Headlines like this appear all too often, and whether the violence takes place on campus or at a work site, the similarities are real.
A threat is serious, regardless of setting
“Violence in our schools is a concern every parent shares,” said Michael Julian, President and CEO of MPS Security. “As the police conduct their investigation, and as is the case with other school shootings, they’ve found signs that trouble was brewing in social media channels.” Julian, a certified executive protection specialist and licensed private investigator, is intimately familiar with both workplace and school violence occurrences.
He commented, “It’s important that school officials not discount what kids are capable of today. In the process of a student being suspended or expelled, it’s critical that a threat evaluation be conducted to determine the state of mind of the student and the likelihood that the situation could quickly get out of control. Establishing a physical security presence can be a crucial step towards mitigating any scenario that involves violence, especially during the immediate days and weeks following.”
“The right questions have to be asked,” Julian added. “And school officials have to understand that these types of situations, in the mind of a student, are not unlike workplace issues in which employees are getting laid-off or fired. In fact, schools are even less likely to handle that stressor, and school personnel should be educated in advance to know what to look for so they can best determine the state of mind of the student.”
Violence prevention plans start with education. Contact MPS Security and learn about educational programs that will train your staff to recognize clues and prevent violent incidents.
Michael Julian is the President/CEO of National Business Investigations, Inc. and MPS Security. As a 2nd generation PI and Security Professional with three decades in the private investigative and security industries, Mr. Julian served as President of the California Association of Licensed Investigators, lobbies California legislators on behalf of the private investigation industry and teaches classes on Starting and Building a PI Business, Surveillance, Personal Locates, Executive Protection, and Business and Ethics in both Investigations and Security industries nationally. Mr. Julian created and now teaches ALIVE: 5 Steps to Active Shooter Survival course, throughout the US. He can be reached at mjulian@investigations-nbi.com and please visit www.Investigations-NBI.com or www.Security-MPS.com
