MONCURE, N.C. (WNCN) – The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office conducted an active shooter simulation at Moncure School on Wednesday.

Conducted five days before the beginning of the 2023-24 school year in Chatham County, the exercise consisted of officers navigating through the hallways in a scenario that resembles an active shooter situation. School staff and faculty had already left for the day.

The entire scenario is part of a comprehensive training exercise orchestrated by the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office’s Special Incident Response Team (SIRT) in collaboration with the agency’s School Resource Officers (SROs) working at the Chatham County School System.

Conducted over several hours, officials say the training is aimed at focusing on swift and effective response strategies that prioritize the safety and security of students, staff and the community.

“We’re giving our officers a scenario that there’s an active shooter in the seventh-grade hallway,” explained Capt. Ronnie Miller, who helped conduct the exercise. “They’ll be moving fast. And it’s a stressful environment.”

Sheriff Mike Roberson emphasized the importance of proactive preparation.

“Ensuring the safety of our community, especially our children, is our top priority,” Sheriff Roberson said in a press release. “By conducting drills like these, we’re aiming to enhance our response capabilities and ensure that we are well-prepared and equipped to respond quickly and effectively in the event of any emergency situation.”