The possibility of a school shooting is terrifying, and the consequences can be heartbreaking. Unfortunately, however, recent events have shown that an active shooting can occur almost anywhere – with schools a frequent target. Moreover, potential threats and emergencies extend well beyond shootings, and may include other violence, weapons other than guns, bomb threats, trespassers, bullying, and even cyberbullying between students on social media. These realities make it essential for school administrators to take time to evaluate their safety and security protocols and develop a comprehensive action plan. This series of checklists provides schools with a general overview of some significant topics you should be thinking about as you prepare for the unthinkable.
Preventive Steps Your School Can Take to Help Avoid Security Incidents
The first critical step is ensuring you have policies and procedures in place to stop problematic behavior before it turns into a bigger issue. Consider the following factors when reviewing your current policies and practices for employees and students:
Conduct a Thorough Security Audit with the Help of Legal Counsel
Before conducting any security audit – whether with the aid of an outside security consultant or on your own – you should work with your legal counsel to help ensure any report generated or advice provided falls under attorney-client privilege and is not subject to discovery. Access to such reports and communications related to them through the legal process is a somewhat gray area so be mindful of what is put in writing.
Daily or Regular Activities Can Play a Critical Role in Your Security Plan
Besides developing large-scale measures, you should also ensure your day-to-day actions support your safety and security goals.
Training for an Active Shooter Event
While every school hopes they are never the target of such tragic events, you should be prepared in case an emergency does occur. Active shooter events are often unpredictable, but schools can adopt proactive strategies and tactics to assist in these scenarios.
Preparation, training, and periodic drills are key to internalizing the tactics necessary to deal with school violence and an active shooter. Such repetitive drills will assist in making the response reflexive or second nature, which is necessary in such stressful situations. You should invite law enforcement so they can see and learn the physical layout of your campus, meet your employees, and give you honest feedback about your process. In some areas, law enforcement or first responders will assist schools in such drills. At some point, consider whether to involve children in age-appropriate practice of the drills with your staff. Remember, your staff may not have the expertise or experience to lead some portions of this training, including what to do when the active shooter is present, so rely upon law enforcement or a qualified consultant for this instruction.