Letter: Carbondale nursing-home drill was over the top

Are you kidding me? I am incredulous as I read about the “active-shooter drill” at a local nursing home.

This is a true act of law enforcement genius. I am currently working through placing a loved one in long-term care, and I have come to realize that many of the residents in nursing homes are barely able to hold on to reality, especially when medicated.

What genius thought this would be a good place to practice an “active-shooter drill”? Are nursing homes a common target of hostage taking? Did you think the residents would not notice a person with a gun grabbing a hostage? Is a heavy presence of officers common in the halls of this care facility?

I can’t imagine what trauma this could cause to the elderly residents of the facility. What if a concealed-carry citizen had happened on the scene? This is such a bad idea on so many levels, I can’t even start to understand the thought process of choosing this location for the training. Is this a result of the new “SWAT/military” climate with many police forces in the U.S.? Let me sit on the jury for the rocket scientist who set up this drill, please.

William Griggers

Basalt