There is a lot to digest in this report. Although I dissect similar incident reports several times a week, the ones reviewing mass shootings at schools are emotionally exhausting considering the young lives lost. But they remind us of the need for more disciplined and sophisticated physical security risk management in this country.
My initial reactions beyond the clear incompetence of the response by local law enforcement, which was obvious since the shooting, scrutinized, and documented - A tragic display of poor leadership, lack of courage, poor planning, poor organization, poor preparation, etc, etc.:
1. Security infrastructure: Earlier reports identified shortcomings in the design, installation, updates, and maintenance of the security systems at the school. It does not appear an RFP for security systems was issued, nor were requirements based on risk and performance ever established.
2. Security requirements: An RFP may not always be necessary but identifying requirements is - for every site regardless of size or complexity. Most importantly, the company selected to install the equipment should NOT determine the requirements. They must be established independently by someone who understands the risks and options and free of industry selling incentives.
3. Independent assessments: If a school, or any organization, can’t produce a copy of a recent (within 2 years), comprehensive, independent, and objective Threat and Vulnerability Risk Assessment (TVRA), adhering to established school security standards, they need to conduct one. There’s been no mention of a formal TVRA being completed at Robb Elementary or any Uvalde school.
4. Practice: We have school assessments all over the country and in many parts of the world. Reviewing security policies and procedures is a critical step and must be followed by testing every system, configuration, tolerance, and assumption with tabletop exercises and drills that include representatives from all first responders. Establishing police school districts in Texas added another organizational layer requiring more extensive and frequent drills and exercises. It doesn’t appear this happened.
5. Policies and procedures: Uvalde schools had them, but no one had seen or was aware of them. These too must be established by, and periodically reviewed by, independent and objective security experts and it’s critical every necessary member of the school staff has reviewed and is proficient with them.
I believe we can, and must, learn from these tragic incidents. The Department of Justice did a great job on this report as did Texas State University and the Texas House of Representatives on previous reports. I would recommend anyone responsible for school security, at any level, take the time to read and understand what went wrong at Robb Elementary, what could have, and should have, been done better, and how these lessons can apply to assessing and improving their security levels.
Commentaires