(AP) — The FBI is taking an active role in training local police departments to respond to an active shooter emergency.

After last December’s Connecticut school massacre, President Barack Obama directed the FBI to work with local law enforcement to ensure a more consistent response to situations that involve mass shootings.

The bureau this year began partnering with a federally funded center in Texas that was already offering training and is now spreading the teachings around to departments around the country.

FBI field offices have also hosted conferences to discuss various challenges arising from an active shooter situation and let them know about available federal aid.

One such tactical drill occurred last week on a college campus in Salisbury, Md., where officers went through a series of role-playing exercises.