Rockwall County, Texas – The Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office is getting ready to welcome locals this spring for a free public safety course that will teach ordinary people how to respond in an emergency. The agency will hold a CRASE training session in early March to give community members useful tools and confidence in case of an active shooter situation.
The training will be on Saturday, March 7, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. until noon. It will take place at the Rockwall County Annex Building in the Multi-Purpose Room, located at 1101 E. Yellow Jacket Lane in Rockwall. Anyone can join in, and there is no cost to do so – IT’S COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE!
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CRASE stands for “Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events.” Its goal is to give civilians clear and simple plans that they may employ when they are under a lot of stress. The course is based on the Avoid, Deny, Defend method, which is well-known across the country and was developed through Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training. Instead than focusing on theory, the session focuses on making decisions that people might have to make in real-life circumstances.
The “Avoid” approach is based on teaching participants how to spot early warning indicators and stay aware of their surroundings. The training continues on to “Deny” when it’s not possible to get away from a dangerous situation. This covers things you can do to make it harder for an attacker to get to you or slow them down. The last part, “Defend,” addresses the fact that civilians may need to protect themselves as a last resort, while also knowing their rights and duties.
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The Sheriff’s Office claims that the training is meant to give people power, not make them afraid. If civilians know how to react and make smart decisions, they are better able to protect themselves and others when there is an active threat.
The Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office has given CRASE training to the public before. A prior session in June 2025 had a lot of people show up and got good reviews from those who took part. Officials say that reaction was due to great community interest and good communication, which made the department decide to bring the program back.
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Sergeant Phillip Wilburn of the Sheriff’s Office noted that the course gives people information that might be very important in an emergency. He pointed out that being ready and informed are important parts of staying safe and encouraged people to take advantage of the opportunity.
Community members are advised to come and inform their family, friends, and coworkers about the training. The event flyer has a QR code that will take you to more information and the registration page.
