EMPORIA, Kan. (AP) -- The Emporia Police Department practiced their techniques for responding to a school shooting while the students were on spring break.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports (http://bit.ly/147dde9 ) that about 45 members of the Emporia Police Department practiced shooter response techniques at Timmerman Elementary School on Monday. Lt. Jim Tilton says the training was mandatory for all of the department's police and that school district security guards also took part.

Tilton says the active shooter training is annual, and the department tries to hold the drill at a different school each year to ensure that police learn the various school layouts. He says the training goes over how to respond in an active shooter situation, and gives staff a chance to ask any other questions they have.