SAN MARCOS -- Simulated gunshots echoed across the campus of Cal State San Marcos on Thursday afternoon as university police officers received special "active shooter" training so they will be prepared if a gunman ever opens fire on campus.

With their guns drawn, teams of officers from the university, Palomar College and MiraCosta College were coached to confront a shooter by stacking themselves in a thin line and then sweeping around the corners of buildings and classrooms.

The officers were also trained to carefully and quickly locate and subdue a shooter; other lessons focused on helping students make their way to safety.

The three colleges planned Thursday's exercise prior to the April 16 shooting at Virginia Tech, but lessons learned during that event were incorporated into the training, said Ronald Hackenberg, Cal State San Marcos chief of police.

"It's something we should do regardless of Virginia Tech, but that certainly got everybody's attention," said Hackenberg, who joined the university in March. "Virginia Tech really emphasized the importance of speed, because the shooter got off 170 rounds in nine minutes."

The training was conducted, at the request of the three colleges, by the Special Weapons and Tactics team of the county Sheriff's Department.

"The training is based on a moving shooter," said SWAT team member Brian Nevins. "The goal is trying to get into the room safely so we can help people who are being hurt."

Nevins said the training teaches officers to end a shooting scenario as quickly as possible.

"These tactics won't prevent a shooting, but they aim to limit damage and secure things as quickly as possible," said Nevins.

Sgt. Jesse Flores of Cal State San Marcos said he was impressed by the training.

"We get to practice together for an event that will hopefully never happen in North County," said Flores. "It's a different feeling than regular patrol because there is one clear mission and just one goal."

The training took place inside the university's Arts Building and on the perimeter of that structure. There were also stairwell drills and rooftop training.

Hackenberg said the university plans to conduct similar exercises twice a year from now on. Thursday's event was intentionally held a few days after students left for summer break to avoid disrupting academics, he said.

Future sessions will not include the Sheriff's Department, said Hackenberg, explaining that the information officers got on Thursday will prepare them to coach their fellow officers.

Thursday's exercise included 11 members of the university Police Department and five officers each from Palomar and MiraCosta.

Hackenberg said the goal was to make the "active shooter" scenario as real as possible, so student volunteers were employed and a SWAT team member played the shooter.

"These scenarios include simulated sounds designed to get the officers' heart rates up and to get them fully involved in the situation," Hackenberg said.

The extra training is among several steps the university plans to take this summer to become better prepared for a campus shooting, said Hackenberg.

The university is revamping its emergency plan, students will be shown a special disaster video this fall and students will be asked to provide all their phone numbers and e-mail addresses so they can be quickly notified if the campus is locked down, he said.

The university has also implemented a system allowing police dispatch to lock every building on campus from the central command post, and a special public address system allowing police to speak to everyone on campus simultaneously in an emergency, said Hackenberg.

Contact staff writer David Garrick at (760) 761-4410 or dgarrick@nctimes.com.