LANCASTER, S.C. — The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office says deputies will be conducting an active shooter training drill at the county courthouse on Monday, Feb. 19.
The sheriff's office said in a statement Thursday the drill is a scenario-based training to help officers in the Judicial Services Division for such events and other incidents that could happen in a courthouse. The office asks the public to understand this is not an actual public safety emergency.
“We continually train for all imaginable critical incidents,” said Sheriff Barry Faile in a statement. “Courthouses are places where judgments are rendered which alter people’s lives, and emotions are high. We have a well-trained judicial services unit, and this training will keep their skills sharp and prepare them for critical incidents we pray never occur in our county.
While Monday is Presidents Day, it is only a state holiday and not a county holiday. The courthouse, located along Main Street in Lancaster, will still be open with only county offices staffed. The sheriff's office says there will not, however, be any court sessions that day.
The training will be kept within the courthouse and on the third floor. Drills will be run during the morning and will include simulated gunfire. The sheriff's office says no real firearms or live ammunition will be used.
The third floor of the courthouse will remain closed to the public during the training.