Police offer ALICE training to public

The Birmingham Police Department has announced an opportunity to learn about ALICE – a civilian response to violent incidents, including school shootings, at the First United Methodist Church in Birmingham, on Monday, October 22.

ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate and is a pro-active, options-based plan for civilian response to a violent criminal incident. It authorizes and empowers individuals to utilize human action, building infrastructure, and communication options to increase their chances of survival.

According to the ALICE website, ALICE is ideal for any kind of organization. “Training instructor led classes provide preparation and a plan for individuals and organizations on how to more proactively handle the threat of an aggressive intruder or active shooter event. Whether it is an attack by an individual person or by an international group of professionals intent on conveying a political message through violence, ALICE Training option based tactics have become the accepted response, versus the traditional 'lockdown only' approach.

“Protection and safety must be the priority in an active shooter event or terrorist attack,” they assert. “Circumstantial and operational concerns vary in every new situation. ALICE Training provides options and classes that address the unique challenges specific to police and law enforcement, K-12 schools, healthcare facilities, higher education, businesses, government, and houses of worship.”

On Monday, October 22, the Birmingham Police Department invites the community to learn more about ALICE and how individuals and groups can learn to respond to a violent critical incident. The event will take place at 7 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, Christian Life Center, 1589 W. Maple Road.

The event is free and open to all. For more information and to register, contact First United Methodist Church at 248.646.1200.