HERKIMER – Members of the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) presented on Tuesday, July 12, to education leaders and law enforcement officials in the Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES region about preventing attacks at schools.
NTAC’s domestic security strategist Michael Kapuscinski and NTAC social science research specialists Allison Barrett and Dr. Aaron Cotkin discussed three NTAC research reports and eight steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of targeted attacks at schools.
The presentation noted that students who have carried out school attacks and those whose plots were prevented are very similar.
“The main difference between people who followed through and those that didn’t was that they were stopped,” Barrett said.
Herkimer BOCES school safety advisor James Garcia invited the NTAC officials to put on the “Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model” presentation and organized the local event, which took place at the Herkimer BOCES William E. Busacker Complex in Herkimer.
Herkimer BOCES District Superintendent Sandra Sherwood, Herkimer BOCES Supervisor of Safety Services Adam Hutchinson, other Herkimer BOCES administrators, superintendents and administrators from some Herkimer BOCES component school districts and members of some local law enforcement agencies attended the event.
The presenters focused on three NTAC research reports: “Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model: An Operational Guide for Preventing Targeted School Violence” from 2018, “Protecting America’s Schools: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Targeted School Violence” from 2019 and Averting Targeted School Violence: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Plots Against Schools” from 2021.
‘The only real difference is response’
The small difference between plots that were averted and those that were carried out was a common theme throughout the presentation.
Cotkin said the thing that separated the two categories was that for the averted plots, somebody saw something that was concerning, reported it to someone higher up and the report was taken seriously and acted upon.
“The only real difference is response,” he said.
Cotkin said that if attendees take one thing away from the day, it should be to take reports of concerns seriously.
Sometimes, concerning communications by students are ruled out as jokes or just a usual way certain students talk, Cotkin said.
Cotkin also spoke about cases where classmates were aware of concerns about a student but school administrators weren’t informed about those concerns.
“What that tells you is there is a break in communication between people who know about the problem and people who can do something about the problem,” Cotkin said.
During part of the presentation, Cotkin detailed some of the common issues that school attackers and plotters are dealing with – including mental health struggles, substance abuse, stressors, bullying, concerning communications, school disciplinary histories, weapons use and violence and home life factors.
“This is a troubled group of students,” Cotkin said. “They’re not doing well, and there needs to be some kind of intervention.”
Behavioral threat assessment
Barrett and Cotkin discussed many aspects of the 2018, 2019 and 2021 reports. They gave detailed examples of school attacks that were carried out and plots that were averted. They also provided statistics on topics such as how close to an attack weapons were obtained, what types of weapons were used, how many attackers and plotters were victims of bullying, how close to an imminent attack averted plots were discovered, how long attacks typically last and much more.
Using the 2018 report, they outlined ways schools can conduct behavioral threat assessment. Barrett said that for K-12 schools, NTAC defines behavioral threat assessment as “a proactive approach to identify, assess and provide appropriate interventions and resources for students who display a behavior that elicits concern for the safety of themselves or others.”
Barrett and Cotkin thoroughly went over the 2018 report’s eight-step process for creating a comprehensive targeted violence prevention plan. The eight steps are: establish a multidisciplinary threat assessment team, define prohibited and concerning behaviors, create a central reporting mechanism, determine the threshold for law enforcement intervention, establish assessment procedures, develop risk management options, create and promote safe school climates and conduct training for all stakeholders.
Barrett said NTAC recommends that school behavioral threat assessment teams include a variety of people within the school community such as teachers, guidance counselors, coaches, school resource officers, mental health professionals and school administrators. Team members should have clearly defined roles, and there should be a designated leader, Barrett said.
Similarly, training provided on the topic should reach all aspects of the school community – including administrators, faculty, parents, local law enforcement, school resource officers, staff and students, Cotkin said.
Cotkin also emphasized the importance of helping students feel like they are part of the school community and creating and promoting a safe school climate built on a culture of safety, respect, trust and emotional support.
Cotkin said that in one study, all students who reported attack plotters had at least one adult in the school they felt they could trust and felt like they were part of the school community. All students who were aware but didn’t report a plotter had no adults in the school they felt they could trust and didn’t feel like they were part of the school community.
Cotkin gave the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program as an example of a method for developing culture. Herkimer BOCES uses the PBIS program for the Pathways Academy.
‘Bringing it all together’
Kapuscinski spoke both near the beginning and end of the presentation. He thanked Garcia for reaching out and requesting the event.
“This is a very important topic,” Kapuscinski said.
After Barrett and Cotkin presented, Kapuscinski discussed additional resources NTAC can provide such as training on threat assessment, guidance on the development of threat assessment programs and policies and consultation on complex cases.
Brad Jacobs, senior resident agent for the U.S. Secret Service Rochester Resident Agency, gave a brief presentation at the end of the event about the Rochester Threat Advisory Committee, also known as ROCTAC.
The committee is made up of county and state mental health professionals, school superintendents, law enforcement officials, representatives from houses of worship, college officials, human resources staff from medium to large employers and local social services workers.
The group meets biweekly to share information, resources and strategies to look at threats as a whole and try to prevent problems, Jacobs said.
“It’s pretty much bringing it all together,” he said.
Garcia, who also welcomed guests at the beginning of the event, spoke at the end and thanked everyone for attending.
“I hope it was eye-opening for you,” Garcia said. “I think it’s important.”
U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center domestic security strategist Michael Kapuscinski speaks on Tuesday, July 12, at Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES to local school and law enforcement officials about preventing attacks at schools.
U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center social science research specialist Dr. Aaron Cotkin speaks on Tuesday, July 12, at Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES to local school and law enforcement officials about preventing attacks at schools.
U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center social science research specialist Allison Barrett speaks on Tuesday, July 12, at Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES to local school and law enforcement officials about preventing attacks at schools.
U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center social science research specialist Allison Barrett speaks on Tuesday, July 12, at Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES to local school and law enforcement officials about preventing attacks at schools.