The Winter Haven Police Department and the Polk County School District announced a change in procedure for lock down active shooter drills after two officers had their weapons drawn during a drill at Jewett Academy Middle School on Thursday.

"Officers will not have weapons in their hands in future lock down drills," said Polk County Public Schools spokesman Jason Geary.

Student Ryan Burr, 14, said and many other students were frightened by the drill and thought a shooter was on campus located at 601 Avenue T NE in Winter Haven.

"We just went into the closet and locked all the doors and we were in there for two class periods," he said. "Most of the people were scared. They thought they were going to get shot or something."

Burr said students did not know it was a drill and some parents said they were upset no advance notice was given.

"They should've warned you, took the kids aside and said it's going to be a drill," said parent Cindy Simpson. "Don't run into the classroom and scare the crap out of the kids with guns. I am totally against that."

Other parents said they had no problem with how the drill was handled as the two officers went from classroom to classroom with their weapons drawn.

"I really think they need to do the drills to be on the safe side," said parent Jackie Harris.

Harris said she hoped the guns that the two officers had drawn, a pistol and an AR-15, were not loaded.

"I don't think they were loaded. I don't think they would take that chance because if a student jumped up to get that and it went off," she said. "I really don't think they would have taken that chance."

Winter Haven interim police chief, Charlie Bird, said the school resource officer’s weapon was indeed loaded.

"The AR-15 was not loaded. It did not have a magazine in it. That was the patrol officer that had that one," Bird said. "The school resource officer had his issued firearm which would be loaded." 

Chief Bird said the school resource officer conducted the lock down drill based on training but the police department has since re-evaluated the procedure.

"We've determined that any further drills that we're taking part in, in Winter Haven, there will not be a firearm that will be removed from their holster," he said. "I'm sorry that it upset so many people. I understand their concerns and we've adjusted accordingly for it."

"I think it would be better," said Burr. "It won't scare as much people."

Bird said the drills are vital in order to evaluate not only law enforcement response, but more importantly to educate the students and school officials in case an actual event were to occur.