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Molinelli orders all police in Bergen to watch active shooter video annually

YOU READ IT HERE FIRST: Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli has ordered that all police officers within the county annually review an “active shooter response” video produced by his office beginning June 1.

Photo Credit: Cliffview Pilot File Photo

Titled “Lockdown,” the video — and another for school personnel who face similar situations  – were recorded at New Milford High School, from scripts drafted by Bergen County Police Lt. Robert Espinosa and Sgt. John LaDuca.

“It is the intent of this directive to mandate that each law enforcement officer within Bergen County view this video annually and as part of any supplement to their individual active shooter  training,” the document issued yesterday says.

“The manner in which such video shall be viewed shall be at the discretion of the local chief of police or director,” it says, “but a record shall be made within each department confirming that the officer has viewed the video.”

Each police agency in Bergen – both municipal and county – has received a copy of the video, Molinelli said.

“The video is law enforcement-sensitive and shall not be disclosed to anyone outside the Department without the express[ed]  written consent of the individual chief or director, as [well] as the office of the County Prosecutor,” says the directive, which takes effect June 1.

A record of the training “shall be kept in the ordinary course of police business within each Department along with all other training records maintained by the Department” and be available on

Molinelli ordered a “unified and consistent” mandatory active shooter police in April 2005.

It was amended in August 2011 to include how to respond to school shooters, in keeping with a directive from the state Attorney General’s Office.

This past January, Molinelli issued a separate video for use in all Bergen County schools as “a supplement to existing training afforded to schools under each school district’s school safety plan.”

Both videos are unique in that they are “based upon factual scenarios actually experienced throughout the United States over the past 10 years,” the prosecutor said.

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