Burlington, Vermont police issue apologies to high school students due to a shocking mock shooting presentation.
Twenty students from a Burlington High School Year End Studies (YES) forensics class paid a visit to the local police station for a field trip. School authorities were informed about the trip and were made aware that a crime reenactment would take place.
However, what school officials didn't know was that the presentation would happen unexpectedly.
During the course of the visit, three officers from the Burlington Police Department simulated a robbery scenario. It's important to note that this was not aimed at the students or faculty members. The department had already communicated with school officials last month regarding the details of the demonstration, and mentioned that the training exercise would involve "using fake firearms in a mock shooting."
The police had also requested the school staff to determine if the demonstration would be suitable for the student group. They described the simulation as "as real life as you can get," adding that it's precisely what they deal with most often.
The YES Program staff reacted positively, stating that the students should be "fine with this simulation." They also promised to give parents and students a heads up about the exercise.
Unfortunately, the simulation turned out to be quite distressing for many of the students, leaving some feeling startled and scared. Following the incident, the school district sent out an email to the affected families, informing them about the ordeal.
CNN also reports that parents and students were left unhappy after the demonstration.
The Burlington Police Department posted an apology about the incident, stating that they regret any distress caused to the students who were upset by the crime scene portion of the presentation.
The Burlington School District was approached by CNN for a comment.
In a statement to CNN, Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak expressed her apologies for the harm and distress the incident caused the Burlington High School students, who have sadly grown up in a society where gun violence is a reality, particularly in school settings.
The mayor expressed hopes that the school district and police department will take responsibility for the negative consequences and reflect on how they could have handled the situation differently to prevent any recurrence in the future.
In a bid to address the matter, the police department will be meeting with students and staff on Friday to discuss the presentation and its effects.
They conclude by stating that they hope this can be a learning opportunity for all involved.
Read also:
Despite the police department's communication and approval from the YES Program staff, many students found the mock shooting presentation distressing. The Burlington Police Department, recognizing the impact on the students, expressed their regret and apologized for any distress caused to the US students involved.
