The Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) hosted the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) SWAT for a citywide active shooter simulation and training session for faculty and staff of all Orleans Parish Public Schools. The session was part of a continuing partnership between the school board and police department aimed at increasing training for both police and school staff in the event of an active shooter on a school campus. The training event was held July 17, at McDonogh 35 High School and consisted of an educational video, an active shooter simulation training exercise, and Q&A for SWAT teams. Training attendees also heard from the OPSB and NOPD, where school security plans across the parish were discussed.

Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. (Superintendent of Orleans Parish Schools), Chief Shaun Ferguson (Superintendent of NOPD), John A. Brown, Sr. (OPSB President), Leslie Ellison,(OPSB Vice President), and Darlene Cusanza (Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans) were featured guest speakers during the session.

The Ehrhardt Group’s role consisted of working with the news media. Our goal was to ensure OPSB’s message that joint training sessions remain a top priority to keep students, teachers, and school staff throughout Orleans Parish safe was delivered to the public. In doing so, The Ehrhardt Group prepared and issued media materials and made frequent calls to the news media to keep them informed. The Ehrhardt Group secured coverage of the training drill from all four local television stations and facilitated interviews on-site.

Check out coverage from the active-shooter training drill and press conference on WVUE-TV, WWL-TV or on WGNO-TV.

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