Above / A training event at Centennial Beach prior to its opening for the season prompted the Naperville Park District to extend its regrets and offer to lend support to impacted organizations, while making modifications in future outdoor training sessions. (PN File Photo)
The Naperville Park District plans to modify its outdoor active shooter training for staff following a training event on Saturday, May 18, at Centennial Beach that impacted scheduled events on the adjacent Naperville Riverwalk and nearby ballfields.
The District held a post-event debriefing session on Tuesday, May 21, for key staff and two of its elected park board officials to discuss immediate changes to be made to its staff training program in addition to considering ways to improve its relations with the organizations that were impacted by Saturday’s training.
“We apologize to the participants of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Great Strides Walk and Naperville Little League participants and spectators for causing alarm during our training of Centennial Beach staff,” said Ray McGury, Executive Director of the Naperville Park District. “As a result, we are making some modifications to our future outdoor training sessions. These changes include: not using a public address system to make announcements during the training exercises, and using an air horn as a warning device to training participants instead of a starter pistol.”
The Park District also will ensure that any event organizers using the adjacent properties are made aware ahead of time, and again the day of, regarding any planned training exercises taking place in the area.
McGury explained, “We take very seriously our role to protect patrons and staff at our facilities, and offering Active Shooter Training is one very important way we prepare staff for their roles as Naperville Park District employees. We have heard time and again from staff that this training is well worth their time and participation.”
The Park District provides training based on the ALICE Training Institute model of: Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate.
The training that took place at Centennial Beach last weekend was the first outdoor training at the Park District, but it was confined to the Beach facility itself. All other staff training exercises have been held indoors.
As an organization that understands the importance of good community partnerships, the Park District has reached out to both the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Naperville Little League to express its regrets and offer to explore ways to lend its support in the future.
Report submitted by Sue Omanson for the Naperville Park District.
Editor’s Note / This incident described by the Naperville Park District also was addressed under “New Business” by Mayor Steve Chirico during the City Council Meeting held May 21, 2019. The Mayor suggested the Naperville Police and Communications Department come up with best practices to minimize risks and to determine how to communicate a practice exercise or a real event.
Residents are encouraged to sign up for Naper Notify by visiting www.napernotify.com.
Near the conclusion of the City Council meeting, Naperville Police Chief Bob Marshall also took a “public service” moment in reference to the importance of reporting all suspected crimes immediately to the Naperville Police Department. If you suspect a crime has been committed or if you see something, say something to the police first.
Report findings directly to the Naperville Police Department at 9-1-1 or to the NPD non-emergency number (630) 420-6666. Thank you.
