As part of Exercise Tradewinds 2024, two active shooter simulation exercises were conducted today, Monday, May 13, at the Hilton Barbados Resort.
Barbados Defence Force’s (BDF) Special Forces Track Lead for Exercise Tradewinds 2024, Sublieutenant Elvis King, disclosed that the exercises were conducted to help BDF’s Special Forces Unit and The Barbados Police Service’s (TBPS) Tactical Response Unit apply their skills in an active shooter scenario.
Sublieutenant King explained that different team members executed the two active shooter events. Scenario one involved TBPS, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. In contrast, scenario two involved BDF’s Special Forces and Medical Services Units and the Barbados Fire Service.
He gave the rationale for conducting an active shooter scenario.
“We have seen a growth of threats happening around the world, and we can’t leave out these scenarios actually occurring in Barbados, especially with increasing active shooter events in the United States. We always know that in Barbados and the other regional countries, we are a spillover of things occurring in America, so we want to be equally capable of handling these situations. We’re hosting the Cricket World Cup, along with the North American region, and we want to be able to handle any situation that happens,” Sublieutenant King explained.
He expressed thanks to the volunteers, and the management of Hilton Barbados for allowing the use of the Old Fort.