The Ohio School Safety Center (OSSC), a division of Ohio’s Department of Homeland Security, “will assist local schools and law enforcement in preventing, preparing for, and responding to threats and acts of violence, including self-harm, through a holistic, solutions-based approach to improving school safety” according to a story posted by securitymagazine.com.
Kentucky launched its own program by naming a school security marshal earlier this year.
The OSSC will review school emergency management plans and offer free risk and threat assessments for Ohio’s 5,500 schools using the following tools:
- The SaferOH Tip Line. The SaferOH Tip Line, which accepts calls or texts to 844-SAFEROH (844-723-3764), offers schools staff, students and community members a free and confidential way to share tips and reports about activities that could represent threats to school safety. All tips are forwarded to local schools and law enforcement
- Digital and social media monitoring. Intelligence analysts will actively monitor social and digital media for threats. Threats will be identified, analyzed and actioned upon appropriately.
- Emergency management plan review. OSSC staff will review school emergency management plans and provide support as requested.
- Threat assessment training. OSSC staff will provide policy guidance and training for schools that have a threat assessment team.
- An enhanced website, saferschools.ohio.gov. The site includes resources on school safety from various state agencies, and will also include a database to communicate training opportunities, meetings, promotional materials, model policies and other resources.
- An annual school safety summit where school safety, public safety, and mental health professionals can share best practices, training, and resources with schools and community leaders from across the state.
ECT Services has deep partnerships with schools and offers a full range of tools and services aimed at enhancing school safety and security, including access control, fire detection and suppression, video monitoring, automatic gunshot detection and more.