What do you do when a six-year old child comes into a kindergarten with a
loaded gun and shoots his teacher? While the thought makes us gasp, the reality
is that our children from grammar school to high school live with this reality and
go through drills to prepare them for just such an eventuality. But we as adults
are less likely to know what to do.
Officer Keith E. Hirsch and Officer Daniel Paladino, two highly trained police
officers of the Greenwich Police Department, address the question: what to
do in an active shooter situation? Both officers are assigned to the Community
Impact Section within the Detective Division of the Greenwich Police
Department and are passionate about educating the public about this critical
social and safety issue. Both have been educated in specialty classes all over the
country, becoming certified in Threat Assessment, Crime Prevention, and Crime
Analysis, and both are certified as instructors for Civilian Response to an Active
Shooter. Their presentation will help inform adults on how to react.
Officers Hirsch and Paladino have provided these presentations to hundreds of
adults. Attendees learn what is the first action to take, how to anticipate a
shooter, what defense mechanisms ordinary people have, how to case out a
room to be prepared, and other proven actions to deflect and even overcome a
shooter. Both officers pride themselves on their attention to detail and helping
empower Greenwich citizens to make the community one of the safest places to
reside and raise a family anywhere in the nation.
Both officers are highly decorated members of the Police Department.
Community Impact Officer Hirsch has been named Office of the Month several
times, was the recipient of the Doctor John A. Clarke award for Officer of the
Year, 2016 Police Person of the Year by CASIA, and was the recipient of the
Community Policing Award for 2017 from the U. S. Attorney’s Office.
Community Impact Officer Paladino has served for 20 years and has received
accolades that include Officer of the Month and the Community Policing Award
in 2017.
Both officers are life-long Greenwich residents and graduates of Greenwich High
School.
