Last September, al Shabaab gunmen attacked a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, killing more than 70 people. In response, the FBI secured operational resources to assist Kenyan authorities.

Not long after, the Bureau—in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—formulated plans for a training exercise series to ensure that American law enforcement, other public safety first responders, and private sector entities had coordinated, effective response plans in place in case this type of complex terror attack ever occurs at a U.S. public venue.

These exercises aren’t in response to any current threat but are simply part of our continuing mission to share information and work with public safety and private sector partners to improve overall threat response capabilities.

The first two phases of this training series took place last fall. Tabletop exercises were held with FBI field office personnel; federal, state, and local public safety officials; and private sector partners—including mall managers and owners—to discuss a hypothetical terror attack on a local mall and gain a clearer understanding of each other’s capabilities and responsibilities. A second exercise was more inwardly focused, concentrating on FBI field office response plans and the effectiveness of our capabilities to communicate vital information to our own personnel and external partners.

After the training last fall, more effective responses to several subsequent public venue incidents—including an active shooter situation at a Maryland shopping mall this past January—were reported.

Lessons learned from Phases I and II were integrated into the third phase of the training, which is actually occurring now and over the next couple of weeks. During Phase III, FBI field offices—with DHS—are hosting a boots-on-the-ground exercise with regional federal, state, and local public and private sector partners at shopping malls outside of regular business hours.

This exercise scenario, like the first two phases, involves a simulated terrorist incident with numerous attacks, improvised explosive devices, and multiple victims and witnesses. Participants gather to discuss what’s about to happen, run through the exercise, and finish up by reflecting on what worked and what didn’t. After the several-hour exercise and the formal after-action review, participants will take the lessons learned and modify their own agency’s response plans as needed to ensure they mesh with those of other agencies.

A few FBI offices have already conducted their Phase III training and can attest to its value.