Video: Law Enforcement Trains with Columbus Air Force Base

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) — Capturing criminals and keeping our communities safe is a 24/7 job for law enforcement.

Local law enforcement spent their Saturday brushing up on techniques to help prepare them for real-life scenarios.

Officers and deputies from Starkville, Columbus and Monroe County worked closely with security forces at the Columbus Air Force Base. They learned how to approach a hostage situation and an active shooter.

“Basically how we do it in our deployed environment so they are going to be clearing wood lines open areas such as fields and being able to bound objectives so that they can return home safely,” says Nathan Sullivan.

During one exercise, each group must find their way through a course while approaching the woods without getting shot.

“The individuals he’s chasing are returning fire and he has that ability to feel the rounds and it’s going to mark him with a style of paint and dye cartridge,” says Sullivan.

Columbus officer Canyon Boykin is looking forward to learning something new.

“Everything you can have in your arsenal is great whether it’s good or bad. You take a little bit from everything and if I can use just a little bit of what use today out there on the streets at my daily job I’m going to take that as I can,” says Canyon Boykin.

For others, annual training helps law enforcement stay one step ahead of criminals.

“Like anything else if you’re not training then you’re not trying. We’ve got to stay up to date with everything that we got going on. Things are constantly evolving just like technology or anything else the criminal have all the good toys and everything else we need to stay up in our tactics so we are right there with them,” says Andy Round.

As local law enforcement learn from one another, security forces officer Stephen Strouse believes it also creates new friendships.

“Doing training like this helps us build a good bridge with them so if we ever have something happen we’re ready to respond at a moments notice and we’ve already integrated. We already know how to train and work with them,” says Stephen Strouse.

The officer training was an all day event.