On Tues., Sept. 27, the Department of Campus Safety and the Irvine Police Department hosted a Violent Intruder Response Training in Grimm Hall. 

Officer Rick Gramer, a threat mitigation specialist with Irvine PD, led the presentation saying, “You’ve got families that are waiting for you to come home at the end of the day.” Gramer talked about building relationships and communities as a way to prevent violence. He suggested establishing a baseline, or a general understanding of one’s character will allow you to notice when someone deviates from it. 

“Stop looking at the individual, and start looking at their behaviors,” said Gramer.

Research shows that there is no typical school shooter, and most of these events could have been prevented. The National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) found that students display a variety of “observable, concerning behaviors as they escalate towards violence.” This finding debunks the stereotype that people living with mental illness are more prone to become school shooters, or that personality predicts violence. 

Gramer said these incidents occur due to a “process over time that stems from a past of grievances,” If we help people resolve their grief and create a more forgiving and supportive society, hopefully violent acts can be reduced. 

Gramer also used terms like “leakage,” which refers to clues that someone is having thoughts about committing a violent act. This can be anything from an Instagram story to a sudden interest in weapons. Gramer operates under the “see something, say something” model, which is backed up by the NTAC because their research shows that when warning signs are identified, they can intervene before the “bad day” occurs. This may include a Gun Violence Restraining Order, which prohibits people from owning a gun, ammunition or magazines. 

Campus Safety also highlighted the campus security app, Titan HST, that they use to further secure Concordia’s campus. “The biggest takeaway,” said junior Christopher Haygood, “would be to have a plan and that we have a very effective app that could help in the case of an emergency.” 

Titan HST allows students to log in with their Eagles account and report any suspicious activity at the click of a button. The report features six different alerts: emergency, suspicious person, medical, fire, safety escort and shooter. Once an alert is sent, it goes straight to Campus Safety dispatch, which responds quickly.

“I learned to always be prepared no matter what the building or possible situation that may arise,” said Student Safety Assistant, Casey Schweim, “If those dangerous situations happen, I’ll already have a plan.” 

Campus Safety has also been independently training for “bad day” scenarios since this summer, and will continue to refine safety procedures throughout the year. 

“The violent intruder response training was an excellent opportunity to expand my awareness and responsiveness in case the ‘bad day’ happens,” said junior and Resident Assistant Emily Tucker, who thought the open dialogue between students, faculty, Campus Safety and Irvine PD was particularly interesting. 

“Use your best judgment and know that that decision may change,” Gramer concluded. 

For more information, visit the Campus Safety Instagram @concordiasafety or the Irvine Police Department webpage at cityofirvine.org.

 

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