ALERRT Center awarded $8.5 million Department of Justice grant

The Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center at Texas State University has received an $8.5 million Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant from the United States Department of Justice under the Preparing for Active Shooter Situations (PASS) program.

The grant will support ALERRT's Integrated Response Training Program, which provides training across the country to improve rapid response to active shooter events.

"This money will allow us to train tens of thousands of first responders from across the country to more effectively serve their communities," said Pete Blair, executive director of the ALERRT Center.

This federal grant stems from the Protecting Our Lives through Initiating COPS Expansion (POLICE) Act, sponsored by U.S. Senator John Cornyn and U.S. Representative John Carter. Signed into law on July 22, 2016, the POLICE Act allows local law enforcement and other first responders to use COPS grants to train and better prepare for active shooter situations. The law encourages departments to use programs such as Integrated Response Training at ALERRT, which trains local law enforcement, fire and EMS officials to work together in response to an active shooter situation.

Since 2017, COPS Office funding through the PASS program has provided active shooter training for approximately 53,000 first responders across the nation. The additional $8.5 million will fund training for roughly 20,000 additional first responders. Additional information about the PASS program can be found at https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/pass/Award_List.pdf.