Sep 8 • General discussion
School Shootings & What Can Be Done - Part 2
This is Part-2 on the Georgia school shooting series where we will discuss what we can do to prevent the next one from happening.
On September 4, 2024, a mass shooting occurred at Apalachee High School near Winder, Georgia. The suspect, 14-years old, allegedly shot 13 people. Two students and two teachers were killed, while nine others were injured.
We've already discussed some of the questions that should be asked and answered when one of these incidents happen. But, what can be done before the next one occurs to prevent the trauma and loss of life and to prevent the need put more guns in the schools?
A significant number of the murderers who commit these crimes have been reported to the police, FBI, DOJ, and so on, all of whom have failed to either recognize or marginalized the the threat to the point where little or nothing was done. The current system has been a failure. What can be done to fix the protocols to increase the chances of stopping the next tragedy? We believe that there is a solution.
What if law enforcement agencies approached these calls from a different perspective? What if they used a team response to prevent the murders and get the potential murderer the help they need before they cross that line? What would that look like? How could that happen?
Part of the problem is that there is no standard procedure for handling these types of calls, leaving a patchwork of responses coupled that with a lack of communications within the individual departments, schools, the community, and state and federal law enforcement. We suggest a standard set of procedures that law enforcement can put in place on a national level and a team response to these and all mental health calls for service.
There should be at least one officer (preferably two) who is trained and assigned to investigate and respond to these types of calls. This officer should be partnered with a board certified mental health professional who specializes in the field, is employed by department, and responds with the officer to evaluate the person in question. Most people can "hide their crazy" for the 10-15 minutes during a normal contact with police. Having an officer who is trained to recognize certain behaviors increases the odds that abnormal/violent tendencies will be detected earlier. But, if a skilled psychiatrist is on scene conducting and directing the interview, they can reduce that time significantly. Based on their initial contact there may or may not be a need for further action.
Using the Georgia incident as a guide, let's break down how this could have been different using this team approach. For the purposes of the discussion we will use MET for the law enforcement team who would be assigned to investigate and respond. MET stands for Mental Evaluation Team which would consist of the two specially trained detectives and the trained psychiatrist. Suspect will identify the subject of the investigation.
Once the initial call came in from the FBI regarding the suspect and the threat to the school the case would be immediately assigned to the MET. They would “data mine” the suspect, gathering as much open source and confidential information as possible. The school resource officer (SRO) would be notified and brought into the investigation and the superintendent of the school notified.
MET, the SRO, and a Sgt. would respond to the suspect’s house to conduct the initial interview. Based upon the conduct of the suspect, allegations of bullying at the school, posting of threats, MET would decide that there is enough evidence to indicate that there is the potential for violence. This triggers a notification chain to all of the command staff within the police department, the superintendent and the principal of the school, and the city council, mayor, and city manager. The FBI would also be notified and asked to provide a profile of the suspect. Everyone now has accountability for what happens. No one gets a pass or can claim ignorance.
The school would temporarily suspend the suspect and ban him from being on campus pending the investigation, providing him with materials for homeschooling if necessary. The SRO would respond to the school and along with administrators, would investigate the allegations of bullying, interview the bullies, and immediately suspend them and notify their parents.If there were any weapons in the house, MET would try to obtain permission from the father to temporarily take them for safekeeping during the investigation. If he was to refuse, MET would apply for a warrant to seize them. A warrant or consent would be obtained for the suspect’s electronic devices, notes, writings, etc. to help determine his mental health and threat level.
If the suspect presented a threat to himself or others he would be placed on an involuntary 72-hour mental health hold by the psychiatrist where he could be further evaluated. If the suspect is currently under the care of another mental health doctor, they would be contacted by MET and consulted during the investigation. If MET determined that there was not enough for a hold but still a potential for violence a surveillance team would be put in place to monitor the suspect’s activities and to step in before he could hurt anyone. Follow-up meetings would be conducted by MET with the suspect and family at a minimum of monthly or more depending on the circumstances.
This team approach, with the focus on treatment and prevention, has the potential to prevent a large portion of violent incidents at schools, workplaces, houses of worship, and in society. It is our belief that someone who posts these threats are making a call for help, similar to suicidal people calling a hotline or to “say goodbye.” Providing those people with an option not only can save other people’s lives but maybe their own. This is not an entirely new concept and there are police departments doing most/some of these things but they are few and far between. Standardizing the response across the country would allow the nation as a whole to be safer. If everyone is using the same investigative techniques it also provides a framework for local and national law enforcement agencies to share reliable information on potential attacks.
What are your solutions?
S&J
We Teach Confidence™ - WFA-The Vigilant Family™
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School Shootings & What Can Be Done - Part 2
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