April 23, 2024

NPD to hold training at old Berg Middle School building Thursday

By Orrin Shawl

Newton Police Department Lt. Wayne Winchell points as fellow officers Brian Foster, left, along with Ryan Zylstra and Chris Wing look on during an active shooter drill in March 2015 at Newton’s B.C. Berg Middle School complex. The NPD will hold a similar training at the old BMS building Thursday. (File Photo)

If Berg Middle School parents see a squad of police cruisers outside of their children’s school building Thursday, don’t panic.

The Newton Community School District is working together with the Newton Police Department to hold a police training exercise before the old middle school building before it is demolished later this year, according to an email sent to NCSD parents by BMS Principal Lisa Sharp.

“Please do not be alarmed if you notice a police presence or a number of marked and unmarked cars around the school,” the email said. “The exercise could include some intermittent loud noise.”

NCSD Superintendent Bob Callaghan said it’s not the first time they’ve allowed a building to be used for that kind of training, and it will be a benefit to be prepared for any scenario to take place inside a school building.

“This is a cooperative effort, because we have a vacant facility. It was important to give cadets a place of training,” Callaghan said. “Typically, it’s for in case of an emergency. This is the perfect opportunity to practice something without impacting any students or any other people.”

In December, school district officials invited the public to tour the new BMS building during a 2:30 p.m. open house ribbon-cutting ceremony, a facility mostly funded by a $26.9 million bond.

For Callaghan, this will be a good way for cadets to get training without damaging anything for students or teachers to use.

“This will be the only time where they will actually have access to a school where they can work on potentially entering a facility through a locked door and a locked class room. It’s where they can do damage inside a building without having any effect on the school district.”

The training is not open to the public.

Contact Orrin Shawl at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or oshawl@newtondailynews.com