10-13 Threats to School Safety Flashcards
What is the Rationale?
This Procedure was developed to assist officers in situations that may pose a threat to school safety.
Supervision
Supervisory Officer attendance mandatory upon becoming aware of an incident that might necessitate a school Lockdown, Hold and Secure or Shelter in Place
Supervisory Officer notification mandatory for all threats to school safety
Officer in Charge notification mandatory upon becoming aware of an incident that might necessitate a school Lockdown, Hold and Secure or Shelter in Place
Procedure - As this Procedure is an extension of Procedure 10–01, police officers SHALL first comply with the direction contained in
Procedure 10–01, and then follow the additional incident-specific direction contained in this Procedure.
Procedure - If there is an immediate threat to life, officers may initiate an
Immediate Rapid Response.
Procedure - Except in exigent circumstances, the details of which must later be explained to the principal, police officers SHALL
report to the main school office prior to commencing any investigation in a school (as defined in the Police / School Board Protocol). When conducting an investigation, police officers SHALL make every effort to minimize disruption to school routines.
Procedure - When a police officer becomes aware of a violent crime or serious safety concern that may affect the safety of students or staff at a school, they SHALL
advise the school principal of the danger and may recommend the school Lockdown, Hold and Secure, or Shelter in Place, depending on the nature of the threat. The principal is the person in charge of a school and, as such, makes the decision to initiate a Lockdown, Hold and Secure or Shelter in Place.
Procedure - Examples of situations that might initiate a school Lockdown include
a person attacking a person with a knife in a school
a person using or threatening to use a gun on school property
Procedure - Examples of situations that might initiate a Hold and Secure include
a suspect with a weapon in the vicinity of a school
a search near a school for a suspect wanted for a violent offence
a serious motor vehicle accident in the area of a school, requiring temporary control of pedestrian and vehicle traffic
Procedure - When there is a report of a person carrying a concealed firearm or other concealed weapon on school property, and there is no indication that the person poses an immediate threat, members SHALL not
advise the school to initiate a Lockdown or Hold and Secure. This will reduce the possibility of creating a hostage situation or provoking a violent response in the suspect.
Procedure - An example of a situation that might initiate a Shelter in Place includes if there is
hazardous material around the building and evacuation may not be safe. A Shelter in Place would normally be recommended by Toronto Fire Services.
Procedure - In summary, there are three (3) categories of movement restriction that may be implemented
- Lockdown
- Hold and Secure, or
- Shelter in Place
Communication Strategy -
In order to ensure the safety of the public, emergency responders and Service members, an effective communication strategy is vital to impart crucial information to all involved at the beginning, during and at the completion of an emergency. When developing a communication strategy, the Incident Commander SHALL ensure Corporate Communications is consulted, and that the following are considered:
the intended audience (general public, other agencies, Service members)
the information to include in the communication
the form of communication (public address, radio/television, telephone, news releases)
will the communication be accessible to the intended audience?
Police Officer - When attending on school premises to conduct an investigation SHALL
report to the main school office prior to commencing the investigation
in exigent circumstances, initiate an Immediate Rapid Response
Police Officer - Upon becoming aware of an incident that might necessitate a school Lockdown, Hold and Secure or Shelter in Place SHALL
first comply with Procedure 10–01
inform the principal or designate of the circumstances of the incident
notify
the supervisory officer
the Officer in Charge
notify the Communications Operator – Communications Services (Communications Operator) which, if any, nearby schools should be advised to consider commencing a Lockdown, Hold and Secure or Shelter in Place
Police Officer - Upon becoming aware of an incident that might necessitate a school Lockdown SHALL
comply with item 2
identify a parent staging area
advise the Communications Operator
request the Communications Operator to notify
the Officer in Charge
the Toronto Police Operations Centre (TPOC)