Hononegah High School will host police drills next week

Hononegah Community High School will serve as the site for armed intruder protection training exercises on the afternoons of July 9, 11, and 16, 2024, in cooperation with the Rockton, Roscoe, and South Beloit police departments and the Illinois State Police.

Principal Chad Dougherty acknowledges that “the presence of many first responders on campus could be a concern.” But he assures parents, “There will be no students present during the active training exercises in the afternoon. Summer school classes will not be affected,” since they are held in the morning. Champaign, Illinois, police held similar exercises at Jefferson Middle School in Champaign last July.

Dougherty says, “The afternoon drills are a proactive measure to ensure the safety and preparedness of our local first responders in the unlikely event of an emergency. The drills include training and simulated scenarios designed to give our local law enforcement agencies hands-on experience in dealing with such situations…. The drill will be conducted in a controlled environment, with safety measures in place to ensure the well-being of all participants and the surrounding community.”

Dougherty added, “Access to areas of the school will be restricted during practice time. We politely ask that you do not come onto school property during active training exercises in the afternoon hours unless absolutely necessary.”

Dougherty says, “The training is designed to prepare first responders for situations we hope we will never encounter, but good preparation is critical to everyone’s safety.”

If residents have questions or concerns about the training, they should contact the Hononegah office at 815-624-5005.

This drill differs from the Illinois state law that requires schools to conduct a student lockout drill within the first 90 days of the school year. The law states that the drill must be age-appropriate, announced in advance, and “cannot include simulations that mimic an actual school shooting or school shooting.” These rules do not apply when students are not present.

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