Run. Hide. Fight.

This is the survival method that the Palomar College Police Department (PCPD) has prepared for students to use in the event of an active shooter on campus.

“Run-Hide-Defend (Fight) are concepts to enhance your survival,” PCPD’s Chief Chris Moore said in an email. “Run means get away from the danger if possible…Hide relates to concealing yourself, shutting off lights in a classroom and pushing desks against the door and locking the door. Defend requires a mental mindset of survival and using objects or brute force to neutralize a suspect if he were to enter a room that is not protected.”

After the recent alleged threat of a shooter on campus the PCPD has been working with instructors and the Associated Student Governing Board (ASG) to incorporate a more formalized level of training with faculty and staff in the fall, according to Moore.

To prevent an emergency on campus, the police have 24 hour dispatch, there are uniformed community service officers on campus 365 days a year and armed/uniformed police officers on campus 16-18 hours a day, five days a week according to Moore.

According to the PCPD website, if the campus were to be in a state of emergency that threatens the health or safety of the campus, a notification would be issued by the Public Information Office. These notifications can be relayed via email, social media, informacast, loudspeaker and/or signage.

Informacast is an audio notification system that Palomar uses in emergencies and drills.

“We also rely on students, faculty and staff to make calls to Campus Police to report unusual or suspicious activity,” Moore said.

Students can help by reporting suspicious behaviors or threats through the Dispatch center at 760-891-7273 or Text-A-Tip at 760-891-6154.

Some suspicious behaviors to look for, according to Moore, are people appearing to be armed, someone wearing unusual clothing for the weather, for example a trench coat when it’s 90 degrees or someone saying disturbing things in class or on their social media platform.

“Campus Police is here to protect our students, faculty and staff,” Moore said. “We need your help as well to support suspicious activity on campus so we can investigate. It is also important to be aware of your surroundings in and around campus.”