AUBURN - Anyone who drove by the Auburn Mall last night might havebeen shocked to see dozens of police and SWAT team vehicles parked there. Fortunately, there was no emergency.

A training exercise at the mall involved federal agents and more than 100 police officers and 20 police dogs from across Massachusetts.Data from the exercise will be used to increase security across the country, according to police.

The exercise, code name "Auburn Project," was requested by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and designed bythe Auburn and Boston police departments.

Joining ATF and U.S. Department of the Interior agents at the malllast night were U.S. Air Marshals and police from Boston, Auburn, Worcester, Quincy, Chelsea, Everett, Hanover, Revere, New Bedford and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

There were also officers from the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council training inside the mall in conjunction with the K-9 officers.

Dozens of uniformed police swarmed throughout the length of the mall, while police dogs searched the mall inside and a row of school buses outside.