Wiltshire schools get police advice on major incident planning

Wiltshire school staff have been taking part in training, so they're ready in the event of a major incident during lessons.

Police gave schools advice on how and when lockdown situations might be needed, and to explain what emergency services would do in response.

Schools have been encouraged to review their own procedures.

The event also comes following a bomb hoax incident at a Wiltshire school just last week.

Chief Inspector at Wiltshire Police Carly Nesbitt said: "This event is an opportunity for schools and colleges across Wiltshire to come together with members of the council and members of Wiltshire Police, both neighbourhood police and armed officers, to see what the response would be to an emergency incident within a school environment.

"It is also a chance for them to check and test their plans in response to such an incident.

"Unfortunately, there have been a number of incidents recently, such as a stabbing of a teacher in Tewkesbury and the tragic stabbing of a youth in Sheffield, that highlight that, although these incidents are very rare and schools are fundamentally safe places, they do happen, and the onus is on us—schools, police, and our partners—to make sure we are as prepared as possible to make sure that our children are safe."

Inspector Dan Lane, of Wiltshire Police's Specialist Operations, said: "We've been joined by senior leaders from schools across Wiltshire to talk about what would happen if there's a bad day at the school and they need to have a lockdown. I am one of the Tactical Firearms Commanders at Wiltshire Police, and I am talking to schools about what to expect if firearms officers turn up, as well as the general way that we would police an incident like that.

"This event is not being put on because there is an additional threat to school settings, but unfortunately we live in times when this has happened more than once, and I think it is wise to be prepared."

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