News from the Court: Run, Hide, Fight

News from the Court

Chief Judge Miller

Run, hide, fight. When an active shooting event unfolds, those in the line of fire must decide which of these three tactics to employ to keep themselves and those around them safe from harm. Experience has taught us that careful preparation and advance consideration of the “what-ifs” that surround a traumatic event can make a dramatic difference in the outcome of an unthinkable situation.

To better prepare for the possibility of such an event, the First Judicial Circuit and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office recently conducted an active shooter drill at the Theodore Bruno Juvenile Justice Center. The event was designed to give employees and agency staff the opportunity to practice their individual responses to a potential active shooter. Over the course of the afternoon on October 14, law enforcement enacted different scenarios involving an active shooter threat in the Bruno building. Some employees played active roles in the exercise, while others were instructed to play “wounded.” Still others merely observed, or behaved as if it were a normal day at work until the shooting scenarios began, and then reacted accordingly.

Numerous agencies were invited to participate, including the Escambia County Clerk of Court, Office of the Public Defender, Office of the State Attorney, Office of Criminal Conflict and Regional Counsel, Guardian ad Litem, Department of Children and Families, Children’s Legal Services, Department of Juvenile Justice, Dynamic Security, Families First Network, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners Administration, Escambia County Fire, EMS, and Corrections, and the City of Pensacola Police Department, Fire, and EMS.

Unfortunately, the threat of an active shooter in a courthouse facility or other public venue is all too real. FBI data shows that the number of active shooter incidents identified in 2021 represents a 52.5 percent increase from 2020 and a 96.8 percent increase from 2017. You need only to watch the evening news to understand that it is a threat in our society which cannot be ignored. For this reason, we are grateful to all those who participated with us to make the First Judicial Circuit a better, safer place to work.

After the exercise, participants were encouraged to share feedback on the event. Participants noted that the drill was an excellent opportunity to practice “run, hide, or fight” in a “real” setting. Some stated that they appreciated the opportunity to react realistically to a “surprise” situation, and found that the exercise opened the door to discussion with colleagues about security practices. Still others remarked that when faced with the controlled chaos of the scenarios, they automatically moved to hide or run, but later determined in retrospect that their choice may not have been the best decision under the circumstances.

As members of the bar, I encourage each of you to adopt a vigilant mindset, not only in the courthouse but in any public setting. In planning and executing the drill, law enforcement emphasized the importance of always being aware of your options in public places. Be mindful of entrances and exits. Build relationships with staff and with security personnel. Be aware of when someone or something seems “off”. Don’t be embarrassed to speak out if something or someone appears out of place. In addition, I would urge you, if you have not already, to consider opening the lines of communication and training in your offices as well. While it is unfortunate that these things must be considered, we are deeply appreciative of the opportunity to practice our responses in a safe environment, and hope that the lessons we learned will never need to be employed.