At my community college just this week we had a student go off on several staff/faculty/administration and then make threats electronically. When these were received administration had no clue if he was on campus or not. We have NO security whatsoever-none. Rather than either do a lockdown or evacuate they quietly told maintenance to go around and lock all the doors but not to tell anyone there may be a potentially dangerous situation. Of course faculty/staff were not being told what was going on, just stay in your area. I had caught wind of this going to the restroom I was about to die to get there and told my employees if you sense anything wrong evacuate out the emergency door, don’t wait on me. I am in the restroom on the throne and I start hearing door locks pop as they are being set to the locked position. Oh well, I thought I will die on my throne!
Minutes later the police finally arrive-one officer who goes into administration building. In the meantime staff/students are slowly warning each other by phone or word of mouth and still nothing out of administration in their areas and students are arriving on campus clueless to the potential danger and can’t get in the buildings. Then 15 minutes into this maintenance who was sent to tell everyone, lockdown, stay in place-even though multiple departments had radios just for such an event. Twenty minutes later three more officers arrive and start walking around the campus after getting a photo of the suspect.
Finally after nearly twenty-five minutes administration sends a text alert to the faculty/staff/students that we are evacuating due to an unforeseen circumstance. I had three other employees in my department and when I heard through the word of mouth evacuate before the text I sent them out the emergency exit and told them get in your car and go. I left and was getting into my truck and a student just arriving came up to me and she asked why the doors were locked? I told her potential threat made, get out of here now and she walked off crying.
Turns out the police tracked the guy to still being in his home we found out later. What was the colleges response? Temporarily trespassing him from campus and no other prosecution-it wouldn’t look good for the college. Needless to say the entire campus is furious at the way everything was handled beginning to end and the complete breakdown in communications. The college safety officer was notified by a staff member who thought he might need to know—well into the entire event. We have learned NOTHING since Columbine and Virginia Tech. All through this I am thinking Lord I wish I had my pistol right now!
The main goal of many schools at all levels of education seems to be to protect jobs and the school's reputation.