GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — On Tuesday morning, a live-action event was held outside the local police department training facility as part of the NAPT conference.

In two demonstrations, nearly 15 police officers evacuated groups of individuals on board a school bus during a simulated bus hijacking and hostage rescue.

The officers approached the rear of the bus (in order to catch the suspect off guard) and proceeded to enter after a gunshot was fired on board. Once inside, the passengers were ordered to put their heads down and place their hands on their seats while the officers obtained the suspect. After the suspect was restrained, the officers ordered the passengers to place their hands on their heads and they were evacuated one-by-one.

Lieutenant Dan Savage explained that in real hostage situations, it is critical to gain control of the vehicle and make certain that all of the passengers remain calm; this decreases the chance of human injury and enables the officers to evacuate individuals efficiently. Moreover, following an evacuation, the vehicle as well as the passengers would be searched to ensure that all involved were in no further immediate danger.

However, Lieutenant Savage also explained that in a real hostage situation, this type of rescue and evacuation would be a last resort for him and his officers. The team would attempt to negotiate with the suspect and de-escalate the situation from outside the school bus (or any vehicle) first, before entering and restraining him or her.