Lakeville's Select Board meeting on February 6, 2025, highlighted the ongoing commitment to enhancing school safety through collaborative training efforts between local law enforcement and fire departments. The meeting revealed that Lakeville and Freetown have established mutual aid agreements, ensuring that both communities can effectively respond to emergencies at school campuses.

The focus of the training is on Active Shooter Hostile Event (ASHA) preparedness, which involves coordinated exercises among Lakeville police, Lakeville fire, Freetown police, and Freetown fire. This training is crucial as it prepares first responders to act swiftly and efficiently in the event of a crisis. The recent adoption of the ASHA response plan by Plymouth County aims to standardize responses across the region, ensuring that all agencies involved are aligned in their approach.

School resource officers and staff members are also trained in the ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) protocol, which equips them with strategies to handle potential threats. This comprehensive training is conducted annually, although officials noted that it places a strain on the budget, primarily funded through overtime costs.

The discussion underscored the importance of securing grant funding to alleviate financial pressures associated with these essential training programs. As the state may introduce more mandates for such training in the future, the need for sustainable funding solutions becomes increasingly critical.

Overall, the meeting reinforced Lakeville's proactive stance on school safety, emphasizing the collaborative efforts between local agencies to protect students and staff in the face of potential threats. The community can expect continued focus on these training initiatives as part of a broader commitment to safety and preparedness.