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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, First Preventer, Incident Reporting, Prevention, Risk Management, School Safety, Threat Assessment Team, Workplace Violence

I am proud to share this new Case Study featured in April’s issue of Security Management magazine (an ASIS publication) that features Awareity’s client, Captain Kevin Griger of the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office in Nebraska. The leadership of Captain Griger is next level in how Threat Assessment Teams in schools and organizations, as well as entire communities, can proactively intervene, disrupt, and prevent incidents before they happen.  See some of Captain Griger’s quotes from the case study below: Threat Assessment Teams “As people come up on the radar, one way or another—whether through the school or through anonymous notification—our threat assessment team then sits downRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Connect the Dots, First Preventer, Incident Reporting, Prevention, Research, Rick's Notes, Threat Assessment Team

It was an honor to connect with ITL CEO Wayne Allen on the Innovator’s Edge Podcast! Together we discussed how Awareity’s innovative “Smart Platform” solution is designed with Community-wide Threat Assessment Teams in mind. I also touched on how the Smart Platform equips Threat Assessment Teams to better collect, coordinate and connect warning signs/red flags, empowering organizations and communities to intervene, disrupt, and prevent active shooters and other acts of violence in workplaces, schools, churches, communities, and more. “What we see again and again after these things happen is that we see almost immediately that there were warning signs…and people observed them and in mostRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Rick's Notes, School Safety, Threat Assessment Team, Video

Surgical Teams need the right tools. SWAT Teams need the right tools. Football Teams need the right tools.  To get the best results and the right results, Threat Assessment Teams need the right tools too. Evidence reveals very unfortunate and dangerous gaps with Threat Assessment Teams not having the right tools. According to the DHS/Secret Service report on 28 mass shootings between January and December 2017 from March 2018: Over three-quarters (of perpetrators) made concerning communications and/or elicited concern from others prior to carrying out their attacks. On average, those who did elicit concern caused more harm than those who did not.  In the 28 massRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Education, Incident Reporting, Prevention, School Safety, Threat Assessment Team, Video

2019 includes the one-year anniversary of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre and the 20-year anniversary of Columbine High School massacre… and unfortunately way too many other anniversaries of massacres and other violence in schools. What has changed since these massacres?  What hasn’t changed? Why, even with all the data and “solutions” are we not preventing more massacres, violence, and other tragedies in schools? Do you know what the Columbine High School post-incident report and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas post-incident report have in common? Do you know what the Department of Homeland Security recommends in their guide: 12 School Security Guide for Preventing and ProtectingRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Connect the Dots, Prevention, Threat Assessment Team

How Important is Having the RIGHT Tools?? The Super-Duper Football game is coming up this weekend and everyone’s talking about who is the better team, but what if the Patriots or the Rams showed up for kickoff and one of the teams didn’t have helmets, pads, and cleated shoes?  No matter how good the team members are and no matter how well they trained, the team with the right tools would win.  The same goes with preventing incidents before they happen, if you do not have the right tools, you will lose. What if you needed heart surgery, and you had a choice between twoRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Campus Safety, Education, First Preventer, Prevention, School Safety

Enough IS ENOUGH! How to Think Different to Prevent School Shootings and Violence Enough is Enough! Different thinking is needed to prevent school shootings and violence. Different thinking, different strategies, and different tools are needed based on overwhelming evidence, research-based data, and success stories proving PREVENTING school shootings and violence is possible. Preventing school shootings (and other acts of violence) is what everyone wants, so HOW do schools and communities work together using different thinking to PREVENT school shootings and violence? Read the Full Article Here >Read More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Hackers, Information Security, Risk Management

Cybercrime Gangs and Cybercrime for Hire – Are You Sure Your People Are Ready for This? According to BankInfoSecurity.com, Cybercrime Gangs are hiring! Cybercrime gangs are hiring hackers who can “send ‘violent and graphic’ emails and text messages to schoolchildren’s parents, blackmail healthcare organizations, manufacturers, technology companies and law firms, or leak unaired episodes of “Orange is the New Black,” preferably while also being fluent in Arabic, Chinese or German”. On the darknet cybercrime forum, there are hacking service offerings for hacking web server, setting up keylogger software, DDOS, hacking personal computers, hacking cell phones, hacking email or social media accounts, changing school grades, andRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, First Preventer, Prevention

Had enough with bad things happening? If you agree it is time to start PREVENTING tragedies and evil, please continue reading. Immediately below is the Tale of Two Wolves followed by a blog I published on December 18, 2012… An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good– he is joy, peace, love, hope,Read More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Connect the Dots, School Safety

September was a very interesting month and a very good month for connecting the dots – including international dots. Transcending Boundaries Together & Pilot Program On September 11, I boarded a plane headed for Trinidad and Tobago, more specifically Port of Spain. My trip to Trinidad was to be the keynote speaker for the Transcending Boundaries Together with a focus on “Violence Prevention: An Integrated Community Approach”. It was an honor to be part of this international conference focusing on preventing violence and an honor to share the stage with Dr. Patricia Elder who is the founder and CEO of Elder Associates Limited. Dr. ElderRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Connect the Dots, Government, School Safety, Security

August was a good month for connecting the dots. 2018 National School Security Roundtable August started with the 2018 National School Security Roundtable in Washington, DC.  The roundtable was hosted by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Academic Engagement and was attended by around 100 pre-qualified attendees. Day 1 of the roundtable started with speakers from DHS (Mr. Frazier) and FEMA (Mr. Long) and then Mr. Ryan Petty spoke about the horrific tragedy that took place in Parkland, FL.  Mr. Petty’s daughter Alaina was one of the 17 shot and killed in the massacre. Mr. Petty shared his heartfelt thoughts as well as whatRead More →