Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, August 12, 2023

2

THINGS TO DO, PLACES TO GO

Mountain View News Saturday, August 12, 2023 


"I was a witness to a shooting, a gunshot victim at the Mall, and a store 
owner being robbed, all in one day...."

SIERRA MADRE POLICE DEPARTMENT 
SPONSORS AN ACTIVE SHOOTER 
TRAINING

I was a witness to a shooting, a gunshot victim at the Mall, and a store owner being robbed, all in 
one day from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. as I volunteered for an Active Shooter Class exercise.

In July, the Sierra Madre Police Department coordinated a three-day “Active Shooters Class”, with a 
total of 37 students from different law enforcement agencies across California including local PDs, 
FBI, LAPD, LASD, and Riverside County Sheriff’s and Dept. of Homeland Security. The class, 
which was run by an LSU-trained team, was conducted over three days with the last day of practical 
training of simulated situations at the Sierra Madre Middle School site. The team from LSU goes 
across the country to conduct their very specialized training.

On the third day, Wednesday, July 19th, volunteers gathered to participate in the final “shooter” 
drills. We were fully briefed by the coordinator of the LSU team. Following our briefing and with 
safety as the number one priority, both volunteers and the class members were checked to make 
sure no one accidentally carried a real weapon. One team member asked if I had a gun in my purse. 
I said, “No, do you want to look?” He said he trusted me. The 12 of us learned that the class would 
be divided into teams which would be given a scenario of an active shooter and to respond accordingly. 
There would be loud noises of guns going off, (blanks of course) and we were all issued earplugs. 
We were told to respond to the situation as if we were in an actual event, including shouting, 
crying, etc. The volunteers were divided up into two teams with one team simulating classroom 
situations, the other group played out various situations such as a store robbery, a mall shooting, 
and a revenge shooting.

My team was taken to 
a classroom that was 
a stand-in for a small 
shop for the first exercise. 
This is where 
the fun began. I was 
the store owner who 
was pleading for help 
as my “husband” was 
shot in the arm during 
an attempted robbery. 
Others in my group 
were the shooter, an 
undercover officer, 
and a witness. Gunfire 
went off and we 
heard a team of officers 
running up the 
stairs and then saw 
them at the door, guns 
drawn. What happened after that depended on the actions of each team of officers. Each group 
was different, but by and large, all handled the situation well with only a few mistakes. By mistakes 
I mean one time a volunteer was shot even though she identified herself as undercover and showed 
her badge, another team shot the witness as he ran out the door. A couple of the groups forgot to 
search the area to see if there were any other shooters in the room. 

Another group of volunteers was in a classroom setting. The volunteers acted as a shooter, students, 
hostages, and witnesses. One scenario was a person with a gun, who shot someone and was holding 
several students as hostages. The shooter was in the room and threatening those in the room. 

The officers reacted with the shooter, ultimately shooting him, then made sure everyone in the 
room was safe. Then person who was shot was attended to, and the hostages were freed from the 
room. 

In another scenario, the shooter was exiting the room with a gun in hand and threatening the students 
in the room. He was taken down by the responding officer team.

In both scenarios, there was a bomb planted in the room. Most of the teams responding found and 
disarmed the bomb. One student team member tripped over the bomb. (oops) When he realized 
this, he immediately evacuated the room. 

Following each event, the student officer group met with a trainer and went over the event emphasizing 
what they did right, and what they did wrong. I’m sure that the mistakes made at Sierra 
Madre Middle School will not be made again should an officer encounter an active shooting in a 
real situation. As the saying goes, one learns from one’s mistakes.

The afternoon spent by the volunteers and by the student officers themselves was an enriching and 
valuable lesson. As volunteers, we can better understand the whys and hows of the actions taken by 
our valuable law enforcement members. As officers, of course, they can be confident that they will 
be able to handle a shooter situation with safety for themselves, witnesses, and victims. 

Thank you to the Sierra Madre Police Department for hosting this valuable training, and for allowing 
members of Sierra Madre CERT and citizens of Sierra Madre for this eye-opening experience. 
CERT Members who participated were: De Alcorn, Pat Alcorn, Shurovi Masud, Daniel Brownell, 
Melanie Baker’s Granddaughter Grace, Linda Denmark, Iraiz Carson, Wes Carson, and David Hagie. 
Community members included Todd Conrad, Geoff Woods, and Craig Kuhlman.

-Pat Alcorn, Sierra Madre Resident/CERT Member

Editor's Note: Charles Kamchamnan, SMPD Acting Lieutenant coordinated this 3 
day training in the department's ongoing effort to keep our community safe and well 
informed in the event the unthinkable ever happens. The workshop was conducted by 

LSU's NCBRT/ACE, a nationally recognized center for emergency preparedness and response training 
located at Louisiana State University’s flagship campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They provide 
mobile training to both the national and international emergency response community. Together with 
our stakeholders, we challenge ourselves each day to influence human safety, security, and resilience 
in a positive manner. Photos courtesy L. Shaw, SMPD


ave Water...
REBATE SAVING$
We also offer an Irrigation Controller 
Retrofit Program: $1,000 VALUE 
Visit www.sgvmwd.com/water-
conservation/#rebatesUP TO$2REBATEUP TO$80REBATEUP TO$35REBATEIRRIGATION CONTROLLERRAIN 
BARRELROTATING 
SPRINKLERSHIGH-
EFFICIENCY 
TOILET 
WATER-
EFFICIENT 
WASHING 
MACHINEUP TO$85REBATEUP TO$40REBATEUP TO$100REBATEWATER 
FLOW MONITORNew, Faster Payment 
Process! Apply for 
rebates at 
www.sgvmwd.comResidents of Alhambra, Monterey Park and 
Sierra Madre are eligible for rebates.
For more water-saving information, 
contact rebates@sgvmwd.com, call 
(626) 969-7911, or visit sgvmwd.com 
with this QR code.
Use itWisely
SIERRA MADRE POLICE DEPARTMENT 

WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT July 30th – August 5th, 2023

The following 
represents a summary report of some of the major incidents handled by theSierra Madre Police 
Department during this period. This list is not intended to be considered exclusive or all-inclusive.

Sunday, July 30 Tresspassing At approximately 2 PM, officers responded 
to the 600 block of E. Grandview Ave. for reports of a trespassing. Upon further investigation, officers 
discovered that an unknown female suspect was seen on surveillance footage inside of the 
residence. The Detectives Bureau is following up on this incident.

Monday, July 31 Public Intoxication At approximately 10 PM, officers conducted 
a wellfare check on a pedestrian who appeared to be intoxicated in the area of Lima St. and Sierra 
Madre Blvd. Upon further investigation, it was decided that the subject was intoxicated, and was 
unable to care for himself. The subject was cited and booked at Pasadena Jail.

Thursday, August 3 Theft At approximately 11 AM, officers responded 
to the 90 block of N. Hermosa Ave. for reports of a theft. Upon further investigation, officers discovered 
that an unknown suspect took various items from the victims unlocked vehicle. The Detectives 
Bureau is following up on this incident


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com