NEW ORLEANS WWL–Leaders of churches and members of the community gathered on Saturday not just I prayer, but in an effort to save lives.

The New Orleans Police Department and Crimestoppers hosted a training session to help members of the clergy know what to do if an active shooter situation were to occur in church.

“When this happens, wherever this happens, weather we have faith or not, when and where it happens; the first officer to arrives in three minutes, the second in six minutes. A lot can happen with a person that comes in with 1000 rounds of ammo in about three minutes,” NOPD Chief Michael Harrison said.

Hundreds of pastors, ministers and church volunteers came together at Greater St. Stephen Church in New Orleans East to learn about what to do if a mass shooter chose their church as a target.

“We have to be proactive. We have to make sure that those who have been entrusted to help all people, we have to know how to handle these situations,” Brandon Boutin, associate pastor of the church said.

Boutin said people have been waiting for a training session.

“People have questions. I get calls all the time: How could we prepare if this happens? How do we handle these things? They have questions, and so we are providing a place for them to get those questions answered,” Boutin said.

During the two-hour session held on police used a presentation, open-question period and a video to show the group what to do.

“If you find yourself in an active shooter situation, there are three key things you need to remember to survive. Run, hide, fight,” the video presentation showed.

It’s all an effort to prepare people for what to do if it were to happen to them.

“It really makes me feel safer because I know not only am I prepared, but my people and my members and my leadership is prepared so we can prevent this from happening,” Boutin said.

The NOPD also held a training session for the Archdiocese as well.