Special Unit Drill to Close Part of Tartu City Traffic
A special unit exercise in Tartu will close part of city traffic today.
The exercise will center on on Munga street at the Ministry of Education and Research and its surroundings between 11:00 and 15:00. The drill will also close traffic from Vabaduse puiestee to Town Hall Square, and also affect Lai tänav, Gildi tänav and Kompanii tänav. It will not affect public transport.
The exercise will reportedly center around a theoretical scenario that will test police response to a group of armed criminals entering the building. The exercise has been long planned and not related to Estonia's current security situation.
Southern Prefecture crisis management center manager Ottomar Virk said the aim is to practice collaboration between special units, and practice event management in a situation where a number of different agencies are involved.
"This differs from similar, previous exercises," he said, "because inside the building is going to be about 100 people in need." Virk said that the practice assault operations would begin as soon as possible to prevent loss of life and provide assistance to the simulated victims.
The exercise is will be carried out by the police and border units, Security Police, rescue, bomb and ambulance units. The drill is in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Research and the Tartu municipal government.