Lakeland Police Begin Two-Week Active Shooter Training at Florida Southern College

Lakeland residents may notice a significant law enforcement presence on and around the Florida Southern College campus through July 17 as the Lakeland Police Department conducts two weeks of active shooter response training, the department announced Monday.

The exercises follow the inaugural Florida Active Shooter Training Conference, which the Lakeland Police Department and the Florida SWAT Association co-hosted at Florida Southern from June 29 through July 1. Sworn Lakeland officers are now rotating through the same scenario-based curriculum used during that conference, applying skills designed to sharpen response times and coordination during critical incidents.

Training runs on weekdays in two sessions: 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Community members in the area may see marked and unmarked police vehicles, officers in tactical gear, and specialized equipment on or near campus. Simulated gunfire may also be audible during sessions.

There is no threat to the public. The exercises are planned training events.

Lakeland Police Sgt. Nicholas Rex, who also serves as president of the Florida SWAT Association, has said the goal is for officers to continually look for ways to improve.
The specialized drills place teams in simulated scenarios with minimal advance information, mirroring the conditions officers face during real critical incidents.

The conference also brought a new tool to the department. A hydraulic breaching device donated by a company called Off the X is capable of forcing open nearly any door and can also be used to deny access to a space.

The Lakeland Police Department provides eight full-time sworn officers who serve as campus resource officers at Florida Southern College, with at least one officer on campus around the clock.

The department thanked Florida Southern College for making its campus available and asked for the community’s patience and understanding through July 17.

Sources: Lakeland Police Department public notice, July 6, 2026; Florida SWAT Association, floridaswat.org; Florida Southern College Office of Safety and Security, flsouthern.edu; FOX 13 Tampa Bay, fox13news.com, July 1, 2026; Tampa Bay 28, tampabay28.com, July 2, 2026;