American School Violence Crisis Demands Moral Courage

After the April 20, 1999 Columbine High School tragedy, I was privileged to speak at venues throughout America to address school violence.

Nearly twenty years ago, I told audiences the same message I am sharing now. Unless we respond with full-force moral courage against our culture of violence, the tragedies will continue.

In one of my graphic slides, it was demonstrated that America is experiencing a crisis of leadership. This crisis has made a head-on collision with a culture of violence.

The head-on collision is compounded by societal dysfunctions. These include the brokenness of American families, our get-high society, superficiality, and the gang mentality.

During my presentations, I also argued that we can only change the course by transforming our educational communities. This can take place through a pedagogy which I refer to as the preventive system. This pedagogy enhances community through moral courage, building trust with students and all community members, and ethical leadership.

The Crisis Continues

Columbine, Virginia Tech, Newtown, Parkland, and now with Santa Fe, the school violence crisis has no end in sight.

Tragically, the ink may not dry on this new article before another school massacre takes place.

America must turn the tide from this scourge of school violence.

We must build on the pillars of courage, commitment, and community to secure our schools.

America must be fully dedicated to this mission and inspire our youth with a bright future, full of hope, security, and character.

In Memoriam: Santa Fe High School Tragedy

Let all of America solemnly pause to honor the victims of the May 18, 2018 Santa Fe tragedy.

Angelique Ramirez, 15, who was remembered on Facebook by her aunt:
"All I know is you will forever be our rainbow baby girl! Every rainbow will represent you, just the same way you lived life and affected everyone who was blessed to be a part of your souls journey.

"You touched each and everyone one of us in so many ways, ways you didn't even know. Rest easy my angel, forever the rainbow in our lives, a reflection of what love truly is!!"

Kimberly Vaughan, another student whose mother posted on Facebook that she was in art class during the shooting. Her death was confirmed by the Galveston County District Attorney.

Cynthia Tisdale, a substitute teacher remembered by her son Recie as someone who started teaching “because she love to help children.”

Sabika Sheikh, a 17-year-old exchange student whose body will return to Pakistan. Her father, Aziz Sheikh responded to her death stating “There is a general impression that the life is safe and secure in America. But this is not the case.”

Chris Stone, a 17-year-old student remembered by his sister as the protector of his sisters and “always there if someone needed someone to listen or some cheering-up.”

Jared Black, a 17-year-old student who was killed just days before his scheduled birthday party.

Shana Fisher, a 16-year-old student whose mother told a reporter that she keeps expecting her daughter to come through the front door. She added, “But she’s never going to walk through the front door again.”

Glenda Ann Perkins, a teacher whose daughter Ashely stated, “I would like the world to remember her as a hero, or course, a hero that gave herself to get other people out and safe in time.”

Aaron Kyle McLeon, a 15-year-old student remembered by his friend Kali Reeves, “He was just outgoing and super sweet. He definitely didn’t deserve this.”

Christian Riley Garcia, a 15-year-old student whose picture is posted on Facebook next to a verse from a psalm. The verse was going to be on the threshold to his new bedroom and read, “He said, ‘Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.”

Final Reflections

The comments of Paige Curry, a Santa Fe student, during a television interview memorialize a heart-wrenching commentary on our school violence pandemic.

Shortly after being escorted safely out of Santa Fe High School, she told reporters that she struggled to overcome her fear by staying calm.

Responding to the 22nd school shooting in 2018, Paige stated “It’s been happening everywhere, I’ve always kind of felt that eventually it would happen here, too.”

America, listen to the heartbreak throughout the nation, the on-going repercussions of our head-on crisis of leadership and culture of violence collision.

America, wake-up, it is time for moral courage, ethical leadership, and the reawakening of the nation.

Related Coverage:

Opinion: Student Walkout Is America’s Lesson of a Lifetime

American Teachers: Inspire the Heart and Transform the Country

Five Preliminary Tips for Improving American School Security

Note Well:

Twitter: vincentjbove

Linkedin: Vincent J. Bove Consulting, Speaker Services, Publishing

Join Vincent’s Linkedin Group: The Sentinel: Reawakening the Nation

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Vincent is author of 275 articles, including his weekly column titled “Reawakening the Nation” for the Epoch Times; 35 countries, 21 languages, and growing. As a national speaker, he has addressed audiences nationwide on issues critical to America including ethical leadership, violence prevention, and crisis planning.

Photo:

A photo of Christian Garcia hangs on a cross at a memorial in front of Santa Fe High School on May 22, 2018 in Santa Fe, Texas. The makeshift memorial honors the victims of last Friday's shooting when 17-year-old student entered the school with a shotgun and a pistol and opened fire, killing 10 people. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Protecting NYC Houses of Worship: A National Model

Although houses of worship in New York City, and throughout America must have a welcoming and serene environment, this must always be balanced with sound security measures.

It is a different world and not making efforts to enhance security in houses of worship is naïve, irresponsible, and irrational.

Our houses of worship are sacred places of prayer where we exercise our constitutional and human right to pray.

But, we must be realistic, blending the spiritual with the practical, and do everything possible to protect our houses of worship.

All who seek solace, peace, and community within the hallowed halls of our houses of worship deserve our leadership, vigilance, and commitment to protect them.

Houses of Worship: Security Practices

A U.S. Department of Homeland Security document titled “Houses of Worship Security Practices Guide” released in May, 2013 deserves attention.

The document notes that there are approximately 345,000 religious congregations in America. These consist of about 150 million members from more than 230 denominational groups.

The guide stresses that the first step to developing a comprehensive plan for a religious facility is to identify threats and vulnerabilities.

According to the guide, the threats include natural hazards, accidents, targeted violence, improvised explosive devices (IED’s), vehicle-borne explosive devices (VBIED’s), arson, chemical or biological attacks, assassination, or kidnapping.

The guide continues with the importance of having a threat assessment team comprised with a combination of facility personnel, members involved with services, mental health professionals, and emergency responders.

This document is outstanding and should be a resource for training staff and enhancing security measures.

The guide also includes details on prevention, protection, mitigation, preparedness, and recovery.

Recommended Best Practices: ASIS International

The collaboration of our houses of worship, law enforcement, and private security should include learning implementing “Recommended Best Practices for Securing Houses of Worship” by ASIS International including the following:

• Report suspicious packages to police, and do not touch any suspicious package. Develop a suspicious package protocol with instructions on reporting to police as well as not touching or moving the item. Address this issue in emergency evacuation procedures

• Request local law enforcement presence during high volume worship times and holiday celebrations.

• Include law enforcement in your security planning process.

• Consider hiring off-duty police officers as part of your security program.

Simply stated, a word to the wise urging vigilance: “To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”

Security Countermeasures: Some Additional Tips

A robust security program must be comprehensive, proactive, and continually updated. Security must never be piecemeal, negligent, or have its importance minimized.

Approaches to security in houses of worship, as well as in workplaces, schools, campuses, and facilities, must include the following:

Security Vulnerability Assessments: These are best when conducted by board-certified, reputable, and experienced public safety professionals in order to identify and evaluate areas of risk. The board certification of Certified Protection Professional (CPP) by ASIS International is a statement of professionalism, competence, and credibility.

Background Checks/Investigations: This is an essential due diligence countermeasure that prevents hiring individuals who do not deserve employment or access. These checks must be made by qualified, licensed professionals who honor laws conducting background checks. Background checks can include criminal history reports, drug testing, motor vehicle driving records, credit checks, liens and judgments, sexual offender registries, employment, and professional credential verifications.

Investigations that include surveillance, interviewing, and information sources by experienced, conscientious, and ethical professionals are critical to protecting public and private enterprises.

Training: A critical component of security and safety is ongoing training that includes personal safety, substance abuse awareness, domestic violence, diversity, conflict resolution, ethics, situational awareness, Internet security, workplace violence, fire prevention, crisis management, emergency preparedness, loss prevention, economic crime, crime prevention, drills, evacuations, sexual harassment, and warning signs.

Warning Signs: Warning signs are critical to violence prevention. We must recognize warning signs and provide the necessary intervention, training, health care, and security measures necessary to prevent tragedies.

Physical Security: This involves countermeasures preventing unauthorized access. Countermeasures include fencing, bollards, barrier arms, card access systems, ID cards, lighting, crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED), defense in depth programs, locks, alarms, fire extinguishers, Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), mass communication systems, and metal detectors.

Personnel Security: Certified, well-trained, and licensed security officer programs involving reputable contract or in-house professionals with either armed or unarmed personnel. It is essential that training exceed the status quo criteria, and is on-going. Training must also be motivational and customized according to the needs of the sites being served.

Procedural Security: Drills deserve planning and evaluation with table-top exercises. It is also essential to conduct partial and full-scale drills based on numerous possible scenarios. These must be complemented by the expertise and involvement of law enforcement, private security professionals, and first-responders.

Essential to training and drills is the Active Shooter program detailed on the FBI website titled RUN, HIDE, FIGHT.

Informational/Cybersecurity: In this age of instantaneous global data at the fingertips of individuals across the globe, some with nefarious intentions, protecting information is vital to security.

Informational security must be effective and continually updated with ongoing training for personnel that empowers them with preventive techniques. This protects companies from breaches of information through the Internet, Ransomware, dumpster diving, and social engineering and can prevent unnecessary turmoil to companies, agencies, and employees.

Final Reflections

The NYPD, in collaboration with private security professionals and houses or worship, deserves praise for its Neighborhood Policing model.

This extraordinary model builds bridges with communities through the concept of shared responsibility.

But, we must remain vigilant as these are challenging times. We must rise to the occasion to secure our city. The principles of security implemented here can serve as a national model for houses of worship nationwide.

The houses of worship in New York City and throughout the nation deserve our dedication, and our unity of effort will be the pillar of security for our sacred sites, and our city.

We must all serve as catalysts to protect our workplaces, schools, communities, public spaces, and houses of worship.

Public safety demands visionary leadership as well as vigilance, and collaboration.

Security demands proactive threat assessments comprehensive ongoing enhancements, continual training and certifications, effective response to warning signs, and building partnerships with law enforcement, private security professionals, and every member of the community.

Related Coverage:

America’s Houses of Worship Require Enhanced Security

Sanctuary Profaned: Protecting America’s Houses of Worship

America, Wake Up: Harden Your Soft Targets

Note Well:

This article was also published in numerous other publications including the Security Director Magazine / ASIS International NYC Chapter, Spring Conference 2018 Edition, as well as in the Epoch Times, and in my newest book Reawakening America.

Note Well: This article was modified as Protecting America's Houses of Worship, Schools, Facilities: A National Model and published in The Chief of Police, Winter 2020, Vol. XXXV, No. 4, and in The New York State Police Chiefs Chronicle, June 2020 edition as well as in The Sentinel.     

Twitter: vincentjbove

Linkedin: Vincent J. Bove Consulting, Speaker Services, Publishing

Join Vincent’s Linkedin Group: The Sentinel: Reawakening the Nation

Facebook: Vincent J. Bove Consulting, Speaker Services, Publishing

Vincent is author of 275 articles, including his weekly column titled “Reawakening the Nation” for the Epoch Times; 35 countries, 21 languages, and growing. As a national speaker, he has addressed audiences nationwide on issues critical to America including ethical leadership, violence prevention, and crisis planning.

Photos:

1. NYPD presence at Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Fifth Avenue, NYC, Feb. 27, 2015. (Vincent J. Bove)

2. The Chief of Police Magazine, Cover Story by Vincent J. Bove titled Terrorism Concerns Accelerate: Protecting America, Spring 2015.

3. Temple Emanu-El, 1 E. 65th Street, NY, NY. Rose Window (Public Domain/Wikipedia: Paul Stein)

Never Forget America’s Fallen Officers

On Saturday, May 5, I visited the stunning 9/11 Memorial Plaza at Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, New Jersey.

This memorial plaza, with a majestic view of the New York City skyline, honors all who lost their lives on 9/11, and all who served.

The names of all who perished at the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and on the planes are engraved here. It is a sacred place that inspires the soul to reverently pause, reflect, and remember a day that changed America.

A Gathering Place

The plaza has a special meaning for thousands who made their way here on September 11, 2001 to witness the shocking events unfolding at the World Trade Center.

From this vantage point in Essex County, the fiery towers and their collapse were clearly viewed.

Since 9/11 the plaza has become a gathering place to grieve, reflect, and honor the fallen. It is also a place to remember the countless acts of heroism who responded to the tragedy.

Memorial Elements

The Wall of Remembrance, with 3,000 engraved names of those who perished, is the largest element of the plaza.

Yet, there are also other elements including the Book of Remembrance monument. This monument honors the 58 people from Essex County who lost their lives.

There is also an 8-foot bronze freedom eagle, and a bronze sculpture of a young child called Gabriella. This sculpture of Gabriella holding her teddy-bear represents more than 1,000 children who lost a parent or family member.

There is also a bronzed firefighter helmet honoring 343 fallen New York City firefighters.

In addition, a bronze plaque pays tribute to the emergency medical services personnel who responded to the tragedy.

The plaza also has a simple granite pedestal with a bronzed pilot hat listing the names of the 33 flight crew members from the four planes who perished.

9/11 NYPD Cap

Along with these various memorial elements, there is a bronzed NYPD cap. This bronze cap on a granite pedestal honors the 37 NYPD officers, 37 Port Authority Police Department officers, and emergency services personnel who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty on 9/11.

The NYPD cap caught my attention since I was aware of the upcoming National Police Week.

During National Police Week fallen police officers are honored and this year would be the 30th Annual Candlelight Vigil. The event will take place on May 13 at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall (NLEOMW) in Washington, DC.

25,541 Fallen Officers

This year, the names of 360 officers will be added to the NLEOMW. This includes 129 who made the ultimate sacrifice in 2017, in addition to 231 law enforcement personnel who died earlier, but whose sacrifices were not previously documented.

With the additional engraved names, there are now 25,541 names on the memorial. These represent the fallen from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, federal law enforcement, and military agencies.

The NLEOMW features two curving 304-foot-long marble walls with names dating back to the first known death in 1791.

Yet, unlike many other Washington DC memorials, this one is constantly changing. The names of additional fallen officers are engraved each spring, prior to National Police Week.

At the pathway entrance to the memorial are bronze statues of adult lions protecting their cubs.

The lions symbolize strength, courage, and valor. These are hallmarks of those who take the solemn oath to protect and serve their communities.

Recently Fallen Officers

Each and every fallen officer deserves eternal honor. To remind us of the dangers of their vocation, here are some of the most recent as memorialized by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Deputy Sheriff William J. Gentry, Jr., Highlands County (FL) Sheriff's Office
End of Watch: May 7, 2018

Deputy Sheriff Gentry was shot on May 6, 2018, as he responded to an animal abuse case. As Deputy Gentry stood at the front door, the suspect opened fire and Deputy Gentry succumbed to his injuries the following day.

Agent Joel Alexis Pantojas-Fuente, San Juan (PR) Police Department
End of Watch: May 6, 2018

Agent Joel Alexis Pantojas-Fuente was struck and killed as he assisted a disabled motorist.

Police Officer Rob Pitts, Terre Haute (IN) Police Department
End of Watch: May 4, 2018

Police Officer Rob Pitts was shot and killed while conducting a homicide investigation. Officer Pitts and several other officers were fired upon when they approached an apartment complex to confront a suspect believed to be involved in the homicide.

Police Officer Jesus Cordova, Nogales (AZ) Police Department
End of Watch: April 27, 2018

Police Officer Jesus Cordova was shot and killed while attempting to apprehend a carjacking suspect.

Corporal Eugene Cole, Somerset County (ME) Sheriff's Office
End of Watch: April 25, 2018

Corporal Eugene Cole was shot and killed while in Norridgewock, Maine. The suspect stole Corporal Cole's marked police cruiser and committed a robbery at a Maine convenience store.

Police Officer Rogelio Santander, Dallas (TX) Police Department
End of Watch: April 25, 2018

Police Officer Rogelio Santander and Police Officer Crystal Almeida, along with a civilian Home Depot employee, were shot at a local Home Depot store in Dallas, Texas.

Police Officer Sean Gannon, Yarmouth (MA) Police Department
End of Watch: April 12, 2018

Police Officer Sean Gannon was shot and killed while assisting with serving a warrant. Officer Gannon and his canine partner were searching the home and located the suspect when he was struck by gunfire.

Police Officer Keith Earle, Huntsville (AL) Police Department
End of Watch: April 9, 2018

Veteran Officer Keith Earle died as a result of injuries sustained in an on-duty crash that occurred on March 26, 2018.
Police Officer Greggory Casillas, Pomona (CA) Police Department
End of Watch: March 9, 2018

Police Officer Greggory Casillas was shot and killed as he attempted to arrest a man following a vehicle pursuit.

Final Reflection

All of our fallen officers who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting our communities deserve perpetual respect, honor, and dignity.

Yet, their memory must be engraved not only on stone.

Each of these brave souls must have their names eternally engraved in our hearts as they represent the courage, character, and decency of America.

Related Coverage:

America’s Fallen Police Deserve Eternal Honor

Honoring Our Fallen Police, Firefighters, Military

Fallen Police Officers: Honoring American Sentinels

NYPD Heartbreak: Compassion, Healing, Unity

Note Well:

Twitter: vincentjbove

Linkedin: Vincent J. Bove Consulting, Speaker Services, Publishing

Join Vincent’s Linkedin Group: The Sentinel: Reawakening the Nation

Facebook: Vincent J. Bove Consulting, Speaker Services, Publishing

Vincent is author of 275 articles, including his weekly column titled “Reawakening the Nation” for the Epoch Times; 35 countries, 21 languages, and growing. As a national speaker, he has addressed audiences nationwide on issues critical to America including ethical leadership, violence prevention, and crisis planning.

Photo:

Essex County Eagle Rock Reservation Memorial Park, West Orange, Essex County, NJ. (Courtesy Township of West Orange, NJ)

American Government Requires Leaders of Character

For the past twenty years I have addressed a crisis of character in American society through my presentations and published works.

This crisis is witnessed in the public sector at the highest levels of government with scandals, arrests, indictments, and prison sentences.

Yet, the crisis is also evident in the private sector with blistering violations of moral decency.

America’s crisis of character has also lacerated the reputation of the entertainment industry, professional sports, and even religious institutions thought to be sacrosanct.

Our nation must respond the crisis with a commitment to an ethical renaissance. The heartbeat of character is our nation’s destiny and it needs to be resuscitated.

A Warning from Lincoln

In my opinion, lessons of character from Abraham Lincoln are critical to the reawakening of America.

Abraham Lincoln is admired as an ethical leader, who possessed masterful communication skills built on the pillars of honesty, ethics, and character.

With character as Lincoln’s foundation, his timeless words are a new clarion call for America. They serve as a prophetic warning for a nation whose character has been diminished:

“I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country... corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.”

If only the character of Abraham Lincoln were truly taken to heart, America would be transformed.

Character: America’s Wakeup Call

All who truly love America must stand on the pillar of moral indignation against the crisis of character in our society.

We must be dedicated to the ideals of character in order to expedite our transformation from a culture that is often callous, crass, and corrupt.

America must reflect retrospectively on events from our past that exemplified character, courage, and compassion.

We must rise up against the moral deficiencies of the day. The immortal words of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) are applicable to us once again, “this generation has a rendezvous with destiny.”

If the call to America by FDR during the ominous days of World War II were now reignited, our reawakening would be resuscitated.

FDR stated that America have a “toughness of moral and physical fiber which is precisely the characteristic of a free people, a people dedicated to the institutions they have built.”

Complementing the leadership of FDR was General Dwight Eisenhower. General Eisenhower had a reputation of never yelling, shouting, or losing his temper. He was a dedicated father and grandfather figure to those entrusted to his care.

Eisenhower’s temperament helped foster collaboration without ever undermining his authority. He cultivated a mentality of patriotism among the special young men and women who will be eternally honored for saving democracy and civilization.

General Eisenhower made America proud of its call to be liberators. He kept his troops focused by his reminder that “the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and the security for us in a free world is our mission.

Truth: A Pillar of Character

As detailed in my article for the March 21, 2017 Epoch Times titled “America’s Culture of Deception: The Art of the Con,” I argued that “truth is the indispensable moral sanction for a healthy society.”

The article also stated that America is “experiencing a massive and pervasive pandemic of deception.” It argued that “wherever there is deception, or the misrepresentation of truth, the moral order required by society is wounded.”

America must respond to our crisis of character and dedicate itself to truthfulness. Truth must be reflected in our words, both verbal and written, and in our actions. Truth must be the light that emanates from our souls and inspires all the activities of our lives.

The illumination of truth is a light that penetrates the darkness. We are reminded of its power through the words of Winston Churchill who stated that “the truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.”

West Point: Developing Leaders of Character

The United States Military Academy (USMA) has lessons on character for all of America.

Their mission statement includes “to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character to the values of Duty, Honor, Country.”

The USMA leadership development system is designed to define outcomes. The demands including to “live honorably and build trust” and to “pursue excellence and continue to grow” are applicable not only to the Corps of Cadets, but to all truly dedicated to America.

As Lt. General L. Caslen, Jr., Superintendent of the USMA states, “As the Army looks to the future, our officers’ need for competence and character has never been greater.”

Character is critical to the future of the U.S. Army. Yet, the wisdom of the USMA and Lt. General Caslen, Jr. on character for the Corps of Cadets is also critical to all of America. Character must be the heartbeat of the duties, responsibilities, and circumstances of life for all privileged to call America home.

Final Reflections

The heart of America demands character which will be the only antidote to our current crisis of moral decency.

Character is the virtue which animated the great leaders in our history.

The resuscitation of our character is our responsibility and our destiny. Character must be alive in our homes, schools, workplaces, courts, communities, social media activities, and government.

Character must especially be alive, and continually beating, in the heart of every person privileged to call America home.

Related Coverage:

We the People Demand Character in American Government

American Government Requires Ethical Leadership

America’s Critical Ethical Issues Demand Resolution

American Teachers: Inspire the Heart and Transform the Country

Photos:

1. The Cadet Honor Code memorial at the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, Jan. 1, 2006. (Vincent J. Bove)

2. Abraham Lincoln portrait, seated and holding his spectacles and a pencil, Feb. 5, 1865, about 2 months before his death. (Alexander Gardner / public domain)

3. General Dwight D. Eisenhower addresses American paratroopers prior to D-Day. His order of the Day. 'Full victory-nothing less' to paratroopers in England, just before they board their airplanes to participate in the first assault in the invasion of the continent of Europe. Eisenhower is meeting with US Co. E, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (Strike) of the 101st Airborne Division, photo taken at Greenham Common Airfield in England about 8:30 p.m. on June 5, 1944. The General was talking about fly fishing with his men as he always did before a stressful operation. (Unknown U.S. Army photographer / public domain)

4. Cadets changing class at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. (Vincent J. Bove)