armed suspect playbook
TRANSCRIPT
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7/29/2019 Armed Suspect Playbook
1/12Playbook for Higher Education
Armed Suspect on Campus PlaybookCreated in coordination with the Oce of Emergency Preparedness,
University Police, at California State University Long Beach
https://insite.gosavo.
com/Document/Document.
aspx?id=2454970&view=
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EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
Should an armed person(s) or active shooter scenario occur, there is very little time to plan how your campus will react, and
even less time to communicate these actions to a concerned public.
Effective communication can reduce misinformation and minimize danger to the public. Clear and direct communication
can also convey how a campus prepares for such events, as well as how it responds should disaster strike.
The Blackboard Connect Playbooks series provides you with a blueprint for how to communicate with stakeholdersbefore, during and after such serious events.
WHY A PLAYBOOK?
An armed suspect situation can occur on any college or
university campus at any time of day. While incidents
that result in loss of life are widely publicized, many
other violent and non-violent situations take place
each year. Did you know . . .
Xu Four people were hospitalized after a shooting at
a Halloween party on the University of Southern
California campus in 2012. While the party took place
at a campus location, the suspected shooter and the
four victims were not associated with the school.1
Xu In September 2012, Savannah State University police
ofcers on foot patrol overheard an argument, went
to investigate, and arrived as a man red a handgun.
One of the ofcers drew his weapon, at which time
the shooter dropped his weapon and ed. One per-
son suffered minor injuries.2
Xu In March 2013, a student told Indiana University
Purdue University-Indianapolis campus police that
she saw a man on campus with a long gun or rie.
The campus went into shelter-in-place, but IUPUI
police found no one with a weapon and made no ar-
rests. One student was quoted by local television as
wishing she had more updates from the school.3
What, when and how you communicate before, during
and after conrming an armed suspect on campus iscritical.
RUN, HIDE , FIGHT:
SURVIVING AN ACTIVE
SHOOTER ON CAMPUS
If you nd yourself in the middle of an active
shooter event, your survival may depend on
whether or not you have a plan. The plan
doesn't have to be complicated. There are three
things you can do that make a difference:
RUN: If there is an escape path, attempt toevacuate. Leave your belongings behind, and
help others if possible. Prevent others from
entering the area and call 911 when you are safe.
HIDE: If you cannot get out safely, you need
to hide. Lock and/or blockade the door and
silence your cell phone. Stay quiet and out of the
shooters view. Be aware of your surroundings and
try not to trap or restrict your options for escape.
FIGHT: As a last resort, and only if your life is in
danger, you may need to attempt to incapacitate
the shooter. Work in unison if others are with you.
Act with physical aggression and use improvisedweapons (chairs, re extinguisher, etc.) if able.
A video demonstrating the Run, Hide, Fight
technique has been developed by the City of
Houston, TX, and can be viewed at http://youtu.
be/5VcSwejU2D0
Adapted from Responding to an Active Shooter, University
of Maryland Emergency Procedures. http://www.umcp.umd.
edu/emergencypreparedness/guides/activeshooter.cfm
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BEFORE AN ARMED SUSPECT SITUATION OCCURS
Should an armed suspect or an active shooter situation ever present itself on your campus, it is imperative to have
a communication plan in place and a set of procedures to follow. By one denition, an active shooter scenario oc-
curs when one or more armed persons are present on the campus grounds and whose only objective is to cause
serious injury or death to as many persons as possible. Normally there is no pattern concerning which victim will
be selected by the intruder.4
While the odds of such a scenario taking place on a particular campus are low, effective preparation will make a dif-
ference should the unthinkable occur. In fact, such preparation is credited with preventing signicant loss of life at
the University of Central Florida in March 2013. The roommate of the potential shooter called 911, and the quick po-
lice response disrupted the shooters plans, prompting him to take his own life, instead of attacking other students.5
Develop acommunication
plan in advance
Two federal laws require col-
leges and universities to have
plans in place for communicating effectively about emer-
gency situations, such as an armed suspect on campus.
The Higher Education Act has specic requirements
intended to help you keep your students and employees
informed about threats to their safety and health in amanner that allows them to protect themselves.
Originally passed in 1990 and amended several times
since, the Clery Act requires every institution that par-
ticipates in Title IV of the Higher Education Act, without
exception, to have and disclose emergency response
and evacuation procedures in response to a signicant
emergency or dangerous situation involving an immedi-
ate threat to the health or safety of students or employ-
ees occurring on the campus.6
In response to the Virginia Tech shootings, Congress
further amended the act in 2008, adding a campus
emergency response plan to its requirements. The
amendment requires institutes of higher education to
immediately notify the campus community as soon
as an emergency is conrmed on the campus, unless
such notication would impede attempts to control thesituation.7
In preparation for any armed suspect situation, review
and revise your crisis communication plan. Determine
the length of time for specic actions as detailed in the
plan. Set a timeline for the order in which actions need
to be put into effect, and designate a staff member to
perform each action.
Establish protocols to test all procedures and equipment
on a regular basis. Periodically test the readiness of yourmass notication system. As appropriate, communicate
regularly with the campus community about prepared-
ness for active shooter scenarios, and let them know
what types of messages they can expect to receive in
the event of an active shooter incident.
Establish a Campus Crisis
Communication System
Evaluate all of the resources at
your disposal to determine how
they might be used in a crisis
communication situation, such
as an active shooter on campus.
As an example, one Blackboard Connect client system
contains a number of components, including traditional
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elements such as telephone, television, and outdoor
warning sirens, as well as newer media, including text mes-
sages and social media platforms. As an example, their
complete list includes:
Xu Mass notication email message
Xu Mass notication text message
Xu Mass notication voice message
Xu Five outdoor warning sirens (mechanical tone only)
Xu Alert website, hosted offsite by Google
Xu Emergency information hotline
Xu Facebook announcement
Xu Twitter announcement
Xu Faculty and staff news website
Xu Cable interruption message
Xu Campus Channel 77
Xu Breaking News banner on campus website
Xu Homepage news story
Xu News & Events website story
Xu University Entrance marquee (visible to public)
Establish a single
point o contact
During an active shooter
on campus situation, therewont be time to determine a
spokesperson. Designate an
Emergency Communications
Director in advance, who
will rapidly assess the need
for communications support and identify, acquire and
deploy resources to support critical emergency opera-
tions. This person should also have primary responsibil-
ity for communicating with the campus community, the
general public, and the media.
Publicize the fact that this ofce/person will be the
primary point of contact during an emergency. Doing
so in advance will enable emergency responders to
focus on their work with fewer interruptions. While the
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EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION:
5 BEST PRACTICES
Use multiple methods of communication
To reach as many people as quickly as possible,
you need to use more than one method of
communication. The more ways you use to
reach people, the better. Social media is gaining
traction in emergency notication and response
dont overlook it in your emergency plans.
Make sure all stakeholders are aware of
the system and when it will be used
This may sound obvious, but your campus
community should know that the system exists,
what kind of situations would warrant the use
of an alert and who to expect it to come from.
Keep contact details up to date
Your response is only as good as your data.
Make sure wherever possible you have multiple
numbers and email addresses to contact people.
Practice, practice, practice
This involves so much more than just testing the
technology. Test your emergency notication
system every quarter, but do it as part of atabletop exercise or full-scale drill that tests
your institutions response to a particular
scenario. Ensure anyone who is authorized
to use the emergency notication system
becomes familiar with how to send a message
it needs to be second nature or when youre
under pressure you may struggle to use it.
Use emergency notifcation within
a crisis team structure
Protecting employees from a potential threat
requires more than having the right technology.
To respond effectively, you need to knowwhos in charge of making decisions about
how to respond and have a trained crisis team
at each ofce location that knows what to do
in a variety of emergencies and can instruct
your employees to take the correct action.
Adapted from Emergency Notication: 5 Best Practices,
The Preparis Blog. http://www.preparis.com blog/
emergency-notication-5-best-practices/
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Emergency Communications Director will be the rst
point of contact, they should have the authority to bring
in others, such as campus security leaders, to speak on
the schools behalf as appropriate.
Develop message templates
When a gunman threatens
your campus, you need to
know what to say to stu-
dents, staff, parents and
the community, how to say
it, and have the ability to
say it quickly to a wide au-
dience. Preparing message
templates will save critical
minutes if your campus
is victimized by an active
shooter.
Templates can be organized by several criteria. Many
colleges and universities develop templates for specic
situations, typically covering dozens of scenarios, in-
cluding active shooter on campus. Within each scenario,
a separate script can be tailored for the particular form
of media through which it will be delivered, such as:
Xu SMS text message/Twitter Short, direct mes-
sages, which often include a web link to additional
information.
Xu Facebookpost a bit longer than a text or tweet, but
still concise, with a link to more information.
Xu Email message more detail, as appropriate, than
above templates. May also include a link as above.
Xu Voice message message should be at least 30 sec-
onds long to ensure proper handling of voicemail, but
no more than 50-60 seconds long to avoid partial
messages and attention span issues.
Xu Website craft a short message, suitable for add-
ing to the top of the home page as an alert, as well
as a link to a separate page with more details and
information.
Xu Electric signage/marquee message should be very
short, with phone number or website home page
address. Signs should cycle the message rapidly, re-
peating every few seconds.
Templates can be developed for other media formats as
needed.
Within each media format, create two distinct types of
templates:
Xu Static These messages should be short, and should
be designed to be sent immediately without editing
when an active shooter scenario occurs.
Xu Editable Create ll-in-the-blank templates which
house the main message you wish to convey, with
blanks for details pertinent to the current situation,
such as time and location.
Many schools have also developed numbering systems
which make it easier to identify templates by scenario.
Such systems provide continuity in the face of stafng
changes and changing priorities. Your mass notication
system can give you the option of identifying favorite
templates, providing quick access to those that are most
frequently used.
Develop backups &
contingency plans
In an active shooter situa-
tion, access to communi-
cation resources may be
disrupted, key ofcials and
staff members may be unavailable, and additional re-
sources may be in use or otherwise unavailable to assist.
Know the capabilities and strengths of each member
of your team before an incident occurs, and designate
individuals in advance to fulll each task. For each com-
munication task, assign a backup who can assume the
task if the primary communicator is unable to perform it.
Understand that the scale of an incident evolves. There
is no way to accurately predict in advance how a situa-
tion will unfold.
Develop alternate means of creating documentation
in the event that electronic systems are unavailable.
Event logs and communications trafc records are vital
for documenting emergency actions for possible post-
emergency investigation or after-action reports.
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WHILE AN ARMED SUSPECT IS ON CAMPUS
What and when to
communicate
The impact of an armed
suspect on campus is felt
throughout the campus and
beyondwith an active shooter scenario heightening
the stakes signicantly. A mass notication service can
be an extremely valuable tool in such situations. It can
be used to notify the public that an active shooter is on
campus and that response plans have been activated
and are being carried out. It can also be used to send
the campus community a message containing specic
and relevant instructions, which can be delivered across
multiple channels, ensuring consistent messaging. If the
identity of the armed suspect is known to be a studentor staff member, that person should be removed from
any outgoing messages.
In each case, those who need the information receive
it directly and immediately. Other relevant messages
can be prepared and delivered to faculty, staff, and
off-campus students to alleviate concerns and advise
against travel to campus, while also squelching rumors
and misinformation.
As much as possible, every message you send shouldcontain the following elements:
Xu Who the message is from
Xu The location, time and details about the situation
Xu What actions are being taken by the school
Xu What actions should be taken by those receiving the
message
Xu How and where to obtain additional information
Communication should take place only when there
is a clear need, as well as a clear message to convey.
Communicating too frequently without new informa-
tion will minimize the impact of messages, while vague
or uncertain messages can create confusion among the
campus community and the public at large. One possible
exception to this rule can be made during a shelter-in-
place situation. Regular communication with those di-
rectly impacted by a shelter-in-place can ease fears and
uncertainty, as well as reinforcing the need to remain
sheltered and avoid travel through the affected area.
How to communicate
Distribute messages using
your campus alert system, as
described previously. A massnotication service can enable
you to distribute messages
rapidly by mobile or landline
phone, email, or SMS (text
messaging), providing multiple channels to reach the
public even if some services are disrupted.
Care must be taken to avoid unnecessarily causing
alarm, while ensuring that those affected by the situa-
tion receive the information they need. Avoid communi-
cating just for the sake of communicating.
Use templates developed in advance, as noted above.
They allow for details to be added quickly, saving time
in the event of armed suspect situation on campus.
Use your mass notication service to send periodic non-
emergency messages reminding your campus commu-
nity about emergency preparedness, and list rst actions
to take in an armed suspect scenario. An active shooter
situation can pose signicant challenges for students,
faculty and staff with disabilities. As appropriate, use
your mass notication service to create and maintain a
separate list of those with special needs, and send tai-
lored messages designed to meet their specic needs.
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Maintain a complete and up-to-date list of media con-
tacts to ensure all media receive information and up-
dates throughout the situation.
Be prepared to handle inquiries and arrivals on campus
from out-of-market and national media, particularly
if injuries or fatalities have occurred. Coordinate with
campus and local law enforcement ofcials to ensure
that media representatives do not interfere with efforts
to locate and neutralize the shooter. Monitor broadcast
media, media websites, and social media platforms as
much as possible to identify and correct misinformation
as quickly as possible.
If your campus has dealt with similar incidents in the
past, be prepared to hear them mentioned again, espe-
cially if your previous responses were criticized or were
lacking in any way. Be ready with examples of how those
incidents better prepared your campus to deal with the
current incident.
AFTER THE ARMED SUSPECT SITUATION HAS CONCLUDED
Declaring an end to the crisis
Once the emergency has passed,
use your alert system to issue an
all-clear message through all com-
munication channels and lift any
shelter-in-place that have been
implemented. Clearly distinguish
whether the suspect has been
subdued/apprehended, or if the
area has been sufciently secured
to issue an all-clear despite thesuspect remaining at large. If ap-
propriate, mention that a thorough search of the cam-
pus has indicated the suspect is no longer a threat to
the area.
Distribute these announcements as widely as possible
in order to preempt calls, allowing emergency man-
agement staff to stay on task. Use your mass notica-
tion system to deliver updates, as appropriate through
multiple channels.
Incident Afermath
After an armed suspect incident, distribute up-to-date
information and alerts to local media outlets, through
known spokespersons, and using an established and
trusted method, to deter gossip and misinformation.
If out-of-market and national media are pursuing the
story, include them in your distributions.
Monitor social media sites and use ofcial university
social media accounts to issue updates and respondappropriately to rumors and misinformation. Issue a
statement to all campus departments with incident
details and talking points to use if they receive inquiries
from parents, students, or other concerned individuals.
Instruct campus departments to refer all media inquiries
to the Emergency Communications Director.
Understand that active shooter incidents seldom con-
clude in a single day. Some incidents can generate
weeks of media attention. Develop consistent messages
and talking points, and stick to them. Do not engage in
speculation or conjecture simply because a reporter has
time or space to ll.
Recap o actions taken
If the incident was serious
enough to warrant it, invite
community residents, stu-
dents, and staff members to
public meetings and encour-age participation in discus-
sions about the effect on the campus and surrounding
community. Involve campus, local, and regional public
safety personnel, communications staff, and selected
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university representatives. Be sure to announce the time,
date and location of such meetings. Provide as much
advance notice as possible, and send regular reminders.
Email can also be used to share the meeting agenda and
various subjects to be discussed.
Reach out to key reporters in the area and let them
know how ofcials have been providing direction and
updates to the campus community, what kinds of
messages have been sent and that more information
will follow, including details about apprehension of the
suspect, and the lifting of shelter-in-place.
Establish a network for victims and their families to
get information directly from your school. Even when
no shots have been red and no injuries have occurred,
active shooter incidents can leave many students,
faculty, staff, and parents in need of information,
counseling, and support. Use media contacts to publi-
cize this network for those who may need it.
Conduct a thorough internal review of your schools
response to the active shooter incident. Identify areas
for improvement, and highlight areas where perfor-
mance was strong.
BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER CHECKLIST
Keys to successful communication if an active shooter on campus occurs:
Beore
X Review and revise your crisis communication plan well in advance of the appearance of an active shooter.
X Develop message templates to save time in message preparation and delivery.
X Designate a single point of contact for all communications & develop an updated media list.
X Develop backups and contingency plans.
During
X Deliver information which helps residents protect themselves wherever they may be during an active shooter
situation.
X Use a mass notication service to deliver important messages quickly across multiple platforms.
X Communicate using any avenues which may be available, including text messages and social media networks.
Afer
X Distribute announcements widely and quickly to preempt calls and allow recovery efforts to continue
unimpeded.
X Monitor coverage across various media to minimize misinformation and rumors.
X Update local media about response to the incident and support for those affected.
BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER CHECKLIST
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Email Messages
SUBJECT: Active Shooter
An active shooter has been reported on campus near/in _______ (location). Seek safe shelter imme-
diately. Barricade yourself in a room or evacuate to safety until further notice, and obey emergency
personnel. (University) emergency personnel and public safety ofcials are on the scene. (Narrative).
Classes not in/in this area are in session/canceled as of ___ (time),____ (day),____ (date). Additional
safety information can be found at http://www. .edu/. Please monitor http://
www. .edu/, the Emergency Information Line (Emergency Hotline), and localmedia for more information and updates.
SAMPLE MESSAGE TEMPLATES
Text Messages
A shooting has occurred on the (university) campus at (location). Area under evacuation. Suspect
is (NOT in custody, shelter in place/in custody, police are on scene, avoid area). http://www. .edu/ .
(AS APPROPRIATE & AVAILABLE: Consider sending a second text with a description of suspect &
last known location)
Active Shooter reported last seen at {PROMPT:Building or Location:unknown}. Get to a safe location
and barricade.
(University) Emergency! A suspect with a weapon is on campus. Go into nearest room and lock door.
Shelter In Place. Follow instructions from authorities.
ACTIVE SHOOTER at ___________ (location). Seek safe shelter. Obey ofcials. Check http://www.
Voice Messages(University) -- This is a (University) Alert. I repeat: this is a (University) Alert. A gunman is/Gunmen
are (provide location) now. (TIME) (DATE) Immediately go to a safe and secure location. Stay away
from windows. Lock doors. Emergency personnel are responding. Monitor cellphone. the (University)
homepage. local media. w w w dot (University) dot e d u slash (address) and the Emergency Infor-
mation Hotline at (spell out numbers) ADDITIONAL INFO.
(Prepared for delivery by mass notication service, emphasizing pauses and pronunciation of single
letters & numbers for clear speech-to-text translation.)
This is the Department of Public Safety with an EMERGENCY alert from (university). There is a sus-
pect with a [type] weapon on campus. [Shots have been red.] If you are on campus, go into the
nearest available room and lock the door. If you are not on campus, stay away. THIS IS NOT A TEST!
Wait for the all clear notication from College ofcials or local authorities. For additional information
and updates go to (Emergency Website) or call (Emergency Hotline).
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Email Messages (continued)
Subject: Active Shooter reported
An active shooter has been reported to be attacking people on campus last seen at
{PROMPT:Building or Location:unknown}. Do not assume this is their current location.
Police are responding to the situation. Follow all instructions from police and make sure empty hands
are in plain view. Updates will be sent as soon as critical details are available.
Report your condition and location to university ofcials when possible.
If not on campus, please register yourself on the American Red Cross Safe and Well website at safe-
andwell.org. Continue to monitor campus communications.
EMERGENCY! There is a suspect with a [type] weapon on campus. [Shots have been red.] If you
are on campus, go into the nearest available room and lock the door. If you are not on campus, stay
away. THIS IS NOT A TEST! Wait for the all clear notication from College ofcials or local authori-
ties. For additional information and updates go to (Emergency Website) or call (Emergency Hotline).
Website Message
Shooting on campus: EMERGENCY ALERT! At about (time) today, Public Safety received a report
of a shooting on the (university) campus at (location). Police are on the scene and investigating. (A
suspect is NOT in custody. If you are on campus, follow SHELTER-IN-PLACE procedures: go into the
nearest room and lock the door. If you are not on campus, do not return until further notice. Please
contact Public Safety at (phone) if you see anything suspicious or have information. As additional
information becomes available, updates will be posted on this site. (University) is grateful for your pa-
tience, cooperation and understanding during this incident. Consideration: Classes (in this area) have
been temporarily cancelled, or relocated to (location) until further notice. Updates will be emailed or
posted. (AS APPROPRIATE & AVAILABLE: Consider posting a description of suspect & last known
location)
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Works Cited
Resources
The Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reportinghttp://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/handbook.pdf
Prepared by the US Department of Education, the Handbookcontains a chapter dedicated to Emergency Notication and
Timely Warnings.
Campus Attacks: Targeted Violence Affecting Institutions ofHigher Education.http://www.secretservice.gov/ntac/CampusAttacks041610.pdfDeveloped by the US Secret Service, this report was generated
in response to a recommendation after the 2007 shootings at
Virginia Tech, and investigates common themes among several
campus shootings.
Active Shooter Preparednesshttp://www.dhs.gov/active-shooter-preparednessA list of resources and materials related to active shooter
preparedness, prepared by the US Department of Homeland
Security.
Emergency Preparedness: Campus Active Shooterhttp://www.sandiego.edu/emergency/procedures/campus_
active_shooter.phpA list of best practices for students and others who nd them-
selves in an active shooter on campus scenario, prepared by
the University of San Diego.
5 ways to prepare your community for active shootershttp://www.policeone.com/terrorism/articles/6119481-5-ways-to-prepare-your-community-for-active-shooters/Tips to help your community prepare for the possibility of an
active shooter scenario.
1 KCBS-TV, 4 Injured After Shooting Outside Halloween PartyOn USC Campus. http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/11/01/four-injured-after-shooting-outside-halloween-party-on-usc-campus/
2 Savannah State University Ofce of Marketing/Communica-tions, Campus Shooting Incident. http://simba.savannah-state.edu/news/read.aspx?=258
3 WANE-TV, IUPUI gives campus 'all clear'. http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/indiana/man-with-gun-seen-on-iupui-cam-
pus1363716840028
4 St. Johns University, Active Shooter on Campus SafetyTips. http://www.stjohns.edu/campus/publicsafety/safety/planning/campus_safety_tips.stj
5 PoliceOne.com, Fla. active shooter incident prevented byofcers quick response. http://www.policeone.com/active-shooter/articles/6156772-Fla-active-shooter-incident-prevent-ed-by-ofcers-quick-response
6 U.S. Department of Education, Ofce of PostsecondaryEducation, The Handbook for Campus Safety and SecurityReporting, Washington, D.C., 2011, p. 97. http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/handbook.pdf
7 Drysdale,D., Modzeleski, W., and Simons, A. (2010). CampusAttacks: Targeted Violence Affecting Institutions of HigherEducation. U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Department of HomelandSecurity, Ofce of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, U.S. Depart-ment of Education, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S.Department of Justice. Washington, D.C., 2010. http://www.
secretservice.gov/ntac/CampusAttacks041610.pdf
REFERENCES
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