Echoes of Columbine: School Violence Awareness and Prevention, II of II

On Thursday, June 16, 2022, I was privileged to address 75 police chiefs and associate members of the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association (BCPCA).

My remarks were titled Echoes of Columbine: School Violence Awareness and Prevention, II of II.  They were delivered in Haworth, New Jersey.

As liaison for the BCPCA on issues of leadership, violence prevention, and public safety, I have shared monthly remarks to the association for the last 20 years.

During today’s event, I summarized part II of a 30 minute FBI video titled Echoes of Columbine, and added some of my own insights.

My remarks today began with a quick review of Part I as follows:

The Columbine Effect – psychological empowering of other shooters, inspired by Columbine – an
active shooter incident unfolding real time on International TV.

Columbine has inspired over 100 copycat attacks.

Warning Signs – Leakage – unintentional or intentional.

Broadcasting – social media, drawings, comments, assignments, papers – telling peers or family members.

Manifestos – Theatrics – written or video crafted portraying themselves as godlike, or heroic avenger and the reason for attack. Complete with legacy tokens, the offenders way of claiming credit.

Warning signs – time for prevention and intervention.

My remarks continued with new material, both from the video, as well as my own insights based on presentations nationwide, and extensive published works since Columbine, which took place on Apr. 20, 1999:

ZERO TOLERANCE – often exaggerated response to harmless issues such as nail clippers, water pistol, finger pointing, water pistols with suspension or termination without reason.

More Effective – Threat Assessment – is the person a threat, on the path to violence, do they have access to weapons, or they talking about accomplices, making threats?  

The threat assessment must be a collaborative approach by numerous disciplines – including security, mental health, administration, law enforcement.

Anyone on the radar with substantive concerns, or a proclivity to violence demands immediate intervention by the threat assessment team, and or law enforcement.

24 x 7 anonymous tips gives community, teachers, students, even parents ability to have threat assessment or law enforcement intervention.  Responses can include counseling, alternative learning, or law enforcement intervention.

During my remarks, I also shared a gave a synopsis of the Preventive System of Education.  In my opinion, this pedagogy is critical for American schools.

PREVENTIVE VS REPRESSIVE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION

There is the repressive system that makes rules known, watches for transgressions, and is quick to
discipline a student by inflicting condescending correction and punishment. The errant zero-tolerance policy in so many schools is an example of a repressive system - rigid, bureaucratic, and impersonal.

The better pedagogy is the preventive system of education. In this system, educators are vigilant in a caring manner and offer patient guidance from the heart consistent with kindness, character, and reasonableness.

The preventive system of education builds trust, respect, and connections with students and the community. This pedagogy is the opposite of a zero-tolerance approach. The preventative system responds to concerns with measured interventions that promotes reasonableness, dignity, and respect.

The repressive system is dictatorial and may temporarily stop a disorder or a warning sign, but will not inspire students or properly remedy the issue.

The preventive system speaks the language of the heart and is transformational. It provides speedy intervention to warning signs due to the educator’s dedication, presence, and corrective follow-through.

Communities must prepare and be collaborative – build bridges and continually fortify them.

Bridges within the Community – must include peers, teachers, students, law enforcement, mental health, elected officials, janitorial/cafeteria/ school bus drivers/crossing guards, security, SRO’S.  All of these individuals must be included in professional development programs for American schools.

Gun Violence Archive Stats Jan 1 – June 14, 2022

Also shared these alarming statistics from the Gun Violence Archive website:

•        267 Mass Shooting Incidents

•        14 Mass Murder Incidents

•        163 Children Killed – Younger then 11

•        338 Children Wounded

•        583 Teens Killed – 12 – 17

•        1,544 Teens Wounded

•        Suicides – 10,890

      Part I of II is as follows for convenience:

Echoes of Columbine: School Violence Awareness and Prevention

Related Article: Cover Story for The Chief of Police as follows: 

Five Preliminary Tips For Improving American School Security

Note Well

Twitter: vincentjbove

Vincent’s Newest Book: Reawakening America

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

Vincent J. Bove, CPP, is a national speaker and author on issues critical to America with over 300 published works. His most recent books are Reawakening America and Listen To Their Cries. 

Bove is recipient of the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award and former confident of the New York Yankees.  He is co-founder of Global Security Resolutions, and served as spokesperson for a coalition of Virginia Tech tragedy families of victims.  He has authored 17 cover stories for The Chief of Police.

For twenty years, Vincent has been a Board Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Board Certified Crime Prevention Specialist, Certified Police Training Commission Instructor, Crime Prevention Practitioner, and USDOJ Certified Community Anti-Terrorism Instructor Trainer.  He is also a licensed State of New Jersey / Division of State Police SORA Instructor. 

Vincent J. Bove has conducted keynotes, presentations, and training throughout the United States. This partial client list in his home state of New Jersey reflects a microcosm of his programs on ethical leadership, violence prevention, and public safety nationwide:

Ø  The Southern New Jersey Prosecutor’s School Security Conference

Ø  Bergen County Education Association Conference in partnership with the Bergen County Sheriff's Office, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, and Bergen County Police Chiefs Association

Ø  Saint Peter's College

Ø  Port Authority Police Academy 

Ø  Department of the Air Force, Joint Base McGuire-Dix

Ø  New Jersey Education Association

Ø  North Arlington Public Schools

Ø  Hackensack Public Schools

Ø  Hackensack Police Department - numerous domestic violence, school violence and community policing presentations, including Community Policing Summit in partnership with Hackensack University Medical Center

Ø  Tenafly Public Schools

Ø  West Milford Public Schools

Ø  Monmouth University

Ø  The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

Ø  Cinnaminson Township Public Schools

Ø  Wood-Ridge Public Schools

Ø  North Arlington Public Schools

Ø  Fort Lee Public Schools

Ø  Morris County Professional Counselors Association

Ø  Fairleigh Dickinson University

Ø  North Bergen Board of Education

Ø  Union City Board of Education

Ø  Rebeka Verea Foundation

Ø  Bergenfield Public Schools

Ø  New Jersey School Boards Association

Ø  New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association

Ø  Morris County Council of Education Associations

Ø  Bergen County Law and Public Safety Institute

Ø  New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police

Ø  New Jersey City University 

Ø  New Jersey Association of School Administrators

Ø  West New York Board of Education

Ø  Carlstadt Public Schools

Ø  Livingston Police Department

Ø  New Milford Board of Education

Ø  New Jersey Association of School Business Officials

Ø  North Jersey Regional Crime Prevention Officers Association (board member)

Ø  New Jersey Bias Crime Officers Association

Ø  FBI, Newark Field Division - numerous presentations including Fort Monmouth, Fort Dix, the FBI Newark Field Office & the New Jersey Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory

Ø  Jersey City Police Department, East District (numerous domestic violence, school violence, and workplace violence keynotes & leadership keynote in partnership with cadets of the United States Military Academy on Ellis Island)

Ø  DARE NJ

Ø  River Vale Police Department Youth Police Academy Graduation Keynote

Ø  Teaneck Police Department

Ø  Essex County Police Chiefs Association

Ø  Essex County Police Academy Graduation Keynote

Ø  Essex County Crime Prevention Officers Association

Ø  Passaic Arts and Science Center

Ø  Northern Highlands Regional High School

Bove has also served the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association as liaison on issues including ethical leadership and violence prevention for 20 consecutive years. He shares monthly remarks to 75 - 100 members of the association including police chiefs from over 70 departments, the FBI, the NYPD, the Port Authority Police Department and community leaders.  

Photos:

1   1. Bove article Echoes of Columbine: School Violence Awareness and Prevention was published Oct. 27, 2022 in The Chief of Police.

     2. Echoes of Columbine motif. (Courtesy FBI)