“Proactively Preparing Your Institution for On Campus Violence”
By Dillard W. Howell II and Maurice M. Boler, World Consulting LLC
Creating a safe and productive campus environment has always been a top priority for college administrations, yet this task has grown increasingly difficult. The tragic events at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois serve to reinforce the point that our educational institutions are more at-risk than ever, of deadly violence. Our senses cannot fully recover from these tragedies, before news of another event shocks our individual and collective consciousness. No one person or organization has a single answer to solving this problem. This leads to an unfortunate but, reasonable conclusion that this type of violence may only continue in the future, because it is very hard to predict when or where these acts will take place. As a nation we are unaccustomed to this type of seemingly random or planned violence that is designed to inflict numerous casualties and receive media attention. These events take place in such a small window of time that proactive planning is of the utmost importance.The most common and appropriate response for a security organization is to take reactive measures during these types of events. After the event, a review occurs to try and determine what led to the event and what steps can be taken in the future to prevent a reoccurrence. Research indicates that there must be active participation by the students, administration and faculty in preparing for the possibility of violence.
“Security is a very big deal “ at universities since Virginia Tech, said Terry Hartle, a senior vice- president with the American Council on Education , which represents 1,800 private and public colleges. As a result of Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois, campus and school security will be forever changed. In the immediate future public safety will need to move from being a reactionary response team to one of being more proactive in all phases of their security program. Even more important, is the required speed in implementing proactive measures. Many organizations do not have the human resources available to quickly enact changes that will help to immediately decrease their risk exposures.
After the tragedies on campus, schools have begun to take steps; some institutions have expended considerable resources in planning for potential crisis including the preparation of contingency plans. However it is becoming increasingly clear that these measures have not gone far enough to effectively thwart a potential violent act or handle the immediate crisis, when these unfortunate events have occurred at their institutions. The following is an excerpt from a recent USA Today article that highlights some of the root causes of on campus violence;
“The massacre of 32 at Virginia Tech in April, like some of the 15 cases, fits a pattern of killings committed by isolated, vengeful students who turn homicidal with shocking brutality. The pattern revealed by campus killings points to broader security flaws at colleges that can contribute to the 2,500 annual rapes and 3,000 annual aggravated assaults at colleges, campus safety experts say. Murders can expose flaws in the system that go a lot deeper," said S. Daniel Carter, vice president of Security on Campus, a safety-advocacy group. Campus administrators often do a poor job telling students and one another about threats, Carter said.”
“People let their guard down'
People let their guard down" on campus, Stormo added. "People tend to look at the good and don't think that when they see something, maybe there are evil intentions. There's a tendency to deny or ignore." Some campus officials, particularly professors, are ill-equipped to handle troubled students, experts say. "The people who might see those behaviors first have the least background in how to deal with it," said University of South Florida criminologist Max Bromley.
The number of potentially troubled students is growing as colleges enroll more people with mental disorders, said Russ Federman, head of University of Virginia psychological services. Those students can function in academia using psychotropic drugs that are increasingly effective.
Seriously disturbed students often "discontinue their medication, and that's the point at which they unravel in violent ways," Federman said.
“It’s The Cost of Doing Business . . . . .”
It has become very clear that the planning for potential events needs to include a broader base of the institution to effectively deal with the immediate crisis. Some colleges and universities have taken steps such as, implementing text message alert systems, while many schools are waiting for help from the government to pay for these systems, which range in price from $15,000 to $100,000. An excellent tool that will clearly help prevent the loss of lives, it could also be used to prevent the 2,500 rapes and 3,000 assaults that occur annually on campus. To prevent an increase in violent crimes requires providing an heightened security culture/awareness at schools across the nation.
Many colleges and universities may be reluctant to spend the monies or allocate the necessary resources to shift towards a more proactive form of security, but do these institutions really have a choice? While students and supporters enjoy the benefits of athletics and schools support research, the safety of students, faculty and administration remains at the forefront of necessary duties. The review of current practices and integration of new policies and procedures to help to foster a more secure campus culture, while allowing the “open environment”, will help attract and retain students. Taking more proactive measures is essential in avoiding catastrophic events and helps to minimize the impact of future litigation against the institutions.
Proactive Responses vs. Reactive Responses:
Proactive
Training to identify troubled employees, students
Criminal background checks on new employees
Review of the disciplinary process and the dismissal process, signs to look for
Handling of disgruntled employees and students
Workplace violence training
Hiring of higher qualified security personnel
Intelligence systems, how vital information is gathered and shared and legality
Anonymous tips/ rewards hotline for students
Student and Employee stress programs and counseling availability
Security newsletter that incorporates best practices
Audits of current practices by security staff
Security staffing visibility increased in all locations
Crisis management training of all employees, students and faculty
Training of security staff
Improvements to the physical plant and grounds
The use of surveillance systems to monitor and record activity
Improved radio communications
Response time to all emergencies is constantly improving
Reactive
Investigations of criminal or unsafe behavior
Response by security staff to calls for assistance
Lock down procedures during and after a real or perceived threat
Arresting of the person responsible for criminal activity
The review of surveillance video to try and capture a criminal
World Consulting is an Indianapolis based firm specializing in institutional and corporate security for a diverse group of clients. We work with our clients to audit and measurably improve their security, as well as implement steps that will proactively deter criminal behavior. Through our network of professional resources we can provide recommendations and implement a custom plan that will create a greater level of security for the students, faculty, administrators and guests. This plan will enhance your college or university’s ability to better identify and eliminate many risk behaviors associated with on campus violence. Our lead consultants have experience in national and international law enforcement, crisis planning, emergency preparedness and are well versed in institutional and corporate security. Having provided security consulting and program implementation for government agencies, major pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, colleges and the service industry, we emphasize taking proactive steps to mitigate risks to impact security .We interface successfully with individuals across the organization, using “best practices” to develop solid solutions which address the root causes and are “actionable.
Our security team is focused on providing a useful service and value for the clients we serve. Through using a “phased” approach to planning and implementation and an accurate estimate of costs, we will work with your institution to meet your project budget goals.
For further information on consulting services, please contact us at : mauriceboler@sbcglobal.net
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