Active Shooter Response Plan for schools that decide to arm teachers

[Makalakumu]

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

 

[Tgace]

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]

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.

 

[Tgace]

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.

Agreed...school building entrance design is key.

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[chinto]

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...

 

[Makalakumu]

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.

 

[Carol]

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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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.

 

[rlobrecht]

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.

We are extremely grateful for the close working relationship with the Pearland Police Department and other local law enforcement personnel. More than any other place I’ve worked, these professionals -- many of whom are stationed on our campuses -- have proven to be both proactive and lightning-fast on even the most casual or indirect mention of a threat to any of our schools. Additional steps have been taken this week and this day. Please know there are a number of school security devices, preparations, and procedures in place, most of which are not divulged to the general public. And this particular tragedy, as with all other major threats, results in re-examination of such measures.

My own children attend three of the Pearland ISD campuses. I send them to school this week with the certain knowledge that this tragedy will not deter us from our mission. Our faculty and staff are bound together by duty and devotion -- mindful of the trust you have placed in us.

Let me add my own personal perspective, noting that -- for legal reasons and because of the diversity of beliefs -- it cannot be the official position of the Pearland ISD. One word means more to me at this time of year than any other: “Emmanuel.” It is translated as “God with us.” Ultimately, He is sovereign over the affairs of sinful mankind, and so I beseech His blessing and protection over our community. As Tiny Tim would say, “God bless us, everyone!”

 

[WC_lun]

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.

 

[Makalakumu]

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?

 

[Tgace]

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

 

[Instructor]

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

 

[cdunn]

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.

 

[ballen0351]

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

Which is what?

 

[Tgace]

Which is what?

Muzzle loading flintlocks im guessing....

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[Makalakumu]

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?

 

[cdunn]

Muzzle loading flintlocks im guessing....

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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.

 

[Makalakumu]

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.

 

[Makalakumu]

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?

 

[Tgace]

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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