Allen Banks
With the tragic active shooting incident at Morgan Hill’s Ford dealership, it’s apparent that even a quiet city, without a violent history, can fall prey to a shooting incident. According to Gun Violence Archives, there were 307 mass shootings in the United States last year, and they are up by 27 percent so far this year. Active shooter incidents have become an apparent part of life. When viewed this way, one can get the impression that there is not much that can be done to prepare for the next shooting incident. However, there are many security measures that can be implemented.
When an employee is terminated, one must consider the potential adverse effect it could produce, especially if it’s unexpected. Security protocol and procedures need to already be in place as preventative measures should an employee become disgruntled or worse. These should include a security presence as part of the termination process.
When a student is observed to be disgruntled about being bullied and informs another of what he wants to do or plans to do about it, this information must be reported, investigated and resolved and include law enforcement intervention.
Places of worship open their doors to welcome anyone to practice religion freely. Yet, when an individual posts hate speech on social networks that provide platforms for him to target religious groups, that individual then loses that right to be welcomed in places of worship. When his communication becomes threatening toward harming others, he must be monitored and law enforcement alerted.
Security preparedness should not be viewed as something that stifles freedom or makes one feel paranoid. In today’s society we can no longer afford to be complacent or unprepared for an act of violence at any facility. In fact, it is imperative to have a comprehensive security program that covers both sides of the scale; preventative measures and an Emergency Action Plan. Once these procedures are in place, they must be drilled so staff are familiar with them. Staff must also be trained in recognizing warning signs for early detection of an internal threat (someone you know or come in contact with almost daily at work, in class etc.). It might be an external threat whereby someone is about to enter your facility and you recognize something out of place or alarming.
Environmental awareness tools are key to have as part of security training. It can significantly help to address a potential violent situation and mitigate or prevent it from even occurring. These awareness skills have been proven to be very effective in early recognition of a situation that otherwise could have escalated to an active shooter attack.
These are just a few security concepts to be aware of. They are essential elements of safety. What makes these concepts effective is coordination. This key factor can make the difference between saving lives or losing lives.
Allen Banks, owner and CEO of Proactive Protection Agency and Safeground Training, is a certified security specialist. He has more than 40 years’ experience in the security industry. After years of giving private seminars, he has launched an Active Shooter Prevention Training for schools. He wrote this for Morgan Hill Life. Reach him at [email protected] or (661) 645-3574. Visit www.proactiveprotection.net.
