Intruder Alert

May 27, 2009
The aftermath on a community that an Active Shooter has desecrated its educational system is everlasting.

American Law Enforcement is continually challenged to protect America's citizens. The traditional cat and mouse, bad guy and good guy scenario has drastically changed from the days of Adam 12 and Kojak. Law enforcement faces a new and relentless criminal element, the Active School Shooter.

Although the definition of an Active Shooter has various meanings by authors, the summation is an individual who is armed and has used continuous deadly force on the populace in order to achieve their particular objective. The Active Shooter will typically engage in this horrific act with the expectation of being killed themselves. This criminal has affected both America's corporate sector, and our school systems. Although both arenas become affected with negative emotional consequences, the aftermath on a community that an Active Shooter has desecrated its educational system, is everlasting. These repercussions become embedded in communities and the nation. With law enforcement being the primary symbol of America's defenders, it is not surprising that the community relies on them for guidance in their time of need.

Law enforcement is challenged with protecting its citizens with minimal intrusion into their rights. An ally to law enforcement agencies in this challenge is the advancement of technology. Law enforcement through out the country is trained to prevent the Active Shooter from affecting their communities. Their primary training is focused on tactics and community awareness. Although these are great traditional approaches, modern technological advances can be incorporated to protect America's schools with modest expense. America's schools should be constructed like bastions, while allowing unrestricted movement by its occupants.

The Active School Shooter typically goes through a four-stage cycle, first of which is Visionary. During this stage, the perpetrator will see himself committing the act. Progression will then lead to the Developmental stage. This is the intelligence gathering stage, The Active Shooter will identify building layouts, viable threats, security measures in place and best times of approach in which allow easy access to his arena. Next the Advance stage, in which the shooter is mentally and physically prepared to carry out his mission. Finally, the phase which is deemed the Execution stage. The Active Shooter has entered the school and began committing his atrocities. To save the maximum amount of lives it is imperative that the security measures be applied before the perpetrator reaches Execution stage.

Futuristic schools, specifically K-12, should have the ability to identify oncoming threats before the threat enters the building. In the event that the threat does enter the building, the building itself should act as a defense mechanism, with the purpose of isolating the intruder until first responders arrive. This immediate isolation will minimize potential casualties. Current technology allows this futuristic school to be constructed. Construction of the school should focus on a rapid identification intruder alert and isolation system. Based on this principal, it is imperative to build this school in the same manner that our nation's most visible fortress, the White House.

This appears tranquil to the average citizen; however, it is a citadel against the intruder. The school's first defense system should be an intruder alert system, planted in the school's outside perimeter. This would allow the earliest warnings for anyone entering the school perimeter after students/faculty are supposed to be inside. Following the intruder alert system, outside cameras with face recognition, drawing from the student/faculty database, should automatically focus on the advancing violator. This would allow authorities to assess the potential threat. This tactic is effective after school is in progress and the school is in a "Secure Phase."

True security measures will be judged on their effectiveness once an Active Shooter has achieved the Execution stage. So the question remains, how can technology minimize casualties once school is in session and the Active Shooter is already within the compound? The answer is by creating a technological intertwined system that monitors and quarantines threats while providing information to law enforcement.

Face recognition cameras, as well as magnetometers with pre set parameters, according to Paul Plamenco, Director Sales and Products, for GEM Systems, can be tailored to alert on common weapon density. These products can be strategically placed to monitor ingress to the school. Once school begins, all entrances from the outside should automatically lock. Cameras should be placed in every hallway in both directions, as well as, in classrooms providing critical vantage points in the event of a threat. Classrooms should also have the ability to have voice interaction capabilities, thus allowing communication between the occupants of the classroom and authorities. This is separate from the camera system. Sound detection equipment should be placed amongst school corridors, with the triggering mechanism being of 166 decibels, typical of a handgun. This will allow law enforcement the ability to quickly react to the affected area and stop the threat.

Historically, the Active Shooter's goal is to inflict mass casualties. Therefore, it is imperative that this futuristic school have the ability to lock itself down. Traditionally, the Active Shooter starts their rampage after school is in session, referred to as the Secured Phase. In order to minimize the casualties, students should be issued scanning identification cards that will allow access to a particular classroom. This classroom will lock once class starts, as to deprive entrance without authorities' knowledge. Understanding this, authorities can assess late incoming students, through hallway cameras, and if a threat is perceived the futuristic school will have the ability to contain the threat, therefore stopping an ongoing massacre, and allow students to exit the school in an organized manner, similar to that of a fire drill. The violator is then quarantined in an area until law enforcement arrives.

The Active Shooter is a viable threat to America's communities. Modern law enforcement, coupled with technology can become a formable adversary in defeating the Active School Shooter.

Sponsored Recommendations

Build Your Real-Time Crime Center

March 19, 2024
A checklist for success

Whitepaper: A New Paradigm in Digital Investigations

July 28, 2023
Modernize your agency’s approach to get ahead of the digital evidence challenge

A New Paradigm in Digital Investigations

June 6, 2023
Modernize your agency’s approach to get ahead of the digital evidence challenge.

Listen to Real-Time Emergency 911 Calls in the Field

Feb. 8, 2023
Discover advanced technology that allows officers in the field to listen to emergency calls from their vehicles in real time and immediately identify the precise location of the...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Officer, create an account today!