school and major district departments with vehicles monitor this D-WIDE EMERG channel on a dedicated radio during business hours . All of the administrative radios can access this channel if necessary for emergency use only .
Our SROs from the four local police and sheriff departments are now utilizing these radios when necessary to call in a lockdown or other significant information that needs to be communicated rapidly , redundantly , or in a one-to-all format .
Active Shooter Communication Process
An active shooter or armed assailant threat requires three levels of alerts : local campus , 911 , and district-wide .
Any district office staff receiving notification of a school emergency , to include an active shooter , will immediately ensure that 911 has been called while notifying the Grants and Communications Office as soon as possible . The recipient will keep the caller on the line , call 911 on a separate line to confirm 911 has been called .
Every effort will be made to avoid releasing incorrect , sensitive or confidential information in the aftermath of an active shooter incident . The Communications Officer and District Incident Commander are the only district officials who shall make statements directly to media following a high-intensity crisis . The Communications Officer will inform media that official media releases will be coordinated through a joint policedistrict news conference with scheduled updates . All district personnel must be trained to refrain from responding to media inquiries . Names of injured or deceased will never be made over the school radios at any time . Only the Crisis Response Team will be authorized to make next-of-kin notifications . Every effort will be made by the District Liaison Officer to learn the locations where injured and deceased have been transported to expedite family needs .
Conclusion
School safety continues to evolve as a process and the focus has moved significantly over the years . SUHSD has made significant efforts to ensure that our work addresses and includes several partnerships and a variety of district departments to ensure a comprehensive plan is created and followed . The focus of any school safety effort must include not just one polarized approach emphasizing one type of incident but must look at all the possibilities of what might happen at a school . We know that together we can have a positive impact on ensuring the safety and security of each student .
John Czajkowski is Security Coordinator and Advisor , Sonia Picos is Director of Student Support Services and Manny Rubio is the Director of Grants and Communications at Sweetwater Union High School District September | October 2018 11