Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator is bringing premier law enforcement instruction to the region this week with an intense training program on school security. The purpose of the program is to prepare law enforcement instructors to train all officers in the state on techniques for responding to acts of school violence, including shooters in our schools.

?This is an intense program," Prator said. "Officers are moving through the school with fully automatic weapons. They?re learning how to protect our children in a real school setting."

Training is being held this week at Northwood High School. Law enforcement trainers from across the nation and participants from all branches of law enforcement in Louisiana descended on the large facility while school is out for summer. The training is being provided by ALERRT and is paid for with a $40,000 grant obtained by the Caddo Sheriff's Office from the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement. Capt. Kenny Sanders, Director of the Caddo Sheriff's Regional Training Academy, described the program as ?as close to real as it gets." Sanders set up the program in the school so that all officers would learn to respond to active shooters in the long hallways and classrooms that only a large high school can provide. Sanders said the officers are training with real weapons, including fully automatic sub-machine guns. ?When it comes to our children, the public expects us to be prepared,? Sanders said. Eventually, officers across the state will be trained on techniques learned here in Caddo Parish. Friday afternoon all participants will finish the program and return to their regions ready to train other officers. ?Let?s hope and pray that no one ever needs to use these techniques in Louisiana," Prator said. "But let?s keep our law enforcement officers trained just in case.?