by Joy Dike, PhD

There has been an increasing level of attentiveness to active shooters in our nation over the past couple of years. The Google trend is quite telling - attention starts to rise in July and August of 2012 after the movie theatre shooting in Aurora, CO in July and the shooting at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin in August. The curve really starts to rise in December 2012 after the Sandy Hook shootings, and it peaks in December of 2015 after the San Bernardino shootings.

The Google trend for the phrase "active shooter training" is even more telling about people's fear. The general shape is the same, but the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in December 2012 resulted in a large peak of interest in active shooter training. Ditto with the San Bernardino shooting in December of 2015 - a massive spike in interest in active shooter training. 

Its clear that people respond to events like Sandy Hook and San Bernardino by looking for information on how to defend themselves if they were to be confronted by such a situation. We've talked about this on the blog before, but its worth talking about again - having a plan in place to deal with an active shooter is becoming increasingly necessary for businesses and schools in today's world. As an individual, there's also some steps you can take.

Active shooter training classes geared towards civilians (as opposed to training for law enforcement on how to respond to an active shooter event) are popping up all over the country. Police departments, schools, and businesses are conducting training sessions in towns, cities, and schools all over the country. In addition, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), offers an independent study course on how to prepare for and respond to active shooter events. Similarly, the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center (ALERRT), which trains law enforcement and first responders on dealing with active shooters, has developed a course for civilians entitled Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE). 

The point is that there is training available to individuals wanting to learn more about active shooters and how to prepare for and respond to an active shooter event. Don't think that you need to be a police officer or on a SWAT team to qualify for training. Many of these sessions are specifically geared toward civilians looking to gain a better understand of active shooters.

See for yourself if there is civilian training available where you live. A quick internet search will probably uncover a number of options, and if you live in a place where there aren't in-person training options, take the self-directed FEMA/DHS course.

by Joy Dike, PhD

Workplace violence is an unfortunate reality in today’s world. Domestic violence spilling over to the workplace, sexual harassment, physical violence, intimidation, threats, and disruptive behavior all occur at the workplace. It is well documented that workplace homicides are in decline, but other forms of workplace violence such as harassment, physical fighting, and verbal abuse are on the rise. In addition, active shooter incidents and mass shootings are on the rise.
 
Employers have a legal and ethical obligation to provide a workplace free of threats and violence. So what can you do to address the issue of workplace violence at your place of business? Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Understand that workplace violence is more than just an armed gunman in the building. Workplace violence also includes threats, intimidation, harassment, and violent behavior.
• Understand that some situations are more likely to bring out violence – mishandled termination, the breakup of a marriage, drug or alcohol abuse.
• Understand some of the behaviors that are warning signs – increasing belligerence, worsening relationships with coworkers or bosses, aggressive outbursts.

• Know your rights as an employee for a safe work environment. Know your obligations as an employer to provide this to your employees.
• Have a physical security survey and assessment done of your premises.
• Create a risk management plan and put it into effect.
• Contact a physical security and risk consulting firm to discuss how security professionals can guide you through this process.

 
There must be support from the top of a business or organization if there is going to be any meaningful action taken to address workplace violence. It is important to understand that here is no one-size-fits-all strategy to this issue. Each business, each organization, each campus or location will have different risks associated with it and thus require a unique plan. 
 
Read Here for a more in-depth look at workplace violence. 

Just wanted to drop a quick post about law enforcement instructing religious leaders about the threat of active shooters. The first line of the article sums up what everyone that deals with this type of security threat knows, "It's not a matter of if. It's a matter of when."



Read the piece from WSBRadio:  Article

Who like lunch? Everyone. Who likes learning? We do. Come with us and combine the two!  We are putting on a lunch and learn regarding Work/School Place Violence and Emergency Action Plans. 

Sounds fun right? Well it will definitely be very informative and instructional into how to protect your organization, people, and image. Come join us June 10th at the DoubleTree Hotel in Roswell from 12 pm - 2 pm.  The information flyer is below. If interested in registering then click: REGISTER FOR LUNCH

As security professionals and active shooter experts, we at Invictus Consulting are often asked our opinion of situations that are very recent or currently unfolding. Case in point, we were asked to comment on the recent shooting at the KIA plant in West Point, Georgia earlier in the week. KIA PLANT SHOOTING 

We do not comment on situations or pick apart action plans of “breaking” events. Rather we allow the situation to resolve, law enforcement to conduct their investigations and then wait for all the facts of the situation to come out before commenting on that specific incident. This at times causes news producers and journalists a little heartburn as they want to fill airtime with anything related to the event…sometimes facts “be damned.”  We are always happy to provide expert insight into the situation by educating the viewer/listener in trends in work place (or school place) violence, the importance of and steps one should take to create an emergency action plan, characteristics of these perpetrators…you know the boring factual based important stuff.

Following is a great article by Scriven King at www.thesecuritydialogue.org   We love to give credit when credit is due and this guy nailed it on the head! Wild speculation and lack of facts do provide fodder for “info-tainment” but as security professionals our industry should be held to a very high standard. After all, we are only trying to protect human lives.

Here is the article…it is well worth reading! 
Scriven King Article

Want to know how you can help prevent active shooter or work/school place violence? Attached is a great article about several mass killings that have taken place in the U.S. and how in every instance they were many warning signs that fell on deaf ears. In most cases these events are even broadcast ahead of time via social media. We all fail to listen to those that display the signs. It is easy to write off behaviors as exaggerations or "active imaginations."

By reporting and intervening early, individuals capable of these actions could be thwarted. We at Invictus Consulting have been advising on paying close attention to certain behaviors or actions as part of your Emergency Planning. A proper plan is proactive, not just a step by step of what to do after the event happens.

As Risk Management Consultants and Active Shooter Experts, we would have loved to have written this article ourselves. We are also smart enough to know to give credit where it is due: The following piece by Mark Manson perfectly articulate in trying to get you to change your understanding of these incidents. Perhaps that will help prevent others.

Mark Manson - How we miss the point on School Shootings

Sometimes government bureaucracy helps others it hinders. Case in point is the following article about a district on Ohio. What happened? Concerned parents wanted to make their schools safer to help protect against the unthinkable, an active shooter situation.

Article HERE

After having received training from the county sheriff’s office and fire district about active shooters, and following FBI and Homeland Security guidelines about utilizing barricades to thwart active shooters, the parents raised private funds to procure $30,000 worth of door barricades. This would outfit each classroom with a device that the teacher could use to barricade the students in the room to protect them. This cost the school district nothing, as all monies for it was raised by the parents in the community through donations and corporate help.

The school board loves it. The police endorse it. The fire department endorses it. All should be great, right? Wrong. The local building code department says these temporary barricades violate Ohio building code. Sometimes government cannot get out of its own way.

This is not to criticize the people at the building code enforcement agency, they are doing what tax payers want them to do which is enforce building code. The critique is that in an environment when threats are changing and adapting, protection can be hampered by law. Is many states emergency action plans are going to be required by law. These plans will absolutely require the ability to barricade doors when necessary. It does not require much imagination to see how it will be possible to have one law that says you must do one thing, while having a code or law on the books stating that that specific action is outlawed.

Know what your local or state requirements and/or objections are to your emergency plan? We do. 

Invictus Consulting constantly deals with these type of implementation situations and can guide you through the process.  Contact us for assistance.

We here at Invictus Consulting LLC would like to wish all of you a happy Dr. Martin Luther King Day.

Want to build community ties and increase security at your facility?

In business we often look for actions that generate an easy win-win.  We at Invictus Consulting LLC have a great suggestion that will make an impact with your community relations and increase your organizations security all for very little money.  What is it?

Host a law enforcement appreciation day.  Contact your local head of the precinct or post commander and invite them over. For the cost of some coffee and pastries you will get a chance to meet and thank the men and women that are protecting you as well as they will get to learn what your business is about.  To quote Dan Stephens, one of our founding partners with almost 30 years law enforcement experience, “If I was a business owner I would want the police intimately familiar with my business.  Where we are, what we do, and who we are.  In the event of an emergency, the more information they know about you the easier it is for them to assist.”   

I like to tell clients benefits are twofold. First they know what the inside of your facility looks like so if they ever have to enter they are more comfortable with the surroundings and know their way around. Secondly, it impacts basic human psychology. With law enforcement knowing the people inside the business and having a positive interaction with your team, who is to say it doesn't translate into some after-hours patrolling just to make sure your facility is secure?

I know coffee and donuts sounds a little cliché, but let’s be honest: Who doesn't like coffee and donuts? More importantly who wouldn't want to build up some community relations and improve the security of the work place? 

Want more ideas? Contact us!