- Date published
More than 1,000 MO officers receive active shooter training.
Missouri State University has officially surpassed a landmark milestone in public safety preparedness, training more than 1,000 law enforcement officers on responding to active shooter events.
The Missouri State University Public Safety Training Center (part of efactory) and the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice have partnered with the Missouri Department of Public Safety and the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center to provide the national standard for active shooter training throughout the state. A combined total of 1,011 licensed law enforcement officers have completed the program, representing approximately 7% of Missouri’s 14,573 licensed officers. The initiative has reached 153 agencies across the state, accounting for 26% of Missouri’s 590 law enforcement agencies statewide.
This achievement reflects a deepening commitment among agencies to pursue advanced, scenario-based training designed to better equip officers and first responders to protect the communities they serve. In December, Missouri State Public Safety Training Center instructors became the first in any state to lead ALERRT training for law enforcement officers in a U.S. state capitol building.
“We believe the research-based ALERRT training DPS and our partners at the Missouri State Public Safety Training Center are providing is realistic, highly effective and delivered by experts who understand the dynamics of active shooter scenarios,” said Mark James, Director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety. “Experience shows that law enforcement officers from different agencies often must team up to immediately respond to an active shooter situation. The ALERRT model is designed specifically for this reality.”
Meaningful Milestones
The Missouri State Public Safety Training Center delivers immersive, evidence-based programming that emphasizes critical thinking, interagency coordination, and real-world application. The breadth of statewide agency participation reflects both institutional trust in the program and broad recognition of its operational value.
Dr. Bill Sandel, an Associate Professor and Assistant Director of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, spoke to the significance of the partnership within the university’s broader public affairs mission.
“Working with DPS and the ALERRT Center to provide this training has been an honor. Having trained 1,000 officers in three years is a milestone in making our officers and communities safer,” Sandel said. “This work demonstrates the university’s commitment to public affairs.”
A Model to Follow
Partnering with the nationally recognized ALERRT Center to deliver instruction aligned with the nation’s evolving public safety landscape has put Missouri at the forefront of preparedness. ALERRT Executive Director Dr. Pete Blair praised the model as one worthy of national replication.
“The partnership ALERRT has with the Public Safety Training Center and Missouri State University is a model for other states to follow,” Blair said. “It is a testament to the success that can be accomplished through collaboration. ALERRT is grateful for the extraordinary work of Director Cody Brewington and Dr. Bill Sandel to ensure Missouri law enforcement officers have this critical training across the state. Under their leadership and with the funding they receive from Missouri DPS’s Office of Homeland Security, many Missouri law enforcement officers have received critical training in active attack response.
“The partnership with the Public Safety Training Center, Missouri State University and Missouri Department of Public Safety’s Office of Homeland Security has made Missouri communities safer. ALERRT is thrilled to be a part of this effort and excited to see even more Missouri law enforcement officers receive this training in the future.”
Program leaders say this milestone also signals growing momentum for expanded partnerships and programming in the years ahead.
“One of the most rewarding parts of delivering this training statewide is knowing that more than a quarter of Missouri agencies are now better prepared for the unthinkable,” said Brewington, Director of the Missouri State Public Safety Training Center. “In an active shooter event, this training can mean quicker response times and better agency communication, which ultimately saves lives.”