

For more information about Northeast Mississippi Community College, visit http://www.nemcc.edu.

Media Attachments

Northeast Mississippi Community College campus police officer Ricky Johnson, Jr., leads a contingent of law enforcement officers down a hallway in Patterson Hall on the college’s Booneville campus during an active shooter response simulation. Northeast’s Campus Police Department partnered with the City of Booneville’s Police Department and Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department to welcome over 30 officers from multiple law enforcement agencies from across the region to the City of Hospitality for an intensive two-day active shooter response training.

A law enforcement officer receives instruction on how to manage a threat during an active shooter response simulation in Patterson Hall on the Northeast Mississippi Community College campus. Northeast’s Campus Police Department partnered with the City of Booneville’s Police Department and Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department to welcome over 30 officers from multiple law enforcement agencies from across the region to the City of Hospitality for an intensive two-day active shooter response training.

A law enforcement officer renders aid to a wounded civilian during an active shooter response simulation in Patterson Hall on the Northeast Mississippi Community College campus. Northeast’s Campus Police Department partnered with the City of Booneville’s Police Department and Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department to welcome over 30 officers from multiple law enforcement agencies from across the region to the City of Hospitality for an intensive two-day active shooter response training.

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