# Active Shooter Response Plan for schools that decide to arm teachers



## Makalakumu (Dec 17, 2012)

With the debate about whether or not to arm school personal in the event of an active shooter, I wonder what a hypothetical plan for a school would look like.  What are the most important things to consider?  How could school personal be trained?  What training would be best?  Who should be trained?  Lets work out some details and maybe settle on a template that could possibly be used in a broad sense for schools?  

Here's an old news story, but I think it shows that such a plan isn't totally hypothetical.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,404721,00.html


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## Tgace (Dec 17, 2012)

First...how/who do you select? Odds are someone will step up. But what if nobody on staff wants the responsibility? Hire a guard? Should districts/gvt provide funds to hire an LEO to be a full time SRO?

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## ballen0351 (Dec 17, 2012)

I believe you need more then one armed staff member.  murphy says the day you need it that teacher will be home with the flu.  

my plan would be 5 armed staff members per school. trained by police, quarterly weapon quals, and 8 hours a month training with police swat team on active shooter skills.  

students and teacher are taught lock down drills.  all classroom doors must have locks.  students hide in corner and 1st floor student attempt escape out windows run to rally point. wireless camera systems police can access over internet real time.  

 Schools should have 2 sets of doors like my bank has you walk into thefirst door into a small lobby like area you must close the exterior door then someone must buzz you in the next door to enter the school itself.  while exterior door shuts they can lock it trapping a threat inside.  bullet proof glass in that area.


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## Tgace (Dec 17, 2012)

ballen0351 said:


> I believe you need more then one armed staff member.  murphy says the day you need it that teacher will be home with the flu.
> 
> my plan would be 5 armed staff members per school. trained by police, quarterly weapon quals, and 8 hours a month training with police swat team on active shooter skills.
> 
> ...



Agreed...school building entrance design is key.

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## chinto (Dec 17, 2012)

I would say that you need 10% or 5 teachers/staff armed, ( which ever is the greater number) concealed or open carry,  and have them train with the local LEO's in the summer  and minimum of say 100 rounds every 60 days fired in practice...  that would discurage the wackos and others I think. give them a small amount on top of normal salary for it.  and or buy their ammo for them...


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## Makalakumu (Dec 17, 2012)

How about lines of fire? Could we find places for children to find cover? We don't need to redesign the whole building, but if people are going to return fire, this needs to be taken into account.


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## Carol (Dec 17, 2012)

Tgace said:


> First...how/who do you select? Odds are someone will step up. But what if nobody on staff wants the responsibility? Hire a guard? Should districts/gvt provide funds to hire an LEO to be a full time SRO?
> 
> Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2



I think at least one SRO, and additional security staff. This is not your average armed guard position, there are a lot more dynamics at play than (say) minding the Brinks truck or guarding the neighborhood pharmacy. 

Persnally I am not too concerned about people stepping up.  A guard staff should have guarding the school as their primary responsibility, and should be hired for their ability to perform such a task.   If staff and faculty also have a desire to step up, there are many ways to help...from taking on additional training to leading drills.   

I think one of the most important aspects to deploying a major change such as this is that you must play to your resources' strengths, not their weaknesses. Many teachers are quite good at thinking on their feet.  They also learn what they need to do in order to command attention and keep control of the classroom.  These are skills that are invaluable in keeping their charges safe in a time of crisis, regardless of whether they have any other training.


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## rlobrecht (Dec 18, 2012)

Makalakumu said:


> How about lines of fire?



The schools in my area are all built with cinder blocks.  The doors all lock, and have blinds on the windows.  They were already performing lock down drills prior to this event (my child was a little nervous the first time in Kindergarten or First Grade, but is used to it now.)

The Superintendent of the school district sent out this email yesterday:


> In my roles as Superintendent of Pearland ISD and father of seven children, I am both alarmed and angry at the unspeakable evil committed against school children and educators in Connecticut.
> 
> Although no school district can guarantee safety from all evil, we remain vigilant and will not underestimate any such threat to our Pearland children. I want you to know that significant safety and security measures are in place and practiced on every campus.
> 
> ...


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## WC_lun (Dec 18, 2012)

I would add the schools become part of the patrol route multiple times a day.  It will add an extra layer of security and unpredictability to that security.  Also children and staff seeing and interacting with police officers on a regular basis will have some good results perhaps beyond security.

I know teachers get background checked, but any teacher volunteering for this would need a psych eval as well.  We don't need the gung ho or hero seeking teacher.  We need the teacher to have the highest priority of children safety.


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## Makalakumu (Dec 18, 2012)

I wonder how closely the Lockdown Plan at Sandy Hook was followed? Did Lanza enter locked rooms? Apparently most of the people were killed in two rooms. Is it a safe assumption that one was locked?


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## Tgace (Dec 18, 2012)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/07/AR2006110701420.html


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## Instructor (Dec 18, 2012)

I for one would applaud a conceal-carry for educators on school grounds.


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## cdunn (Dec 18, 2012)

Can't arm teachers. They're "Union Thugs, hellbent on corrupting our kids and bankrupting our cities." remember?

If you want to do it right - multiple security officers, armed _and armored_. A building designed to the purpose. Monthly, or at least quarterly response drills. A well implemented consideration of what's an actual defense arm, what's a hunting arm, and what's only really useful for paranoid fantasias and that little kick of adrenaline you get from things that go boom might be useful not as prevention, but as mitigation of lethality. But that costs tax dollars, time and political capital. It costs having a sane discussion without preconcieved notions.

We'll have some theater, a little political masturbation, and a lot of defense of the fantasy of killing waves of governmental commie-nazi-fascist-hypno-druggie-gangers, some anecdotes about shooting bad guys, throw up our hands, and ignore the problem for about six months, at which point some teenager will come into school with daddy's P228, kill 6 people and wound three, and we'll do it all over again, because we can't spend money on schools, we can't spend money on teachers, and we certainly can't discuss what's appropriate armament for a civilian.


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## ballen0351 (Dec 18, 2012)

cdunn said:


> we certainly can't discuss what's appropriate armament for a civilian.



Which is what?


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## Tgace (Dec 18, 2012)

ballen0351 said:


> Which is what?



Muzzle loading flintlocks im guessing....

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## Makalakumu (Dec 18, 2012)

So, here are some key points to an actual action plan needs to respond to.

1.  Entrances.
2.  Building layout.
3.  Lines of fire.
4.  Type of firearm.
5.  Training for individuals.
6.  Security of firearm.
7.  Evacuation vs. Cover vs. Concealment for children

How about rules of engagement?  When does a teacher exit the room with children in it?  Does that even occur?  Do school personal attempt to engage the shooter?  Do they lay and wait?


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## cdunn (Dec 18, 2012)

Tgace said:


> Muzzle loading flintlocks im guessing....
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I405 using Tapatalk 2



That's a little impractical. 

I do not know yet what limitations are feasible, or effective. But to pretend that regulation is not an option is foolish.


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## Makalakumu (Dec 18, 2012)

cdunn said:


> That's a little impractical.
> 
> I do not know yet what limitations are feasible, or effective. But to pretend that regulation is not an option is foolish.



A society can regulate firearms to the point where not even police can carry them and still psychotic individuals can get a hold of them and become active shooters.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anders_Behring_Breivik



> On 22 July 2011, Breivik bombed government buildings in Oslo, which resulted in eight deaths.
> Within hours after the explosion he arrived at Utøya island, the site of a Labour Party youth camp, posing as a police officer and then opened fire on the unarmed adolescents present, reportedly killing 69.[SUP][67][/SUP][SUP][68][/SUP][SUP][69][/SUP] The youngest victim was Sharidyn Svebakk-Bøhn of Drammen,[SUP][70][/SUP] who was 14 years old.[SUP][71][/SUP] Another victim was Trond Berntsen, the step-brother of Crown Princess Mette-Marit (the son of Princess Mette-Marit's late stepfather).[SUP][72][/SUP]
> Breivik confessed and stated that the purpose of the attack was to save Norway and Western Europe from a Muslim takeover, and that the Labour Party had to "pay the price" for "letting down Norway and the Norwegian people".[SUP][73][/SUP]
> When an armed police SWAT unit from Oslo arrived on the island and confronted him, he surrendered without resistance.[SUP][74][/SUP] After his arrest, he was held by armed police on the island, and interrogated throughout the night, before being moved to a holding cell in Oslo. On the way to his first jail meeting, Breivik's police escort was met with an angry crowd, some of whom shouted "burn in hell" or "traitor", while some used stronger words.



Regulation did nothing to prevent this, which is why this thread is about responding to an active shooter with the best defenses available.


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## Makalakumu (Dec 18, 2012)

Tgace said:


> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/07/AR2006110701420.html





> "Today we would not do that,'' he said. "One of the things that has become a touchstone of all design is you now put the office right up front so you can't easily get through without going through there.''



In this case, the office staff is going to be the first point of contact for any threat.  Maybe the secretaries need to pack heat?


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## Tgace (Dec 18, 2012)

I think that a containment system of locking doors controlled from an office is an interesting idea. Locking hallway doors to deny access...issues would include blocking evacuation routes as well, but it bears consideration.

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## ballen0351 (Dec 18, 2012)

Makalakumu said:


> In this case, the office staff is going to be the first point of contact for any threat.  Maybe the secretaries need to pack heat?



I wouldnt limit any employees of the school.  Not just teachers can be armed but secretaries, lunch staff, janitors, counslers, adminstrators.  If they work in the school and want to do it and can pass the background and other evaluations they sould be allowed to defend themselves.


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## Dirty Dog (Dec 18, 2012)

cdunn said:


> Can't arm teachers. They're "Union Thugs, hellbent on corrupting our kids and bankrupting our cities." remember?
> 
> If you want to do it right - multiple security officers, armed _and armored_. A building designed to the purpose. Monthly, or at least quarterly response drills. A well implemented consideration of what's an actual defense arm, what's a hunting arm, and what's only really useful for paranoid fantasias and that little kick of adrenaline you get from things that go boom might be useful not as prevention, but as mitigation of lethality. But that costs tax dollars, time and political capital. It costs having a sane discussion without preconcieved notions.
> 
> We'll have some theater, a little political masturbation, and a lot of defense of the fantasy of killing waves of governmental commie-nazi-fascist-hypno-druggie-gangers, some anecdotes about shooting bad guys, throw up our hands, and ignore the problem for about six months, at which point some teenager will come into school with daddy's P228, kill 6 people and wound three, and we'll do it all over again, because we can't spend money on schools, we can't spend money on teachers, and we certainly can't discuss what's appropriate armament for a civilian.



This thread is not about gun control legislation. Please do not derail it.


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## ballen0351 (Dec 18, 2012)

Makalakumu said:


> How about rules of engagement?  When does a teacher exit the room with children in it?  Does that even occur?  Do school personal attempt to engage the shooter?  Do they lay and wait?



I think if they have student at the time then they cant leave them they are intrusted to keep them safe then they need to do that.  Thats why I wouldnt limit allowing weapons to just teachers allow other staff as well that may not have kids atthe time


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## Dirty Dog (Dec 18, 2012)

Someone earlier mentioned open carry vs concealed. Personally, I'd vote for concealed, in most cases. There's no need to tell the bad guys who to be wary of, other than uniformed (and armored) security.


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## ballen0351 (Dec 18, 2012)

Tgace said:


> I think that a containment system of locking doors controlled from an office is an interesting idea. Locking hallway doors to deny access...issues would include blocking evacuation routes as well, but it bears consideration.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I405 using Tapatalk 2



There is a bank I go to that has that system.  It has a metal detector in the little lobby area.  They also only allow one person at a time in.  If more then one enter a security guard tell one of you to step back outside.  I went in palne clothes with a gun once and they locked me in the little room and asked if I was law enforement I said yeas showed my badge and they still wouldnt let me in they asked me to use the drive thru or leave my gun in the car.


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## chinto (Dec 21, 2012)

the main thing would be shoot no shoot, and close shooting.  arm them with pistols and have them train in accuracy and shoot no shoot. simple.


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## arnisador (Dec 21, 2012)

chinto said:


> the main thing would be shoot no shoot, and close shooting.  arm them with pistols and have them train in accuracy and shoot no shoot. simple.



Maybe not quite _that _simple, but yeah, the shoot/no-shoot decision is one of the biggest issues here. That's my main worry, and there are indeed ways to address it.


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