In an emergency, police will rush to the scene as fast as possible. But until they arrive, each person onsite becomes a first responder, said Charles Lloyd, diocesan safety/security analyst. “What are you prepared to do during that delay?” he asked a room full of educators at Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School in Potomac Shores Aug. 17. “You are the one that has to act and react first to a critical incident occurring in your presence. Mental preparation for a violent confrontation is the key to winning that encounter.”
In light of the growing threat of school shootings like the one carried out at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, in May, the Arlington diocese has increased security requirements in all schools to protect staff, students and guests. Some of the changes will include additional cameras, more access control, several policy changes affecting daily practices, and some changes involving construction at primary entrances. “We’re certainly not starting from ground zero but we’re upgrading where we can, we’re adding when we can, and training,” said Lloyd.
Last year, Lloyd went from school to school, assessing each brick-and-mortar structure for safety and security, and making recommendations for whatever needed to be changed. This year, he had planned to assess the church buildings. But instead, as a few things have changed, he’s going to evaluate schools all over again, as well as the churches.
A big part of securing schools is keeping doors locked, he said. “Ninety percent of crime prevention is access control. You control what’s on your property, everything else falls into place,” said Lloyd. “Unfortunately, crime prevention, it’s not 100 percent. People are going to find ways to hurt you, so our goal is to slow people down and to make the target unattractive for (criminals) to victimize the people within.”
The diocese also offers cash advances without interest for necessary security upgrades. “There might be some physical changes that might need to be done to the schools regarding locking systems, alarm systems, so (that) can get pricey,” he said.
Lloyd also is hosting active shooter training at schools. “Anybody can put on a video, but I like to go out there and answer the questions that need to be answered as they pertain to the individual schools,” he said. He encourages schools to work with their local law enforcement officials to conduct active shooter drills with the students.
At a safety training at John Paul the Great, Lloyd began with tips for how to deal with difficult, antagonistic people and gradually worked up to handling an active shooter situation. He advised letting difficult people vent, speaking to them softly and listening attentively. After successfully de-escalating the situation, breathe deeply, get some fresh air and don’t make emotional decisions.
He encouraged the educators to report any suspicious behavior — anything out of the ordinary — to proper authorities. Some warning signs for violent behavior include suddenly withdrawing from friends and family, making threats of violence and bragging about access to guns or other weapons. Educators watched a video detailing the three responses to an active shooter — run, hide or fight — and what approach might be best for different situations.
Though the presentation dealt with a heavy topic, Lloyd stressed that being prepared, creating and rehearsing a safety plan, and believing in one’s ability to survive are all effective ways to prevent and thwart a violent attack. “How many people have died because of a fire in a school recently? I couldn’t find any,” he said. “We’ve got to get to that level with this.”
Chris Hall, head of security at John Paul the Great, said they will continue training this school year. “We do have plans to work with Mr. Lloyd in the future to do active shooter drills with the local police department, sheriff’s department and fire department. So we’re gearing up for those bigger types of drills,” he said.
For now, he’s grateful for the presentation Lloyd gave to kick off the school year. “It reinforces a lot of things that we were trying to make faculty and staff aware of, and their importance in the overall security and safety of the school,” he said.
Maraist can be reached at [email protected] or Twitter @zoeymaraistACH.
