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UT Dallas Campus to Host Police Training Exercise on Tuesday

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Officers will use Residence Hall West as well as Lot P for the exercise.

Campus and community police will participate in a tactical training exercise from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, January 8, 2013, at UT Dallas’ Residence Hall West.

Plans for the joint training exercise involving UT Dallas Police and city of Richardson patrol officers and SWAT team began in the fall. The exercise was intentionally scheduled during winter break, when most UT Dallas students are away from campus and the residence halls are unoccupied. Several peer advisers, however, may serve as volunteers for the event.

The training sessions will occur from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from noon to 4 p.m., with debriefing sessions for participants immediately afterward.

“This training exercise will allow us to put our training into action,” said UT Dallas Police Chief Larry Zacharias. “We will be working jointly with the Richardson Police Department in a training scenario in real time. Every university police department needs to be prepared for any situations that could potentially arise on their campus.”

During the exercise, Richardson Police Department squad cars, SWAT vehicles, tactical mobile units and a mobile command trailer may be seen entering the north side of campus from Synergy Parkway.

Personnel from Richardson Medical Center may participate, and a CareFlight helicopter may be used to simulate medical response.   

Signs reading “Police Training in Progress” will be posted along Waterview Drive, Synergy Parkway and Rutford Avenue. UT Dallas public safety officers wearing yellow vests will monitor the area.

Safety checkpoints for the exercise will be staged in Lot P at Rutford Avenue and Loop Road. Students, faculty and staff should park elsewhere.

Access to the Natural Science and Engineering Research Laboratory (NSERL), Lots T and O, and the regular Comet Cruiser route along Rutford Avenue will not be affected.

Media Contact: The Office of Media Relations, UT Dallas, (972) 883-2155, [email protected].

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