Officers credit training in Ohio shooting response

ANN SANNER Associated Press Published:



Officer Matt DeLisa said many students and staff were helpful in allowing them to secure the school. He was among the 50 police officers, firefighters and other first responders honored Wednesday afternoon by the Ohio Legislature. The group also met with Gov. John Kasich and his Cabinet members behind closed doors.

"The students acted tremendously," DeLisa said. "As far as, you know, chaos going on and screaming and yelling -- there was nothing like that."

State lawmakers praised their efforts and stopped during their voting sessions to give them standing ovations during their visit to Columbus.

"There are always those who come forward and do, not just their duty, but make the extraordinary effort to see to it that those who are in danger are protected," House Speaker William Batchelder said before representatives stood for a moment of silence.


"That fraction of a second, you're waiting to hear; it's training," DeLisa said. "We've been through that before ... but then you just react."

He said that two years ago, law enforcement officers in the county took part in a school shooting drill at Chardon.


DeLisa said that they never encountered the shooter but that officers didn't know initially where he was.





Lefelhoc, who has been a Chardon patrolman for almost a year, said he has occasionally been assigned to do special shifts at the school since the shooting.

"We're not there for any type of therapeutic reasons other than just being seen," he said. "Being there makes them feel more comfortable."

Prior to the shooting, students would shy away from uniformed officers such as him, Lefelhoc said.

Now, he added, "it's turned into they're thanking you."