The Ogeechee Technical College Police Department will conduct an active shooter training exercise on the college campus Friday, Ogeechee Tech Police Chief Stan York said.

The training is designed to provide real-time experiences in which individuals role-play scenarios that mimic emergency situations that could happen on any college campus.

Other agencies participating in the exercise will be the Georgia Southern University Police Department, Statesboro Police Department, Bulloch County Sheriff's Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia State Patrol, Southeastern Technical College Security, East Georgia State College Public Safety, Statesboro Fire Department and Bulloch County Emergency Medical Services. Students and instructors from Ogeechee Tech's Law Enforcement Academy and faculty and staff from the college will participate as role players and observers.

"In case the public sees what appears to be emergency activity on Ogeechee Tech's campus on Friday, we want them to know that they should not be alarmed, it is just a training exercise," York said.

No real weapons will be used in the exercise, according to York, but the activities will be as realistic as possible to simulate the circumstances surrounding an actual active shooter emergency.

Dr. Ryan Foley, Ogeechee Tech's vice president for student affairs, reiterated that the public has no cause for alarm.

"The agencies responding to campus will not be using lights and sirens, and everything that is done will be in a very controlled environment," he said.