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BPD apologizes to any students and staff upset after ‘about as real life as you can get’ roleplay
Social media post June 5, 2024 on Burlington Neighborhood Planning Assembly site
by Guy Page
BHS students were exposed to a surprise role-playing armed robbery, complete with loud gunfire, Wednesday, June 5 at the police station at One North Avenue.
The mock robbery was staged on behalf of students on an end-of-year field trip.
“For the demonstration, with lack of warning, they heard screams coming from two woman who burst through the door behind the students, followed by a man in a ski mask and hat clearly hiding his face,” according to a post on a Burlington Neighborhood Planning Association social media page. The author said the information came from ‘my friend’ who reportedly was in attendance.
The students were reportedly unaware and some ducked in terror underneath tables at the activity sound of the gunfire in the room.
Burlington Police say (below) that the event was planned by BPD and approved by school staff. An email inquiry to BPD public affairs officer Sarah Timm prompted an ‘out of office’ automatic reply. A phone message left this morning has not yet been answered.
Press Release, with no specific author mentioned, received Thursday from the Burlington Police Department:
The Burlington Police Department is aware of a social media posting concerning a presentation between the Burlington High School (BHS) Year End Studies (YES) Program and the BPD. It is our understanding that the original social media post was made by a student who was not in attendance for the presentation but who may have known someone who attended and was reportedly upset.
First and foremost, the Burlington Police Department apologizes to any students in attendance who were upset by the specific scenario and crime scene portion of the presentation. The roll playing scenario only involved three department personnel simulating a robbery scenario and was not directed at any students or faculty.
We believe that the criminal justice program at BHS and Burlington Technical Center is a critical partner, and that our city’s young people are one of our most important constituencies, and so the BPD endeavored to have joint coordination and clear communication before this classroom experience.
On 29 April 2024, Burlington School District staff associated with the YES program contacted the BPD about conducting another presentation after a previous successful presentation between the police department and the BHS Science in Society program in the fall of 2023.
Follow up communication between YES program staff and members of the BPD took place as the event was being coordinated. On 23 May 2024, police department staff and Yes Program staff communicated about the details of the scenarios, including saying that the training incident would involve “using fake firearms in a mock shooting. Do you think that sort of incident would be ok for your group of students? It is about as real life as you can get, and is certainly exactly the sort of thing we deal with most frequently.” YES Program staff responded, “I think these students will be fine with this simulation. We will give a heads up to parents and students.”
Because the BPD places the utmost importance on serving and learning from our community, the BPD supervisor involved with the presentation has already reached out to the associated YES program staff members in order to discuss the matter further. The BPD will be meeting with BSD students and staff tomorrow to discuss the presentation and its impact. We hope that this can be a reflective growth opportunity for all parties.
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Categories: Burlington, Police Reports
How pathetic, the ” BPD ” tries to inform the students about what could happen during a robbery event with firearms, and these snowflakes can’t handle this, they better hope and pray they are never involved in a ” Real Event ” as being upset will be the least of there problems………….
The real world is tough, you better toughen up as Daddy isn’t always going to be there, so you better stay in the basement !!
The VPO article explains it a bit differently:
“20 Burlington High School students were on a field trip to One North Avenue when screams rang out and two women ran into the room, pursued by a masked gunman. Who opened fire.”
That might have spooked anyone quite a bit depending upon the warning that was given (if any)….
The last person to hide in the basement became POTUS. You better be careful what u wish 4.
Its called “predictive programming” — get’em thinking in that mindset, and they can be controlled by fear…its long been a tool of tyrants, dictators and fascists…start’em young…inculcate them with what is to be feared in this world (God told us…what again? is the thing to be truly feared? what was that again? …what comes out of our mouths???)
This of course… leads to self-fulfilling prophecies using Hegelian dialectics…still with me???
As we teach our children…so they grow to be…that too is in the Bible…
Highly irresponsible and dangerous. It just doesn’t get any more stupid than this. If my kids were victims of that, I’d sue big time. This isn’t my idea of school firearm safety training. Can someone please arrest them for disorderly conduct? As a child I could see myself trying to stop perceived threat with deadly force, I wouldn’t be hiding in a corner.
Police are the “good guys”. How is the sight of police with firearms supposed to be more traumatizing than sharing your classroom every day with hoodie-wearing Dylan Klebold wannabees?
@Rich Lachapelle – Fair enough I actually missed all the details, but still what if an officer from another department just happen to be visiting without knowledge of this “acting”, and took priority of fire position? This is how accidents happen.
The entertainment industry makes it’s cake by delivering violent content into our living rooms on a daily basis. Violence and conflict has pervaded and defined human history. Snowflakes need to stop pretending that routine police actions are somehow traumatizing society. Grow a pair.
I’m not sure where you get ‘routine police actions’ out of this article. If you read the sidebar next to the picture, it states that the ‘gunman’ who was firing was the ‘CRIMINAL’, not the police, and (quote)”the police and staff members were not doing anything to stop the shooter.”
Sadly, we have seen in the past where that has actually been the case during real shootings — where police and staff waited to get involved and kids died as a result.
If the event occurred as reported here, it was incredibly stupid of both the police department and any other staff that approved it. Someone’s love of theatrics overtook their common sense. Remember that the ‘victims’ and ‘criminal’ ran in from the back of the classroom. Why couldn’t the police have described what was going to happen and then have the action take place in front of the classroom, where it would be more readily apparent that it was being staged, and that the officers actually had the situation under control?
School staff approved. WOW. Police department sanctioned. Beautiful. Kids don’t grow up too quickly already in today’s world, and now they have to deal with whacko “adults”. Repeal school safety zone weapons laws and allow weapons to be displayed in their vehicle windows once again and see how many school shootings we have.
Better yet. WTF! I hope there’s parent outrage out there, somewhere.
Is Vt still a state of the Union or is it some random location identifying as a Psych Ward on steroids?
Remember the “long gun” incident on State Street a few years back? The Capitol complex was in lockdown for hours while local and State police officers armed with military grade guns and body-armored head to toe strutted around the Capitol like GI Joes ready to rumble. I never believed the story told – it was a drill and it scared a good many adults, while others were very agitated and aggrevated. A social engineering drill is what I witnessed. Not long afterward, everyone was locked down in their homes, required to wear a mask, lather up in hand sanitizer, scare to socialize with anyone – all to stop the spread. Something was spread all right….
Similar to the nuclear bomb drills – hide under your desk, that will save you!
Fear and trauma is a powerful tool to control people. It has worked for over a century, two, or three. Children are the prime targets for such mind-control tactics and it’s not hidden anymore – seeing the results playing out every day – free will to believe it or not.