Campus Police holding ALICE training for students

Few people attended the voluntary ALICE training recently, compared to the hundreds who showed up when it was mandatory, and Campus Police are now encouraging more people to sign up next time.

ALICE, an abbreviation for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate, is a campus approach designed to prepare students for an active shooter situation and other emergencies.

The training emphasizes awareness and quick decision-making skills rather than the traditional lockdown procedures, said Sgt. David Washington.

“Typical lockdown is hiding in place and waiting for Campus Police to arrive. ALICE is different by actively preparing, arming yourself, barricading the door, wrapping the door handle, essentially anything to be ready for a situation in the moment,” Sgt Washington said.

He said Stonehill no longer mandates ALICE attendance but encouraged people to take the program.

“We held two different times this semester, 10 people showed up the first day, and five showed up the second day. ALICE training has been going on this campus for over seven years and it was originally mandatory for freshman students and FYE (First-Year Experience), but recently it has become not mandatory, and all the sudden, numbers of those in attendance have depleted severely,” Washington said.

Washington said the training is important today more than ever.

“A faculty member who attended our training years ago experienced a shooting at the Braintree mall with her son. She wrote to us and said she knew what to do because of her campus ALICE training and thanked us for the lesson as it may have changed the course of her decisions,” said Washington.

New dates for training will be announced soon. 

Washington said he hopes students and faculty recognize the importance of this training and will attend. If you have any questions regarding ALICE training, contact Campus Police.