Employees from more than 600 North Carolina public schools have participated in training to prepare them to respond to a crisis, according to the state's top law enforcement official.

"Now, with this training taken care of, teachers can focus on educating our children," said Attorney General Roy Cooper. By the start of this school year, 657 public schools had completed specialized Critical Incident Response training sponsored by the Attorney General's Office, the Justice Academy, the State Bureau of Investigation, the Center for the Prevention of School Violence and Emergency Management.

Last spring, officials at every public school in North Carolina received a videotape and a booklet explaining how to assemble a Critical Incident Response Kit. Cooper's office also provided videotapes and booklet to 778 private and charter schools in July.

Copies of the video are available by contacting the Center for the Prevention of School Violence at (800) 299-6054.