Sgt. Munley Went Through ALERRT Program

Sgt. Kimberly Munley is being hailed a hero as she helped end the massacre at Fort Hood. The civilian police officer exchanged gunfire with accused shooter, Major Nidal Hasan, injuring him and taking bullets herself.  That quick response is just part of the training she received from Texas State University's ALERRT program.

The Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training program was created after the Columbine tragedy in Colorado in 1999. The idea post Columbine is to take down the shooter immediately instead of waiting for SWAT teams. And it's that training that many are saying helped munley bring down a killer and even save lives.

"The training kicked in and that she used the tactics and the mindset that we teach as part of our curiculum here at the alerrt center to go be aggressive and stop the violence," said Terry Nichols, an instructor with the ALERRT center.

Nicols  says Munley learned several things including drawing threats away from crowds and bringing attention to themselves.
"If they're messing with us, they're not messing with innocent people."

"When you get there, you have got to move toward the sounds of gunfire. Everyone else is running away. Our job as first responders is to move toward the sounds of gunfire and we preach that every shot that you hear going off is could be someone dying and you've got to get there and put a stop to it," said Hays County Sheriff Deputy Matt Wasko, an ALERRT instructor. 

Deputy Wasko met Sgt. Munley in June when she went through a second course that teaches how to get in locked buildings, when SWAT equipment is not available.

"In the breaching class, we get into improvised breaching tools such as cut down sledge hammers and even some make shift tools in essense are carpenters tools they can use for pry bars and their police shotguns," said Deputy Wasko.

Nichols also says Munley wasn't the only hero at Fort Hood that day.

"She put the first rounds on the bad guy and she almost sacrificed her life to save others but there were other first responders there as well that did the same thing she did and helped save her life," said Nichols.

The 34-year-old mother of two is recovering from bullet wounds to her legs and hand. By the way, officers who go through the ALERRT program don't have to pay. The program gets all its funding from the governor's office and federal government.

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