LPD, LPS Officials React To Texas School Shooting
LINCOLN–(KFOR May 25)–What happened Tuesday in Uvalde, Texas where an 18-year-old fired gunshots inside an elementary school that killed 19 children and two adults certainly has shaken the core of people across the country, including in Lincoln, and to be better prepared in the long run for prevention.
“I was incredibly angry and I’m just sad for our youth. Anywhere in this country, I’m sad for our youth. They can’t be kids,” Lincoln Police Chief Teresa Ewins said on Wednesday morning on her personal feelings to the incident in Texas.
It further heightens the working relationship between LPD, Lincoln Public Schools, Lincoln Fire and Rescue and other law enforcement and emergency responders.
Lincoln Public Schools are always proactive on what to improve upon with their training, according to Superintendent Dr. Steve Joel.
“If there is something we can gleam from this perhaps that would be value to add to our existing protocols, we will certainly look at that,” Joel told reporters Wednesday morning at LPD’s daily media briefing.
There is protocol in place between LPS and LPD, if an incident happens in and around a school, the police duty commander calls the dispatchers, who then contact LPS and they will lock down a school, until the okay has been given that everything is safe.
Police Chief Teresa Ewins says one thing that has changed the training and preparation for active shooter situations, in particular for schools, has been social media. It’s something she says parents should monitor and talk about with their children.
“The impact mentally on our kids is tremendous,” Ewins added. “It is social media that drives even further that conversation (between parents and kids), creates fear and possible mental health issues.”
Dr. Joel also weighed in on social media aspect, saying the district and their security team doesn’t take those messages lightly. While to some it may be an overreaction to something that isn’t creditable, Joel added “we would much rather overreact than either not react or underreact.”
Both Ewins and Joel encouraged people to report any threats reported by children or seen on social media and an investigation will be done. Click the link below to the Lincoln Police webpage for details on mental health resources.
