RIDEM, law enforcement hold maritime active shooter training scenario

NEWPORT, R.I. (WLNE) — The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management announced they held a two-day training exercise simulating maritime active shooter scenarios.

The DEM said their Division of Law Enforcement (DLE) joined many other agencies including the FBI, U.S. Coast Guard and the Rhode Island Department of Health for the two days of training in Narragansett Bay and in Newport.

Officials said on the first day, RIDEM’s DLE and the U.S. Coast Guard practiced boarding a commercial vessel. The vessel they were training on was the Rhode Island Fast Ferry.

On the second day, a large-scale response was curated by police to respond to what they called a simulated large-scale situation. The exercise included how to plan, respond and recover from an active shooter situation.

“As a first responder agency, DEM is committed to protecting public safety, public health, and natural resources,” the RIDEM said.

The department further thanked all parties involved in the training exercises including the ferry company and members of Salve Regina University.