Nagahama educators conduct intruder response drills

Teachers in Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture, participated in practical training to prepare for unauthorized intruders entering school grounds. Organized by the Nagahama City Board of Education with assistance from the Nagahama and Kinomoto Police Stations, the drill involved approximately 40 educators from elementary, junior high, and compulsory education schools.

Participants practiced initial responses, emergency reporting, and the use of security tools like sasumata (extension poles). The simulation involved teachers acting as intruders attempting to enter through various points, such as student entrances and main gates. Instructors from the Nagahama Police Station emphasized the importance of de-escalation, maintaining distance, and buying time until police arrival rather than attempting to forcibly subdue an intruder, especially if weapons are involved.

Feedback from the drill highlighted the difficulty of using security poles in narrow corridors and the effectiveness of calm verbal communication in preventing escalation.