Go Bags will aid Howell police in cases of a shooting

HOWELL - The Howell Township Policemen's Benevolent Association (PBA) in conjunction with the Howell PBA Vest and Safety Fund issued allHowell police officers Go Bags on Jan. 23.

The bags are designed to be carried by a police officer when responding to an activeshooter incident and contain equipment an officer may need to assist him or her at the scene.

The bags were put together in response to a new mindset that the law enforcement community has accepted, in that during active shooter incidents such as Columbine, Virginia Tech and other school shootings, it will be the initial first-responding police officers who will be entering the school and encountering the shooter, rather than waiting for a SpecialWeapons and Tactics team (SWAT), asmay have been done in the past.

According to a press release, the Howell PBA has decided that because of this new philosophy it is necessary to provide its officers with extra equipment such as additional ammunition andmagazines for their duty weapons, a first-aid kit, extra flashlight batteries and an extra radio.

The bags also have room to store essential supplies an officer may need if an incident lasts for an extended period of time.

The Howell PBAhas been working with Police Chief Ronald Carter to make certain every officer has been properly trained and equipped to handle active-shooter-type incidents.

In 2007, Carter assigned Patrolman Bernard Fowler, one of many officers participating on the Monmouth County Emergency Response Team (MOCERT), to form scenario training for all 94Howell police officers.

The training includes classroom and hands-on operational tactics, preparing officers to enter the active-shooter environment and taking the necessary actions to save life. The Go Bagswill aid police officers in this mission.

Fowler and Patrolman Thomas Matthews were the officers assigned the task of obtaining the bags and equipment for the Howell PBA, according to the press release.

The Howell Township PBA Vest and Safety Fund has been a part of the Howell PBAfor several years. It is under the direction of severalHowell business owners who support the Howell PBA in its efforts to keep its officers safe.

Revenue generated from events such as the George Garro Vest and Safety Fund Golf Outing, run by James Kirk of Kirk's Florist, and Vest-A-CopNight, sponsored by Angelo Fama,manager of Johnny Carino's, was used to purchase all of the bags and equipment for all 94 officers. No tax money was used in the purchase of the equipment, according to the press release.

There are 10 grammar schools, three middle schools, one high school and several private schools that the Howell Police Department is responsible for protecting. The Howell Police Department has a Community ServicesUnit consisting of six full-time officers and one supervisor who are responsible for covering the schools during the school day.