Do Armed Guards Prevent School Shootings?
Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services –
In 2022, there were 51 active shootings that caused injury or death — excluding suicides — in K-12 schools or on school buses. There are roughly 100,000 public schools in the United States, meaning that these incidents are quite rare. Still, widespread worry fuels an active national debate about how to curb these shootings.
Have guns stopped mass shootings at schools?
There are only a handful of documented cases in which an armed security guard or stationed police officer has stopped a school shooting.
A 2013 study conducted by the FBI analyzed 160 active shooter incidents found that most attacks are carried out in “a matter of minutes,” making it difficult for armed guards to be in the right place at the right time.
Even when law enforcement was present or able to respond within minutes, civilians often had to make life and death decisions, and, therefore, should be engaged in training and discussions on decisions they may face.
For mass shootings more broadly, there’s evidence that unarmed bystanders have stopped more attacks in these early minutes than armed people.
SOURCE:
Esposito, L., Yablon, A., Do Armed Guards Prevent School Shootings?, The Trace, 08/14/2023.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey #mobilesecurity #securitythreats
Steps to Mitigate Crime Risks at Houses of Worship
Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services –
Every place of worship is different in physical size and design. Some places of worship may be a single building with just a few attendees, open one day a week. Other places of worship may contain numerous buildings and entrances with hundreds of people attending every day. Some are in peaceful areas, while others are in hostile regions.
When considering how to secure a place of worship, it is very similar to the approaches used to secure any property and the concepts of crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) are applicable. The strategic placing of lights, cameras, fences, gates, landscaping, etc. can create an environment that is less appealing for criminal activity.
SOURCE:
Ratliff, P., 4 Steps to Mitigate Crime Risks at Houses of Worship, Security Management, 03/20/2023.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey #mobilesecurity #securitythreats
$40 M Contract for Armed / Unarmed Security at County Facilities
Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services –
Multnomah County officials recently signed a 5-year, $40 million contract for armed and unarmed security at county facilities. The security details were deemed necessary due to the increased drug use and mental health outbursts have become more acute in public spaces, like the county’s libraries.
SOURCE:
Peel, S., Multnomah County Signs $40 Million Contract for Armed and Unarmed Security at County Facilities, Including Public Libraries, Willamette Week, 05/16/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey #mobilesecurity #securitythreats
