Deputies from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station conducted surprise lockdown drills at West Creek Academy and Emblem Elementary School on Tuesday.

Here’s the story from the station’s official social media:

“Surprise, we’re here to hold an emergency lockdown drill!”

Deputies Tom Drake, Joe Crilly, Javier Guzman and Gabriel Barlow conducted unexpected emergency lockdown drills at West Creek Academy and Emblem Elementary School on Tuesday morning.

Student safety at our schools in Santa Clarita Valley is a top priority, and our goal in facilitating emergency lockdown drills with school administration is to better prepare staff for any emergency situation they may arise.

The drills are designed to be more like real-life. The teachers and students had no idea that we were showing up to coordinate an emergency lockdown drill. At one of the schools, the students were all outside, and the teachers had to work fast and efficiently to escort them to take shelter in classrooms.

Just like real life, you never know when a crisis situation could arise as there is no warning. So, as your local law enforcement agency, we want to see how school personnel and students react at a second’s notice.

Deputies Joe Crilly and Gabriel Barlow walked the campus during the drill, meticulously checking to make sure all areas were secured.

After the drills, Deputy Tom Drake met with school administrators to identify any potential issues and share feedback. We want to thank our school districts for their mutual vested interest in keeping our kids safe.