ANGOLA, Ind. (WANE) – The Indiana Department of Homeland Security hosted Operation Unify: Civil Unrest Functional Exercise, an exercise to test emergency plans in response to a scenario where civil unrest has the potential turn violent, at Trine University on Wednesday.

IDHS worked with local first responders in northern Indiana to revise and update their plans for different types of emergencies and disasters. This exercise was focused on updating emergency plans in response to a peaceful protest that has risen in strength and numbers.

Operation Unify was a functional exercise, which allows participants to perform their duties in a simulated operational environment. Evaluators were onsite watching their actions so they could offer suggestions on how participants could improve their response.

Functional exercises require no movement of personnel. The event wasn’t open to the public.

IDHS says this specific scenario was chosen to help first responders test their plans and does not reflect any ongoing threat to Indiana.

For more information about IDHS, visit dhs.in.gov.