Law enforcement officials say that being prepared and ready for any situation is a priority to maintain safety.

The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office held free active shooter training over the past two days – specifically for religious and community leaders.

“You have places of worship and some businesses that are soft targets,” says Sheriff Darrin Russo.

Religious leaders say that this type of training is important since places of worship are typically open to the public, and they want to be welcoming – but safe.

"In this day and age, we have to be smart about our surroundings...We are an open, welcoming space, and anyone can come into church,” says Caroline Jinkins, pastor for the Lamington Presbyterian Church.

Undersheriff Tim Pino says that the training will help everyone know what law enforcement officers go through in an active shooter situation.

"What we’re trying to show over the last two days is the law enforcement response, so they actually have an idea in the back of their mind of what’s playing on the other side…I think that’s important for peace of mind,” he says.

In the event of an unsafe situation where they would not want to send in a SWAT operator, law enforcement officials use a robot to get the job done.

“If there was a threat – active shooter type of situation – they could send in that robot to deal with that threat or assess the situation,” says Pino.

The sheriff’s department also has a K-9 unit that can sniff for bombs, narcotics or missing people.