School SERT Team

Despondent students are nothing new. School bullies have always been present. Class status conflicts have always been part of school life.  There has always been drug or alcohol abuse at home or during school.  Today, individuals have developed a kamikaze-like philosophy with the desire to kill other people along with themselves.

School institutions can make it more difficult to bring guns onto campus. They can build higher fences, limit access entry points, install metal detectors, and conduct pat downs and locker searches. Radical security measures will have some effectiveness in preventing future violence but not consistently and for the long term. These types of security measures will be expensive and not likely to be supported by funding opportunities for a sustained period of time.  These are not viable long-term solutions.

The questions with which we address is how to detect, deter, report, and respond to incidents of gun violence, hostile acts, physical threats, and security concerns of the modern American high school.   We propose that a well-trained and supported security staff have a crucial and highly visible role in support of the school safety mission. These great men and women in most cases will be the first line of defense in school safety and security. Without question, SERT TEAM MEMBERS who are trained, equipped, and mentally ready to face that moment when the “what if” becomes the here and now will rule the day.  

A Strategic Embedded Response Team will perform their duties with integrity, honesty, and discipline.  They are dedicated to providing superior front-line security officers who are dedicated to providing a safe environment while enforcing policies and regulations.  

This outline strives to meet three critical areas of a SERT TEAM:

• Adhering to guidelines as laid out in the, “Best Practices for Security Officers in Federal Facilities” which was graciously put together by the Interagency Security Committee.

• Following Established practices for Security Offices contained within the “Security Manual and Resource tool” (SMART) book, and Arizona State Laws.  These policies and standards are developed, validated, and approved by the Department of Homeland Security, law enforcement agencies, and leading private security professionals.

• Training to the standards prescribed in the “Security Guard Information Manual” (SGIM) and the Arizona Department of Public Safety Security Officer Program.  We will strive to uphold the level of competency which is not wanted but needed to protect the most precious asset America has, “Its Children”.