armed suspect playbook

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=


2/12

Armed Suspect on Campus PlaybookBlackboard Connecttm

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

continued on next pagew


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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


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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