The photos are from August 2009. I was tasked to conduct a active shooter/ terrorist response exercise at Midway College, and the policeman in the background were with one of four departments that were so exercised.
I didn’t know anything at all about active shooters in 2009, But the exercise was successful, and because of this positive exposure afterwards I was asked to participate, speak, or evaluate during some active shooter training events, and I learned a great deal about what was being done. Even then, I could see that there were some things that could be done better; holes filled here and there etc.,with more attention given to areas not commonly thought on. I do not think that what we are doing is sufficient, this minute, and recent events surely indicate that plans need to be updated.
My program development was placed on the back burner when I went to the Stan, but I re-learned first hand there what can happen in a security vacuum. I decided that when I finally retired from the military that I’d start a company that did this sort of thing, security planning, implementation, and training for institutions; taking square aim at the school shooting problem. That’s what I did.
Several years of research, building on several years of experience, and with a focus towards synergy, I believe it very possible to create an environment at a school that makes it school shooter proof; while not being disruptive to normal operations.
We, together can fix this problem, and it’s surely a problem that can be solved, and needs to be.