The Newton Medical Center has cancelled its Code Silver drill, originally slated for Thursday.

Due to the stress placed on local police departments, the drill will be moved to early February.

The "routine" drill will include the Covington Police Department, SWAT team members, EMS personnel, and volunteers from NMC Volunteer Services and the Newton College and Career Academy. No patients will be involved, and the drill will not affect daily hospital operations.

According to NMC officials, the drill will allow employees and local safety personnel to practice procedures that would be followed in an emergency in which patients, visitors and staff were at risk of being confronted by a person with a weapon or of being involved in a violent crime/hostage situation.