Security Technology Executive

FEB-MAR 2016

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36 SECURITY TECHNOLOGY EXECUTIVE • February/March 2016 www.SecurityInfoWatch.com RISK MITIGATION B y now, most colleges and universities have taken steps to form a threat assessment team. Threat assessment teams investigate a wide range of concerning behaviors and potentially dangerous situations, including threats made by students, employees, faculty members, and others in the community. Of course, threat assessment teams cannot take action unless they are notified anytime someone on campus or in the community observes or learns of a threat of violence or a situation that appears to be threatening. Threat assessment teams typically include 5-10 members and should be multi-disci- plinar y, including representatives from col- lege administration, law enforcement, men- tal health, and legal counsel. Taking on the role of a threat assessment team member is an added responsibility and an impor tant obligation. Lessons learned reveal the key to keeping threat assessment teams from becoming over whelmed is to ensure they have the right processes outlined and the right tools to collect the dots, assess the dots, connect the dots, inter vene and pre- vent incidents and tragedies. A recent survey revealed 70 percent of cam- pus threat assessment teams are meeting once or twice a week to review current situations. With mounting job responsibilities, finding time to get together in person and discuss can be difficult. Several colleges in Virginia have implement- ed Awareity's TIPS (Threat Assessment, Inci- dent Management and Prevention Ser vices) Platform to help them manage and coordinate their threat team efforts, saving valuable time and resources while improving collaboration and information sharing. W hen an incident repor t concer ning a threat on or to campus is submitted, the first task of a threat assessment team is to collect as much information as possible to determine the potential for risk. Threat cases each requires an individualized approach and the more information that can be gath- ered the better. Gathering this information may include inter viewing the individuals/ Campus Threat Assessment Teams Help to Mitigate Risk Centralized and secure record-keeping is key for Virginia colleges making their campuses a safe haven by Katie Johnson

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