The Ohio University Police Department (OUPD) will offer ALiCE training sessions on Feb. 18 and 27. ALiCE, which stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Escape, is a national program that trains civilians on responding to an active shooter situation.

OUPD has presented active shooter training to various constituent groups at OHIO for the past five years, but the Feb. 18 and 27 sessions will be the first time the training has been offered to the public.

While the University has an “Active Shooter Information” Web page, Ohio University Police Chief Andrew Powers said the ALiCE training builds on this information to help people plan a strategy for survival if a gunman were to stage an attack.

“The purpose of the ALiCE training is to provide members of our community with useful guidance for responding to an active shooter situation,” said Powers. “Even if unarmed, people can still evaluate the situation before them and make informed choices about how to respond.”

Powers says the program will teach people that they are not helpless in such situations, and will provide them with a series of response options from which to choose, depending on the specific circumstance.

The 2-hour training sessions will take place twice, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Feb. 18, and again on Wednesday, Feb. 27, in Baker Theater. This event is free and open to the public.