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Whistler RCMP does hostage-scenario training at local secondary school

Training exercises taking place Saturday and Sunday
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TRAINING DAY Members of the Whistler RCMP will be running training scenarios at Whistler Secondary School this weekend. File photo by John French.

If you happen to see the Whistler RCMP congregating around Whistler Secondary School this weekend, fear not - everything is under control. The department is using the school for training exercises.

"We do training focused on dealing with high-risk situations where there may be people with firearms inside a building," said Sgt. Rob Knapton of the Whistler RCMP.

"The idea is we want to help provide our officers with tools so that they can more effectively deal with (these situations) rather than have to wait for a special team to come in when situations warrant that."

This round of training will bring all members of the Whistler RCMP up to speed - though the department has never had to use it.

"We hope that we never have to, but it's one of those things that we prepare for," Knapton said.

The training will take place all day Saturday and Sunday, Knapton said, with about 15 officers taking part.

Whistler Secondary's diverse layout and weekday schedule makes it the ideal training location.

"We'll have somebody outside that will make sure nobody is coming into the area," Knapton said.

"They may see a group of officers outside if they were doing a scenario which involves entering the school, but other than that the majority of it will be all inside."