WINTERVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — With the school year right around the corner, law enforcement officials in Pitt County are practicing rapid deployment training for active shooters.

At D.H. Conley High School, officials practiced their rapid deployment training. They say this training helps them mentally and emotionally prepare to respond to active-shooter situations in schools.

“I want them to walk away with the knowledge that they can handle this situation, that they will be able to go if something happens at their school, they have the confidence they’ve got the skill, they’ve got the ability to go into that situation, handle that situation, and take care of that situation,” Sgt. Michael Stroud with the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office said. “If they hesitate, if they don’t go, then it’s costing valuable time and it’s costing lives.”

Stroud said each school in Pitt County has at least one school resource officer in it, so the training will be based on ‘solo response.’

“They understand they’re the only defense in this building between the bad guy and the innocent that are here,” Stroud said. “So their main purpose is to find that threat and address that threat and isolate it.”

Fifteen officers were put in different scenario-based drills throughout the day.

“We have Simonition handguns that we use,” said Sgt. Kent Hill with the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office. “If an active shooter or assailant comes into the building or classroom, we teach them how to clear the buildings, go into the classroom and find the threat.”

School resource officers were also training how to respond to a shooter with automatic weapons.

“This year’s active shooter training was responding to that threat with what you have on you,” Stroud said. “We teach them tactics on how to handle that and what would help them in those types of situations.”

Throughout the next 10 days, officers hope they can train in different schools around the county. Other agencies will also take part in the training with them.