Officers from multiple agencies participate in an active threat training exercise inside the UTC Library. Photo by Angela Foster.
On Thursday, May 29, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga hosted an active threat training exercise that brought together emergency responders from across the UT System and regional public safety agencies.
Held inside the UTC Library, the full-scale drill simulated an armed intruder situation to test communication, coordination and crisis response protocols in a live campus environment. The event was organized by the UTC Department of Public Safety and included participation from local, state and UT System partners.
“This kind of training is essential,” said Sean O’Brien, associate vice chancellor for public safety and UTC police chief. “In a crisis, every second counts. Knowing how to communicate, coordinate and act decisively saves lives. We want our campus and community to be ready, not just reactive.”
Participants in the training included personnel from the UTC Police Department, UT Health Science Center Police Department, UT Knoxville Police Department, UT Martin Police Department, Cleveland State Community College, Hamilton County School Safety, Chattanooga Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, Tennessee Department of Homeland Security, East Ridge Police Department and Fort Oglethorpe Police Department.
The training also served as a real-time test of VOLT AI, an artificial intelligence-driven camera software that can identify potential threats such as visible weapons, fights, medical emergencies and other unusual behaviors.
O’Brien said the system is now active on 160 security cameras across UTC’s campus and sends instant alerts to the UTC Police Department.
“We’re not relying on technology alone, but tools like VOLT give us an edge,” O’Brien said. “They allow us to recognize a potential threat as it’s happening, not just after the fact, so we can act faster and in real time.”
Photo gallery by Angela Foster
