For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Burlington Police and Fire Take Part in Workplace Violence Drill at Flexion Therapeutics

BURLINGTON — Chief Michael Kent reports that the Burlington Police Department joined employees at a local business to conduct a workplace violence training exercise.

On Monday, Dec. 3, two dozen Burlington Police officers and eight Burlington Fire Department members took part in the training along with employees of Flexion Therapeutics.

The multifaceted drill began that morning with Flexion employees receiving a notification on their cell phones alerting them to “Run, Hide, Attack” in response to the simulated active shooter crisis scenario. Approximately 100 Flexion employees working at the company’s Burlington headquarters participated.

A member of the Burlington Police Department acted as the armed assailant, adding an extra element of realism to the drill and testing the staff’s ability to follow the emergency response tactics they learned during a workplace violence seminar earlier this year. 

First responders from Burlington Police and Fire contributed to the authenticity of the training and made it that much more impactful for participants who accessed their surroundings before deciding on the appropriate course of action.

“While I hope they never need to use them, it’s absolutely critical for companies to have a firm plan in place to immediately respond to a crisis, especially an active shooter situation,” Chief Kent said. “Our officers are more than willing to support preparedness efforts in the community so that lives can potentially be saved if this type of scenario ever became a reality.” 

The training was conducted by Hunter Protective Services, in close collaboration with Burlington Police Lt. Daniel Hanafin and John Kuczek, Flexion Safety Committee Chairperson.

“We recognize how important it is to be prepared and test our emergency response to help promote the safety of our employees,” Flexion CEO Mike Clayman said. “I’m grateful for the support of Burlington Police and Fire, John Kuczek’s leadership, and Hunter Protective Services, for their tremendous work supporting this exercise and helping us develop our response plan.”

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