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12 HE ALTH • Fall 2022 concept that's backed up by science, that if you simply practice what you would do in that stressful situation that you're going to be a lot more successful, and that you're going to do it as quickly as possible." The idea of preparing, and doing simple things that can have life-saving consequences, is just one of the concepts Jewiss discussed as a guest lecturer in a weeklong intensive course at Nichols College in Dudley in May. Jewiss, who was the lead investigator on the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting case in Connecticut, was a guest speaker at Nichols' first- ever Public Safety Command Academy, a weeklong program for law enforcement leaders and some students. The goal of the academy was to train command- level public safety leaders in the principles of what it takes to lead day-to-day and in crisis situations. Six Nichols students and 12 public safety professionals from New England and even one from Montana lived on campus for the duration of the program. By Laura Finaldi I n an active shooter situation, the difference between life and death can be a matter of seconds. When a 911 call gets placed, dispatch opera- tors need to be able to ask the right questions to get information quickly, Dan Jewiss, a retired Connecticut State Police detective, said. Callers need to keep it together enough to tell the dispatcher where the shooter is, so law enforce- ment can find him or her right away. And police need to arrive and enter the facility as quickly as possible, because studies show the presence of law enforcement alone causes shooters to either barri- cade, flee, commit suicide, or divert their attention away from the original targets. "There's a saying that the body won't go where the mind has never been, especially if you're under a ton of stress," Jewiss said. "It's a very simple Police training Nichols students, public safety officials learn how to be leaders in law enforcement, by understanding how to react during mass shooting and how to remove racial bias The Public Safety Command Academy at Nichols College focused on ways for first responders to be better leaders. PHOTOS | COURTESY OF ERIC MURRAY