Metro SWAT Hosts Active Shooter Exercise At Sangertown Mall

The Metro SWAT team hosted an active shooter exercise with area SWAT teams at the Sangertown Mall in New Hartford on Wednesday.

The Metro SWAT team is made up of members of the Utica and New Hartford Police Departments. Joining the exercise were SWAT teams from the Rome Police Department and the Madison County Sheriff's Office.

Officials say the training exercise consisted of multiple scenarios that were based on real life situations. They say the exercise helped enhance inter-agency cooperation and allowed the SWAT teams to work alongside one another.

Civilian employees of the mall and the JC Penney store were also involved in the drill, along with the New Hartford Fire Department.  The Fire Department's mobile command vehicle was used for the drill.