CARLSBAD, Calif. — Carlsbad Police Department held its mandatory active shooter response training. The training took place at Sage Creek High School while the school is on spring break.

The FOX 5 crew was able to walk through each step officers might take when encountering an active shooter. The department chose the school’s location because the area can apply to other shooting scenes.

The training was held over eight hours, including classroom lectures, drills and scenarios that police officers and some community members, who posed as victims and witnesses, took part in.

During the training, officers learned; how to pry open a door where a shooter might be; move toward the suspect; constantly talk with each other, victims or witnesses. Officers simulated going from room to room looking for victims and treating gunshot wounds.

“Nobody is immune from these types of events, as difficult as it is to think that, but what we want to do is make sure our officers are as prepared as we can get them,” said Lieutenant Ryan Opeka, the Carlsbad Police Department active shooter instructor or SWAT commander.

Officers are required to take the training every two years.

“There’s always an urgency, I think with a lot of the issues we see in law enforcement. When we see these events happen across the nation, it does tug at the heartstrings,” Opeka said.

Carlsbad police have said they learn from mass tragedies across the country to better their response.

“We are constantly taking a look at what it is we are doing, and are these the best practices, revisiting our tactics, and making sure we are staying contemporary and constantly evolving to the problems that we are encountering,” Opeka said.

“Trust, service, and teamwork is our motto here. And what we hope to do is demonstrate to our community members that we are taking those steps to ensure that they are provided with the best level of service,” Opeka said.

Other companies can reach out to the Carlsbad Police Department for free active shooter training.