'We need to have a plan:' Wisconsin DOJ Office of School Safety hosts targeted violence prevention training

 

BRISTOL, Wisc. (CBS 58) -- Dozens of law enforcement, public safety professionals, and education personnel attended a targeted violence prevention training in Bristol on Wednesday, Nov. 1, to learn about what warning signs to look for and what to do when it comes to stopping mass attacks. 

The event was held by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Office of School Safety (DOJ OSS).

“We need to have a plan, we need to have a process, we need to be prepared, we need to be trained, we need to have people at all of our schools that understand what their role is," said William Haithcock, the chief of school leadership for the Kenosha Unified School District, which serves 19,000 students.

Haithcock was among several Wisconsin leaders who were able to take a trip two weeks ago to visit Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida -- where a gunman killed 17 people and injured dozens of others in 2018.

The trip served as a way to learn from other educators about ways to prevent similar tragedies from happening.

One of the main takeaways?

"They didn't have a threat-reporting system like SUSO," said Trish Kilpin, the director of the DOJ OSS. 

SUSO stands for "Speak Up Speak Out Wisconsin" -- a 24/7 tip line that encourages students to report concerning behavior.

“Kids and adults in the community sometimes don’t report because they might think, oh, this isn’t important, or I don’t wanna get someone in trouble," Kilpin said. “Most often we get tips from students. They engage with us, they let us know that something’s going on that they need support or help with or they’re observing someone who need help or support.”

Another useful reporting tool is the School Threat Assessment Coalition of Kenosha, or STACK. 

STACK was created around five years ago, and officials believe it's the only interagency coalition dedicated specifically to school safety in Wisconsin.

“We in each time we make a decision about school safety, are trying to make sure these are evidence-based best practices on each stage by each agency at every time that it’s considered," said Kenosha Co. District Attorney Michael Graveley. “The message is in Kenosha County because of STACK, we have a plan to try to stop school safer incidents before they occur.”

Officials said there's no "one profile" of who a student attacker can be, which is why it's imperative to watch for warning behaviors early as "targeted violence is preventable."

“The average planner of an incident that’s been acted upon in a school was engaged in a planning for more than six months," Graveley said, adding that normally there are at least two individuals who "could've provided enough information" to intervene early.

“Do not be one of those two people. Do not be one of the two people who now have to live a life where had you provided warning, that incident may not have occurred," Graveley said. 

And even if you're not sure if what you're hearing or seeing is tangible or credible, officials said it's better to be safe than sorry.

“Now we understand that no matter how well you plan, no matter how many times people have game-planned for these things, that horrible tragedies can still occur," Graveley said. "But on our watch, we’re doing all we can think of, all we can.”