Colleges Forming Threat Assessment Teams

[MJS]

Came across this article and thought it was pretty interesting.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — - On the agenda: a student who got into a shouting match with a faculty member. Another who harassed a female classmate. Someone found sleeping in a car. And a student who posted a threat against a professor on Facebook.

In a practice adopted at one college after another since the massacre at Virginia Tech, a University of Kentucky committee of deans, administrators, campus police and mental health officials has begun meeting regularly to discuss a watch list of troubled students to decide whether they need professional help or should be sent packing.

Now, I'm not sure when the idea to create the group came about, but IMHO, studies like this should not have been put on the back burner. I'm always amazed to see all the 'new things' that come into play after a tragedy happens. I mean, did nobody ever think that someone might snap, take a gun to school and start shooting?

By all means, its great that groups, studies, etc are formed, in hopes to come up with a solution, but waiting until after the fact doesnt seem right to me.

 

[tellner]

You can't do everything. A lot of good ideas get put on the shelf and only come off if someone sees an immediate need for them. To have committed the resources earlier would have meant that something else would have been unfunded.

I'm glad they're taking a thoughtful approach instead of calling in the "Seagull Consultants".

Seagull Consultants - Outsiders who fly in, make a lot of noise, crap all over everything and leave.

 

[MBuzzy]

Came across this article and thought it was pretty interesting.



Now, I'm not sure when the idea to create the group came about, but IMHO, studies like this should not have been put on the back burner. I'm always amazed to see all the 'new things' that come into play after a tragedy happens. I mean, did nobody ever think that someone might snap, take a gun to school and start shooting?

By all means, its great that groups, studies, etc are formed, in hopes to come up with a solution, but waiting until after the fact doesnt seem right to me.

True - it sure would be nice if we could have this kind of stuff in advance, but unfortunately, that doesn't always work. Reactive measures are usually the only ones that are done, because we really just can't think of or plan for everything.

Every military base on the planet has a Threat working group, which does this exact thing. Why? Because we are security minded and have things that people want. We need to protect certain things, so we assess and guard against threats. But a college for example, isn't really a target in the same sense - so why would they need something like this? I mean, EVERY building, office, home, etc could have a threat assessment team if that was the case. My home isn't safe, but my threat assessment is basically just me doing what I feel is necessary to keep my family safe. I choose my level of risk and protect against that. But no matter WHAT I do, if someone wants in - they're getting in.

I heard a few times "Why didn't we PLAN for the plane attacks on the WTC? Why didn't we design the buildings better?" and sentiments like this....Well, you CAN design a building to sustain 30 747s flying into it - but the amount of money, resources and time are astronomical. Plus - it makes no sense, that's an unrealistic risk. While that is exaggerated, we as structural engineers are guided by the codes to tell us what risk level to design for. In some states, you design a building for a 20 year storm, in some for a 100 year storm, in some places no storm. Some buildings are designed for a 10 lb snow load, some a 30 lb snow load and some for no snow load at all. But in each of these cases, if that 500 year storm hits or there's a 60 lb snow load....the building falls. There has to be a line.

Ok - so that's a bit of rambling and I wish that everyone WAS more security minded and we thought of more of this stuff in advance, but the point that I'm trying to make is that there is a line. It is a true shame that high schools, colleges, and office buildings NEED a threat assessment board. It is a very sad state of affairs....but it is becoming necessary and more and more less intelligent to ignore it.

But if you told someone 50 years ago that a college needed a threat assessment group, they'd laugh you out of the room.

 

[Blackscorpion47]

Came across this article and thought it was pretty interesting.



Now, I'm not sure when the idea to create the group came about, but IMHO, studies like this should not have been put on the back burner. I'm always amazed to see all the 'new things' that come into play after a tragedy happens. I mean, did nobody ever think that someone might snap, take a gun to school and start shooting?

By all means, its great that groups, studies, etc are formed, in hopes to come up with a solution, but waiting until after the fact doesnt seem right to me.

They come up with "new" programs and stuff on the spur of the moment. The bottom line is that this current generation is screwed up badly because of prescribed drugs like Prozac and ADD medicines given to children at really young ages, access to really violent video games, and a " uber liberal / anything goes / army on one " social milieu that is the anthesis of what America used to be.

The biggest irony is that while the incidence of kids threatening or actually killing other kids in schools is on the rise all over the country. And, each time such an incident happens we find a plethora of so-called experts in crisis therapy flocking to campuses, and a rise in "self-defense" (??? Hmmmm, the Boxer Rebellion should serve as a good example of what happens when empty hands meets bullets!) instruction enrollment. Yet when one mentions concealed carry firearms training or military enlistment / training, the response is usually along the lines of "oh, no, we can't lower ourselves to the level of "lethal" violence. That would be unethical!" Right!

I have ALWAYS taught my students the basics of firearm usage, and urged them to join the NRA and take NRA or private firearms safety and usage seminars. Most martial artists waste an enormous amount of time and money on functionally worthless seminars and workshops with masters and students of various esoteric styles and systems that can't come close to doing what one well placed shot from a Colt 1911 pistol or Remington 870 SG can do. A man has to know his strengths and his limitations.

Ask a Marine, a Ranger, A Navy Seal, or a Green Beret what "style or system" they would rely upon for real world self defense, and they will tell you firearms first and then tooth and nail. Peacenik philosophy and platitudes will put you in a pine box. Put martial arts where it really belongs in the self defense pantheon...as a balls to the wall last resort when the chips are really on the table...behind firearms and edged weapons.

Most black belts and "masters" are like those "crisis psychologists" who pop up in droves after EVERY incidence of kid killing kids today-they are masters of woulda, could, shouda, and they have the keys to not only your getting confident about life again, but also the ultimate answers to preventing said violence in the future. Ha! If you are in a lecture hall, classroom, dining area, etc. when some wacko whips out firearms and starts shooting, find cover immediately and go from there. Karate, Kung Fu, and martial arts weapons knowledge won't be of use then, but you still have a functioning brain. Use it! Hopefully you won't ever find yourself in such a situation, but if you do, I can assure you that all the counselors, experts, and black belts in the world won't be of much use. There is stuff that you need to know BEFORE you find yourself in such a twilight zone. If you don't know it, you can kiss your butt goodbye if lady luck is not on your side. If you do know what to do, and how to execute what you plan to do, you MIGHT survive. Mixed martial arts and ultimate fighting and the oriental system "du jour" won't cut it.

Think about those things. And ask yourself why my generation (high school in the early sixties, college in the early seventies) and the ones that preceded it didn't use Prozac or Ritalin when growing up, or need crisis counselors when bad things happened. We didn't need exotic fighting (?) systems either. We knew when to chill out and when to throw a right hook or a kick to the crotch. And we also knew when to "cock and lock" for survival.

BlackScorpion47

 

[Rich Parsons]

Came across this article and thought it was pretty interesting.



Now, I'm not sure when the idea to create the group came about, but IMHO, studies like this should not have been put on the back burner. I'm always amazed to see all the 'new things' that come into play after a tragedy happens. I mean, did nobody ever think that someone might snap, take a gun to school and start shooting?

By all means, its great that groups, studies, etc are formed, in hopes to come up with a solution, but waiting until after the fact doesnt seem right to me.

In the late 80's, I tried to bring an issue like this to the attention to the powers at the University I attended. From Noon to 1:00 PM, there was no one with any authority that could be found. All those in the normal chain of command for the University were on Lunch. Even the Security/Safety department also went on Lunch at the same time. So the main Dispatch was on lunch the Captain and other officers and even sergeants were all at lunch. You had if you were lucky a student at dispatch and very temporary officers on duty and or a student working in an office.

In the end, changes were made, as the powers to be did listen to my points and examples.

I saw an area where their was a problem and acted. Sometimes, this works, and if I was not already on the Student Government and known by the leaders of the U, I might not have such luck or success.

 

[Twin Fist]

is there a way a school can protect itself from "dis-effected loser syndrome"?

 

[Cryozombie]

is there a way a school can protect itself from "dis-effected loser syndrome"?

Perhaps, but It starts early (maybe middleschool) by not allowing faculty to look the other way or in some cases even encouraging "Hazing" of the Disaffected Loser Crowd" by the Schools "Money Makers" AKA Football Teams as "kids being kids" maybe.

 

[RandomPhantom700]

Perhaps, but It starts early (maybe middleschool) by not allowing faculty to look the other way or in some cases even encouraging "Hazing" of the Disaffected Loser Crowd" by the Schools "Money Makers" AKA Football Teams as "kids being kids" maybe.

What? Admit that the all-star all-American pride 'n joy jocks and cheerleaders might carry some of the blame? Nah, better to blame the victims who finally snap. Nobody needs those freak outsiders anyway....

/sarcasm

 

[Twin Fist]

well, as much as we might wish it was not, it IS human nature for the strong to prey on the weak. You can only control it, you cant really change it.

 

[Cryozombie]

well, as much as we might wish it was not, it IS human nature for the strong to prey on the weak. You can only control it, you cant really change it.

The problem is... Biff Sporty is hella tougher then Nick Nerdly, until he pushes Nick Nerdly hard enough to get a Gun, then Nick Nerdly is the Baddest Mofo in the Valley...

 

[MJS]

A few replies that quoted my post pretty much addressed the same issues, so I'll make one lump post rather than reply seperate.

Yes, it is good that they're now taking the proper steps, and while I realize that defending a building against a plane hasn't been perfected yet, the overall issue of terrorism is not something that just popped up the other day. Its really amazing how lax we were prior to 9-11. Did nobody think it was the least bit odd, to walk into a flight school and tell the instructor that you only wanted to learn how to take off, not land?

Yes, there will always be those that're one step ahead, but knowing that the times have changed, you'd think safety would be a bigger issue.

 

[RandomPhantom700]

well, as much as we might wish it was not, it IS human nature for the strong to prey on the weak. You can only control it, you cant really change it.

Then you do what you can to control it; besides, even if it is "human nature" for the strong to prey on the weak (the assertion of which I have issue with), that doesn't mean it should be condoned.

All I'm sayin is that until school officials start paying as much threat-assessment attention to the bullying jocks as they do to the loners in grade school, there will continue to be high-school or college students who one day decide to imitate Doom or find the biggest clocktower on campus.