Active Shooters

Knowing what to listen for can prevent insider attacks

Perceived injustice sparks shooting

The nation and especially Colorado are again reeling from another student turned active shooter.  The tragedy of the latest school shooting left two students wounded and the shooter dead from a self-inflicted shotgun wound. A motive for the shooter’s rampage quickly emerged in the press.  It was cited that that he sought to avenge his demotion on the debate team and when he entered the school, he verbalized he was seeking the teacher who demoted him.

http://blogs.edweek.org

In trying to understand what makes someone turn into an active shooter researchers have categorized threat types. Given that this shooter was a student who attended the school he attacked, he is labeled an “Insider”.  And on the surface, the attack appears to be reactive as the motive that is known at this juncture makes it appear as if he was responding quickly to a slight he endured.  However, the weaponry compiled by the shooter and the announcement of his target indicates a well-planned, proactive attack. Understanding what makes up an active shooter is an important component of developing effective countermeasures.  

Thought out and planned 

Academics who study shootings tell us that people don’t just snap.  Rather, there is an escalation by the shooter that includes preparation and broadcasting of his intent.  In this case, the shooter gathered a shotgun, an ammo belt with ammo and a machete.  He made Molotov cocktails, packed them in a backpack and set out. He entered the school with a grudge and was in a mental state prepared to shoot another human.  

The motive of a reactive “revenge” killing is plausible but it does seem that his issues may have been piling up on him for a long time.  Press stories reveal the shooter was a gifted student who was outspoken and bullied for his beliefs. He was also enduring the recent divorce of his parents.  In the post-event analysis, it may come out that these factors contributed to this escalation.  It is likely to be revealed that the shooter did broadcast his intentions prior to the event as is typical of active shooters.  

Reaction to a broadcast….albeit late in the game

It is known that at the time of the attack the shooter did broadcast his intentions.  When he entered the school, he announced he was looking for the teacher who allegedly wronged him.  Quick thinking by those who heard this broadcast alerted that teacher who, in turn, fled the building. Law enforcement credited the flight as a good tactical decision which removed shooter’s intended target from his equation.  If the reports are accurate, the event lasted less than 90 seconds and the shooter was found dead inside the school within 20 minutes of it happening.  Getting the target out of the building may have shortened the event and saved lives.  

Active shooters intend more than death and end up leaving clues 

Active shooters can also be called avengers and avengers perceive an injustice. They announce their intentions ahead of time because they are similar to the stalker and the serial killer.  Their actions are not a cry for help; rather they do it for the thrill.  Avengers need to be remembered and they need to inflict psychological damage as well as physical.  This is their “fun”.  As an insider, this shooter broadcast his intentions on a specific target – the teacher. Outsiders, it is believed, triangulate their actions.  Their motives are more difficult to discern.  None-the-less, because of their need to be remembered and inflict psychological damage leaves them vulnerable to detection prior to the event.  

Shooter’s pre-event language is the key to detection

There is a point in time prior to an active shooting called the Pre-Event Threshold.  During this time, potential active shooters display certain behaviors and of critical importance utilize revealing language.  Being tuned into this language is necessary to stopping such events:  

1. Avengers start by perceiving an injustice
2. Avengers then feel victimized…listen for “because” or “but” in their language.
3. Avengers then externalize…..listen for “you”, “he”, “she”, “them”, “they” in their sentences. 
4. Avengers will then develop a grudge.  
5. Avengers will then become obsessed with the grudge.  This can be seen as a closed loop in their thinking.  All that they do or say is related to their obsession. 
6. Avengers finally take action.  They perceive it as their only option.

If a person is behaving in this manner, they are likely on a path to becoming an active shooter.  This intelligence should be believed and acted upon.  

A word of caution; be aware of people who minimize this information.  They reveal themselves by using the word “just” in sentences like “he’s just having a bad day”.  Don’t be fooled into ignoring this intelligence because you may be overlooking an obvious threat.  

I would like to acknowledge a significant influence for this post was Dr. John Nicoletti who explained these principals in a speech he gave at a safe school symposium held at Columbine High School in 2013

Seeking an elusive truth

Flaws in criminal justice system can lead to errant convictions

We the people, in prison

The prisoner population in the US is large.  Roughly 1.6 million citizens were imprisoned in 2010 and another 1.4 were under supervision of parole and probation officers.  The US also imprisons more people per capita than any other comparable nation; about 500 people out of every 100,000 people. Only recently has the prison population seen a decrease but even then, it is a minimal drop.  The decrease has been attributed to everything from new thinking in rehabilitation methods to correctional budget cuts.  None-the-less, given the size of the prison population, mistakes pertaining to the guilt or innocence of defendants will be made.

The dream of unbiased justice

The expectation for excellence in the criminal justice system is very high when it comes to investigating and prosecuting crime.  On one hand society demands law and order and for the right of victims to attain justice.  At the same time, we require the standard of reasonable doubt to balance our thinking.  If not, many innocent people might end up being wrongfully imprisoned. Famous for this sentiment is English jurist Sir William Blackstone who commented “It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer”; words taken to heart by the founding fathers.  However, because the justice system is made up of people, it will generate its fair share of errors, oversights and even malicious intents and invariably, innocent people are sentenced to prison or even death.  

Technology won’t solve all inequities

The advent of DNA technology has changed the way cases are investigated and adjudicated.  DNA has also exonerated hundreds of wrongfully imprisoned citizens.  Groups like the Innocence Project have dedicated themselves to bringing this technology to bear in cases where the potential for error is great.  But DNA is not always a component of decisions that wrongfully land defendants in jail.  Academics have identified several other factors that cause errors in cases that can lead to errant convictions.

Human imperfections

Identifying the truth can be challenging when you realize the outcome of these critical factors hinge upon the integrity, professionalism and unseen motives of the people involved.

1. Eyewitness misidentification. Research shows that human recall is not infallible.
2. Faulty Forensic Science.  The science and the scientist are not always credible. 
3. Bogus confessions/admissions.  Defendants ignorantly self-incriminate or are coerced to hide the truth.  
4. Government Misconduct.  Measurements of success (convictions) can cloud the judgment of the people who make up the system. 
5. Informants.  The motivation and truthfulness of informants is not always known.  
6. System stress.  Overworked and underfunded defense council perpetuates bad outcomes.  

www.theguardian.com

Moving toward a better system

Making justice accessible to all in need is a noble endeavor and efforts to form a more perfect justice system are underway.  Contributing to this goal, professional investigative firms like CSI can act on behalf of the defense before the case goes to trial.  Validating or deconstructing the facts as gathered by law enforcement can make or break the outcome of the case. Investigation of cases post-conviction can also validate the legitimacy and integrity of suspect decisions.  In the long view, this fact checking can challenge the status quo of the criminal justice system and raise its standard of excellence.  It may also prevent or reverse undesirable outcomes along the way.

Safe School Initiatives

Reasons to invest in violence prevention go beyond threat mitigation

Consequences of unsafe schools

juvenilejusticeblog.web.unc.edu

Research has shown that unsafe schools have been linked to poorer health in students and cause an increase in dropout rates. Academically, unsafe schools yield lower test scores and lower gains in academic performance over time.

Poorer performance from educators is also seen as a result of unsafe schools. What is worse, students who attend unsafe schools tend to take matters into their own hands when it comes to resolving conflict.

Academic enhancement supports reasons to fund safe schools initiatives 

Certainly investing in safety and security measures for the sake of creating a safe environment is the right thing to do.  But financially, to do all the things necessary to improve the situation may not be feasible.  But when you add in the academic benefits of improved safety to the equation, the paradigm changes and the leverage to secure funding may be increased.  This may be difficult to realize, however, as the synergies between safety and academic performance are not always palpable.

A safe school climate

Studies of safe schools revealed several common characteristics shared by these institutions.  And by looking at them side by side, you can see safety and security measures enable the existence of these attributes.  

1. The main focus of educators and management is academics.    
2. Genuine respect between peoples is evident.
3. Positive attitudes which manifest themselves through a moral respect for the school.  School is a place that is cared for by students and teachers.  It is a place they like to attend.
4. Effort and achievement is recognized and rewarded.  
5. Fairness. Discipline rules are clearly stated and equally enforced. Nothing creates more resentment when one group (say athletes) gets away with more or are treated more leniently than another group.  This breeds hatred, anger and ultimately violence.  Even a perception of unequal justice factors into behavior.
6. A clean and orderly school.  Custodial staff is given support and due respect.  Teachers make diligent efforts to mitigate chaos in hallways. Both custodians and teachers are engaged with students in the halls.
7. High teacher morale and exceptional professional performance.  

Evaluate and then evaluate again

Efforts to keep schools that are currently safe as well as efforts to rehabilitate schools that are unsafe have something in common.  How to get there or how to sustain it requires continuous process improvement.  Part of the cycle of improvement is to assess the current situation.  Assessment is a place to start or is can be a place to re-evaluate.  Either way, it is critical to success.

Get the money, make the effort

If you secure funding and commit to the journey of making a school safer, you and your safety and security consultant may benefit from incorporating the following suggestions in the plan of action:  

1. Start with taking an inventory of the school’s climate based upon the characteristics of a safe school as mentioned above.  
2. Listen to the students.  To be aware of the level of bullying, drugs, and unhealthy peer pressure going on, go to the source. 
3. Break the code of silence.  Students who act as informants are afraid of reprisal, not only against themselves, but also against the person they are telling on.  This reveals the importance of #5 above. The perception of unequal justice or excessive punishment that could ruin a student’s life, even though that student may be a threat to the safety of others, causes informants to say nothing.    
4. Invest time and treasure in bullying prevention and intervention programs with unambiguous policies and procedures that support these efforts. 
5. Promote a culture of safety and respect.  This has to start at the top.  
6. Take steps to ensure all students have a trusting relationship with at least one adult.  Even if it is not a family member. 
7. Make continuous process improvement part of any safety and security program.  This ensures you sustain the progress you made and helps to improve upon your successes.   

I would like to acknowledge Dr. Del Elliot who was a significant influence for this post.  Dr. Elliot explained these principals in a speech he gave at a safe school symposium held at Columbine High School in 2013.

Vulnerability Analysis

It is cheaper to mitigate threats ahead of time than to pay for a disaster after the fact.

Who will protect this business? 

The task of shrinking risk to a level we can live with falls upon the shoulders of many different people.  Some, who own businesses, must do what it takes based upon their knowledge and understanding of what needs to be protected. Others are hired to do nothing but make businesses safe and secure.  Either way, this is no easy task given the many areas of vulnerability that could be addressed.  Couple that with keeping business operations unburdened by extra security measures and you find yourself in a challenging situation.

Despite the challenge, it is always recommended that you invest in protecting your business by whatever means are available.  And given the variety of assets that need protected – from people to trade secrets – it sometimes takes an expert to get the job done.  Even though it is your business or your purview, obtaining an outside perspective can be healthy and wise.

Protect the front door, the back door or both?  

One of the challenges in protecting a business is first identifying what needs protected.  It may not be as obvious at you think.  This is especially true if your focus is on running the business and making money.  In the big scheme of things, you know your competitive advantage needs to be protected.  This is also true for your physical property and your people.  But what may not be obvious is that all three interact to some degree.  What that means is that any valid security solution will need to encompass and integrate all aspects of your operation.  This is where a vulnerability analysis comes in handy.

A good starting point.  

In general, a vulnerability analysis is a top to bottom, front to back review of your physical plant and your associated safety and security program.  In addition to the physical make up of the property, the analysis looks at elements like technology, behaviors, patterns and adherence to procedures. With established programs, the analysis is able to review current standards and practices for practicality and effectiveness. For businesses without plans in place, it is a good starting point because it starts from scratch and finishes with a complete picture of where you are and where you need to go.  

The right approach with fringe benefits.  

Certainly, a vulnerability analysis of your business can lead to a safer and more secure environment.  Safe and secure is desirable for obvious reasons. What might be overlooked is that with these attributes, you are likely to see better performance from your staff.  This has also been shown to be true for learning environments.   So investing in protecting your business unburdens your employees from distracting concerns and frees them up to focus on the job for which they were hired.  

Commitment needed up front.

Contracting with a safety and security expert to evaluate your business is a wise investment.   And if you do take this step to protect your business, here are a few things to keep in mind:  

• Be prepared to be challenged by the findings.    Sometimes overlooking the obvious is embarrassing but good leaders know they are not perfect and that professionals are out there to help, not hinder. 

• Commit to making the recommended changes.  If you cannot get to them all right away, start somewhere and build on it. It’s okay to take it one step at a time, just keep moving forward.  

• If you budget for a vulnerability analysis, make sure you have funding left over to cover upgrades.  While you don’t know what will be discovered during the review, some changes may be critical and need to be installed quickly.  

• Use the analysis to create a new awareness of safety and security. Many changes are dependent upon human compliance.  You may have to enforce changes initially to mold the culture but eventually it will become habit for your employees.

• Safety and Security is an ongoing endeavor.  Use the vulnerability analysis to make a plan.  Review it regularly and involve other employees in the process.  Finally, track your progress toward meeting your safety and security goals.  If you don’t measure, it won’t happen.  

Armed Guards

Lethal Weapons Training Essential to Professional Protection

Always needed throughout time

Secure environments are essential to the smooth operations of schools, businesses and other institutions.  And since there are many ways to create secure environments, it is worth understanding a few security applications. As it relates to people providing protection for others there are centuries of experience from which to draw.  Some form of human protector has always been around and despite the advances in technology, the tried and true security officer remains a staple.  Knowing a little bit about guards can help create an advantage when seeking security options.  

Image from: http://www.vroma.org

Levels of protection to choose from

It is understood that part of a guard’s role is to act as a visible deterrent.  And depending upon the perceived vulnerability and the value of what is to be protected, the correct level of guard sophistication should be applied.  Some situations need a guard just to be a physical presence who can monitor the comings and goings of people and control access.  Add a uniform to that guard and a projection of authority enhances the deterring effect.  When you add a gun to a uniformed guard you are now projecting force.   If the guard is to be armed, the stakes are higher as the asset to be protected is deemed valuable. That should mean the abilities of your guard force will match the relative value of the asset.  

A higher standard is required

In 1974 the state of Pennsylvania passed a law called 

The Lethal Weapons Training Act” or “Act 235”.  This law “[Provides] for the training and licensing of watch guards, protective patrolmen, detective and criminal investigators, carrying and using lethal weapon in their employment…”  It was enacted after tragic incidents continued to occur in this industry due to insufficient education and training about lethal weapons.  

As a Certified Lethal Weapons Training School, Armor Security Training Institute has trained over 12,000 individuals in this 40 hour course since 1983.  The training exposes the student to applicable laws, firearm instruction and live fire training.  

Training raises the bar and weeds out the inept

As a supplier of armed guards, this training has enhanced the professionalism, accountability and competence of our security officers.  It also reinforces the high standards of personal character and ability required to be an armed protector.  This is an advantage for business owners and institutional operators who require armed protection of their most valuable assets.  

Do you need this level of protection? 

Here are a few items to consider when you are thinking about enhancing your security with an armed guard:

1. Consult with an expert.  You may perceive threats but you cannot articulate them.  Armed guards are not always the best choice.  
2. Consider what could happen when protecting assets with deadly force and understand potential legal consequences.  Human life may be at stake.  
3. Knowing how to use a gun is one thing.   It is another thing to project competence and confidence.  Make sure the armed guard can do both.  
4. A gun is a tool that requires special training and repetitive use to become proficient.  Make sure your guard continues to hone his craft. 
5. Make sure your guard has any training that is required by law.   
6. Make sure your contractor provides oversight and ongoing training of your armed guard.  

Securing Your Business

Aligning security efforts with business goals sharpens results

Hindered by stale perceptions

For some business thinkers, security expenditures remain an overhead that falls into the category of "the cost of doing business".  But getting past the old standard of thinking of security as a necessary evil to embracing it as a valuable business asset means shaking off an outdated understanding of what needs protected. Security programs that can recognize new and developing threats do well to preserve their relevance.  But the programs which also tie in business acumen are that much more valuable.

It is only getting bigger

The industry expects operational security spending to continue to increase over the next 5 to 7 years. Reasons for this trend include the continued globalization of operations and work force growth.  There is also an increase in the frequency of disruptions encountered by businesses on many fronts. From agenda centric movements to domestic violence, these diversions consume time and money for businesses.

Security is just like any other business unit

Given the growth in security expenditures, it is evident that a more sophisticated view of security is required. Fortunately, aligning the operational needs of a business and its security requirements is no different than any other business evaluation.   The first step is to match security efforts with the goals of the business.  And once established, they need to be measured in order to manage their performance.  This is simple shift in thinking coupled with bringing security considerations to the boardroom can expand its value proposition beyond being compulsory. 

Experts in security must be business centric

To elevate security thinking to the point where it is considered a profitable endeavor it is first necessary to evaluate business vulnerabilities at a high level.  C-level thinkers need to synthesize diverse variables including financial goals, risk aversion, technology, market trends and ROI to come up with a risk profile for their company.  On a technical level, security consultants such as CSI must be able to understand the high level perception of the risks and then apply the correct security solution to the problems.  Additionally, the solution must be measurable so it can be proven to be worthy over time.  It must also be dynamic in that it can change (rapidly if necessary) to meet the ever changing risk landscape.

Picture from sporcle.com

Expanded security coverage

While turnstiles and night watchmen will probably always exist, modern security thinking goes well beyond this paradigm.  The competitiveness and complexity of business today has pushed security professionals into new disciplines.  Here are a few examples of critical business needs that are now met by security programs:  

1. Protection of intangible assets. More companies than ever are defined by their intellectual property or their brand reputation.
2. Natural and man-made disasters. A recent study revealed that almost half of all major companies do not have a business continuity plan.
3. The remote workforce. Technology has freed these workers from a controlled office setting.  Companies must now consider the safety and security of their mobile human assets.  
4. Business partner risk sharing. Interdependent companies need to communicate and coordinate security responsibilities. This is especially acute in supply chain oversight.  
5. Security Technology. Data in the form of camera analytics and biometrics do more than protect.  Businesses now leverage intelligence gathered from these platforms.

Savvy business thinkers will find value in their security programs by turning their efforts into a competitive advantage.  But once security has a seat at the table, it is no longer business as usual.  Dynamic results will be demanded as programs must not only protect the business but prove their worth though measurable outcomes. 

Self-Insured Companies Might Be Ahead of the Curve

Insurance Industry Financial Challenges Provide Opportunities for Companies to Save Money

Rising Costs: A Sign of the Times

Business owners know that rising insurance costs are part of our daily conversation.  Factoring this into the algorithm that computes the bottom line is a variable like no other.  The upward trend is real and understanding why it is climbing deserves our attention.  A white paper by Forbes Insights released in September of 2013 addresses several reasons why rates are rising and not surprisingly, they are complex and intertwined.  Fortunately, there are strategies to help mitigate these costs but understanding the basic causes may help you find the greatest savings opportunities.  

Challenges Faced by Insurance Companies 

For insurance companies, the days of relying on investment income to support operating costs and earnings are long gone for now.  As a result, pricing discipline, which has been lax in the past for the sake of market share, is back in vogue.  That means a focus on underwriting which necessitates higher premiums for consumers.

The trend toward higher premiums is predicted for some time.  The impacts of recent governmental regulation coupled with a weak economic recovery will take awhile to play out.  And even when the rate of investment returns does increase, the payoff for insurers is a long way off.  

http://navyseals.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Money-shot.jpg

Another financial challenge for the industry is the rising cost of healthcare. This is acutely felt by property and casualty insurers in the worker’s compensation marketplace.  Statistics reveal the cost of medical care has risen over 380% since 1981.  Since this rate outpaces other costs, the disproportionate medical fees are forcing insurers to stabilize their finances by passing this on.    

Industry insiders also observed that claims tend to be extended during a weak economy.  In other words, when there are fewer employment opportunities available, people remain on claim longer.  This trend raises litigation costs as well as settlement costs for insurers as they have to work harder to get people off of claim. 

Conditions Create Opportunity

As premiums rise, consumers of insurance products will be looking for alternatives.  Some companies will also move away from traditional insurance and explore becoming self-insured.  This move, however, will force these companies to take a hard look at their own risk management practices in an attempt to lower their exposure characteristics.  

Self-Insured Companies Stay Ahead

As it relates to risk management, CSI has many self-insured companies as clients.  In particular, CSI’s surveillance division helps self-insured businesses resolve their Worker’s Compensation claims.  For many of our clients, we have become an integral part of their insurance risk management team.  Here are some observations of what a mature relationship looks like when we partner with our self-insured clients.  

1. They ensure that their claim administrators have an anti-fraud, waste and abuse (FWA) plan. 
2. They ensure their claim managers know red flag indicators of FWA and how to react to them.  
3. They are prepared to protect their fund from FWA by investigating suspect claims. 
4. They trust our expertise in surveillance operations and expect us to maximize their investment in resolving the claim.  
5. They understand that surveillance is just one tool used to investigate the legitimacy of claims and/or the actual condition of the claimant.
6. They know that fraud is determined in a court of law and not in a claim office.  
7. They only use surveillance results to evaluate the merits of the claim.  
8. They treat surveillance results as being highly confidential and only the people who need to know have access.  

We find that our best self-insured clients have chosen competent administrators who manage their fund.  We also note that these companies are genuinely concerned about their employees’ well-being and are aware of claim outcomes.  However, they also set the tone that abuse of benefits will not be tolerated.