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In today’s day and age, a police officer has to be much more than just a disciplinarian. He or she must foster relationships in the community as well as gain the trust of those they are serving. They have to get out of the police cruiser and talk to the kids playing basketball in the street and help the elderly if they see them struggling with groceries. I remember when I was growing up, I lived on a dead end. The police did an outstanding job of always talking to me and my friends when we were playing hockey or basketball in the cul-de-sac. They also started handing out police officer cards to us which were awesome. We started trading them and trying to go out of our way to talk to police so we could collect all of the cards of the officers in the department. Youth actually wanting to see and find the police? What a phenomenal way to build trusting relationships. When I was at Drexel University, this concept of community policing was starting to really evolve. It was an entire, mandatory course for criminal justice majors and was the focal point of our senior capstone project. It was evident, that this concept was here to stay. Getting police talking, being proactive and associating with members of the community seemed like such a simple idea it was crazy enough to work! In the same way as police create a bond with those they serve, it is extremely crucial that school resource officers and security guards do the same. I’m pretty sure I say the word “proactive” in all of my posts but this is another example of demonstrating that. Guards in schools need to take a vested interest in the children they are protecting. They need to be the first ones there and the last ones to leave showing a smiling face and greeting them as they enter and exit the building. Most importantly, they can’t be that tough guy or girl so much so that they become unapproachable. In order to be successful, they must gain the trust of all of the students in the school so if something doesn’t seem right, the student will feel safe enough to tell the guard. They have to be liked by the students they serve. They shouldn’t be a disciplinarian or be expected to report minor infractions that do not affect the safety of the students, such as tardiness to class. The officers cant be “out to get” the kids and get them in trouble. After all, how can you feel comfortable going to someone you just genuinely don’t like? The job of a school resource officer is a crucial one. Anyone worth the money needs to be personable, caring, talkative, trustworthy and well trained to take down any threats that will harm the students they care for. Be proactive. #ExpelFear Until next time, Shane Camardo
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Do you know when the last time there was a mass casualty in a school as a result of a fire? 1958. No that is not a typo. Per the National Fire and Protection Association, the last time there was a school fire resulting in the death of 10 or more students was at Our Lady of Angels School in Chicago, Illinois. Why do we think that is? With technology the way it has taken off, I highly doubt it is due to decreased electrical hazards. I firmly believe, that this is a direct effect of proper training and practice. Fire drills are a part of your routine growing up in schools. You do them so much, it becomes second nature as soon as you hear an alarm what to do. If this is the case, why aren’t more school adopting these beliefs for active shooters? Drills that instruct students exactly where to go and what to do need to be implemented across America. We no longer have the luxury of saying school shootings are isolated incidents. This is the time to be proactive. I was recently in an outstanding presentation run by the Chubb Insurance Global Security Team. They discussed what the “survival mindset” and how it relates to active shooter situations. Three key factors were discussed.
Be proactive. #ExpelFear Until next time, Shane Camardo Let me start out by saying, if you don’t read any of my other blog posts, read this one. This method to surviving an active shooter situation was created by the University of Texas at Austin and is called “Run. Hide. Fight.” This is not linear, meaning, it does not have to be done in that order. However, it could be the key to survival. Run: Get out of the building. Know where your emergency exits, low windows and escape routes are and exit the building quickly and efficiently. Encourage others to leave with you and notify those outside of the building so they do not enter. Hide: Find a safe place away from the line of sight of the shooter. TURN OFF ALL CELLPHONES. The last thing you want is excess noise. Fight: Once you hit this stage, you have to make a commitment. There is no “kind of” anymore. Fight like you never fought before. Find objects in the office such as chairs, phones or fire extinguishers. Spray the attacker in the eye with the fire extinguisher. Use the element of surprise. Anything you can do, do. Here is a link to the video showing the different stages in great detail. Viewer discretion is advised: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsE_JdzpAbI Its sad that this is the world we now live in, however, this is our reality. Make sure you are prepared and go through scenarios in your head about what you would do or where you would go should an active shooter enter the building. Practice. Practice. Practice. BE PROACTIVE. #ExpelFear Until next time, Shane Camardo |
AuthorShane Camardo, Chief Operating Officer, Semper Secure, LLC Archives
April 2018
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