Fox News Interviews CIS about Armed School Employees

Armed Teachers in Schools

Fox News Interviews CIS about Armed School Employees

On May 2, 2023, Fox News Channel published a story featuring an interview with CIS VP of Special Projects, Craig Gundry, discussing armed teachers as a protective strategy in schools.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/school-districts-across-america-consider-arming-teachers-aftermath-nashville-school-shooting

Unfortunately, some of the most valuable points we discussed in that interview were omitted from final publication.

As a first point, arming teachers is not a reliable strategy for response to active shooter attacks. As one source of support for this perspective, a team of researchers at Purdue University evaluated armed school employees during an analysis of alternative response models and concluded that employees carrying concealed weapons were far less effective than a school resource officer and performed only marginally better than police dispatched in response to 911 calls.[1]

Our position on this topic is clear. If schools wish to authorize teachers to carry concealed weapons, armed school employees should only be regarded as an additional readiness measure to supplement the existing presence of a professional armed responder (SRO or properly-trained armed security officer). And if schools decide to allow employees to carry firearms, they should approach this idea in a manner that is responsible, effective, and defensible from a liability perspective.

As a starting point, measures should be implemented to ensure that armed school employees are properly trained in safe firearms handling and marksmanship skills. There’s a major difference between shooting at paper targets on a firearms range and engaging a moving aggressor in an environment dense with students. To address this matter, states such as Virginia and Florida mandate specialized training and certification for security officers and school employees assigned in armed capacities.[2][3] However, many schools and districts adopting this measure overlook the importance of training standards.

Next, policies and procedures should be developed regarding approved methods of concealed carry and firearm storage and approved weapons and ammunition. Likewise, the role of armed teachers in responding to shooting events should be clearly defined so there is no implied expectation that an armed teacher is expected to seek out and neutralize a gunman. In other words, teachers are permitted to be armed for the protection of themselves and students in their immediate presence with no further expectations.   

For more information about this topic, see the video below. Our perspective about arming school employees can be found at 1:57:43.

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[1] Anklam, C., Kirby, A., Sharevski, P., & Dietz, J. “Mitigating Active Shooter Impact: Analysis for Policy Options Based on Agent/computer-based Modeling.” Journal of Emergency Management 13.3: 201-16, 2014.

[2] United States. State of Virginia. Administrative Code, Chapter 240. Regulations Relating to School Security Officers.

[3] United States. State of Florida. Chapter 30.15. Sheriffs – Powers, duties, and obligations.

CIS Presents at the 2023 BCBS Corporate Security Leadership Conference

CIS Presents at the 2023 BCBS Corporate Security Leadership Conference

On 1 May 2023, CIS VP of Special Projects, Craig Gundry, was invited to speak on the subject of planning and conducting enterprise-level risk assessments at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Corporate Security Leadership Conference. The aim of the presentation was to assist BCBS corporate security leaders in designing an effective approach for evaluating the effectiveness of their corporate security programs and avoiding problems often encountered when embarking on large-scale assessment projects.

Some of the topics included:

    • Compliance with Best Practices and Effectiveness in Risk Management
    • Differences Between Security Risk Assessment and Security Program Assessment
    • Planning Considerations for Enterprise-Level Risk Assessments
    • Defining the Objectives, Scope of Assessment, and Other Planning Topics
    • Assessment Methodology
    • Team Organization
    • Managing Potential Liability Conditions when Working With Consultants

To those that attended, it was an honor to meet you and we hope the information we discussed is helpful in improving the performance of your corporate security programs.

CIS Trains European Parliament Security Professionals

CIS Trains European Parliament Security Professionals

On 23 September, 16 security professionals from the European Parliament joined the ranks our global community of Anti-Terrorism Officer program graduates. The program was presented through our sister company, the S2 Safety & Intelligence Institute, by CIS VP of Special Projects Craig Gundry.

To those who attended, it was a pleasure working with you and we look forward to meeting your colleagues during our next session!

Normally we post a class photo to honor the graduates of our public programs, but for obvious reasons that would be inappropriate for this group. Instead we’ll settle for a pic of a happy instructor thankful to return to one of his favorite cities to teach an amazing group of professionals.

To others interested in the S2 Anti-Terrorism Officer program, we are working on a schedule of public courses for 2023. In the meantime, a new distance learning version is available through the S2 web site.

School Safety & Security for Parents

School Safety & Security for Parents

Are you one of the many parents today wondering about the safety of your child’s school? If so, the following video was made specifically for you.

On August 3, CIS presented a one-hour webinar exploring common questions parents have about school security and how everyone can contribute to creating safer school communities. Some of the topics include:

    • Is my child’s school safe? (Indicators of a safe school observable by parents)
    • Recognizing and reporting behavior of concern
    • Is my child a possible threat?
    • Understanding school reunification

See also our Expert Insights Blog for more information about school security topics.

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Attorneyatwork Interviews CIS about Security Matters and The Legal Profession

Attorneyatwork Interviews CIS about Security Matters and The Legal Profession

In response to recent increases in violence against legal professionals, lawyer and writer Ruth Carter interviewed CIS VP Craig Gundry about the threat landscape associated with the legal profession and practical measures for reducing risks of targeted violence.

In many interviews we provide for the media, our insight and advice is compressed into short sound bites suitable for TV. This interview was unique. Aside from Ruth’s excellent questions, the interview format allowed us to develop the subject in a very substantive way.

Ruth’s article is available online: Predicting and Protecting Yourself Against Violence: Interview With Craig Gundry, by Ruth Carter

Facility Preparation and The Active Shooter Threat Webinar

Facility Security & The Active Shooter Threat

Facility Preparation and The Active Shooter Threat Webinar

Thanks to all who attended yesterday’s webinar, Facility Preparation & The Active Shooter Threat. We hope you got some useful information from the program.  
 
Following is a video for those who were unable to attend or wish to view the program again.

 

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Upcoming Webinar : Facility Preparation and The Active Shooter Threat

Upcoming Webinar : Facility Preparation and The Active Shooter Threat

On Tuesday, 18 May 2021, Critical Intervention Services and Workplace Violence Today magazine will host a free 90-minute webinar on facility security planning and preparation for active shooter violence.

This informative seminar is designed to provide security professionals and business managers with an understanding of the dynamics of active shooter events and effective measures for protecting employees and the public when mass violence erupts.

The webinar will be presented using the Zoom video conferencing system.

Topics include: Physical Security & Active Shooter Attacks | Protective Design Principles | Attack Detection & Reporting | Barrier Construction & Specification | Secure Entrance Design | Access Control Design & Lockdown Planning | Safe Refuge Rooms | Emergency Communications Infrastructure | Egress Design | Security Force Capabilities & Deployment | Q&A

REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Use the following link to register for the event: https://www.s2institute.com/events/facility-security-active-shooter-threat-05-2021/

Protecting Facilities Against Violent Intrusion Webinar

Protecting Facilities Against Violent Intrusion Webinar

Thanks to all who attended the our recent Protecting Facilities Against Violent Intrusion webinar. We were delighted to by both the amazing turnout (over 500 professionals!) and the enthusiastic feedback. We hope we’ll see you again soon in an upcoming course.

For those unaware of the event, the webinar was presented in response to the 2021 Capitol Hill Riot and delivered on 23 February 2021 for a diverse audience of security professionals, and repeated on 25 February 2021 for a mixed group of ASIS International chapters in India. The 1.45 hour program focused on physical security design and emergency preparations for mitigating risks of armed attack and mob invasion.

If you missed the event, no worries. The video is posted below.

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CIS Assists United Women Singapore’s GenSafe Workplaces Program

CIS Assists United Women Singapore’s GenSafe Workplaces Program

On January 19, S2 had the honor of participating as speakers for United Women Singapore’s GenSafe Workplaces program. The one-hour program was designed to educate participants on strategies and practices for reducing risks of workplace violence and managing threatening behavior in the workplace.
 
United Women Singapore (UWS) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing women’s empowerment and gender equality, and building a pipeline of women leaders and influencers in Singapore. The organisation works towards narrowing the gender equality gap through education and raising awareness and advocacy on issues such as anti-violence and women’s empowerment, with the support of key stakeholders including corporate partners, government agencies, academia, the diplomatic community, non-profits and community groups and the wider community.
 
For more information about the UWS GenSafe Workplaces Program, visit: https://uws.org.sg/gensafe-workplaces/
 
 

 

ABC News Interviews CIS about Security Readiness & Biden’s Inauguration

ABC News Interviews CIS about Security Readiness & Biden’s Inauguration

Following the aftermath of the Capitol Hill riot, CIS provided expert commentary for a number of Florida news agencies on security failures and preparations for future acts of violence.

Following is a link to one of the interviews on WFTS ABC News.

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/local-news/florida-prepares-for-potential-protests-unrest-ahead-of-inauguration-day