HAVANA, FL (WTXL) -- Law enforcement officers from around the state attended the 6th annual Rural County Summit Wednesday. Each year, the summit focuses on different and relevant topics in law enforcement, with the focus for this year being on acts of terrorism and response.
Recently, there have been multiple terror attacks abroad, an attack in Virginia Wednesday, and the deadliest mass shooting in US history at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando.
"The Pulse Nightclub incident was an emotional event," says Orange County Sheriff, Jerry Demings. "I couldn't have been anymore proud of the response by the law enforcement professionals because they essentially immediately responded into the crisis site."
In fact, attendees listened to the accounts of what happened on that tragic night in June of 2016.
Sheriff Demings continues, "We're kind of delving into all the different nuances about that today, and how we, as a state, can better prepare to respond in the future."
The local law enforcement officers in attendance for this year's summit are learning from the past tragedies to prepare for the future.
"It is extremely important that we come together from time to time and take the time to prepare," says Mark Hunter from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. "You don't want to be preparing for it when it's happening. You want to be prepared before it happens."
Of course, law enforcement officers are aware of the dangers regarding terror and violent attacks, but preparing for them is not an easy task.
"The issue is preparing because terrorists and actors like this continue to evolve their strategies," says Chris Canova, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, and a speaker at the summit. "As we get good at stopping them in one area, they evolve in a different area. We have to continue to stay up with that and prepare and think ahead of the game."
It's not just learning from the past though. Officers at this year's summit say that it is a valuable resource to have should an attack happen close to home.
Hunter continues, "Coming together like this, we actually pull our resources, and establish those contacts to where whenever we have an event in our community, we have resources available."
Thursday is the third and final day of this year's Rural County Summit. Officers, speakers, and other attendees will be taking a look back at the Fort Lauderdale International Airport shooting.
