Campus Threat Assessment

CAMPUS THREAT ASSESSMENT

In accordance with Public Act 13-3, Eastern Connecticut State University has established a trained threat assessment team.  Threat Assessment Team members include the Vice President for Student Affairs, Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice President for Finance and Administration, Vice President for Equity and Diversity, Director of Public Safety and the Director of Counseling and Psychological Services.

This team has two important functions:

The first is to heighten awareness of all faculty and staff regarding potentially at-risk students and other individuals on campus through effective educational strategies.  The University recognizes this concept as an important safety measure designed to educate faculty and staff on how to recognize and respond to students and other individuals who may be at risk of harm to themselves or others.

The second is providing a practical, strategic and coordinated approach to threat assessment.  Once receiving information of a potential threat, the team shall identify, investigate, assess, and manage any interpersonal or behavioral threat to the safety and wellbeing of campus students, faculty, staff and visitors.  Counseling and Psychological Services, the Student Intervention Team or the Human Resources Office will notify the Threat Assessment Team of threatening or violent behavioral issues brought to their attention.

The Threat Assessment Team strives to intervene in issues before they evolve into a crisis.  Team members have received specific threat assessment training, which allows them to carry out security protocol identified in the Critical Incident Management Plan.  The Team has adopted a systematic process to address campus risks and seeks to identify and prioritize the most significant issues before conducting a causal evaluation and engaging in coordinated intervention.  The Threat Assessment Team will not only address specific threats, but also general risks and identified vulnerabilities.

RECOGNIZING THE WARNING SIGNS OF THREATENING OR VIOLENT BEHAVIOR

As a member of the Eastern Connecticut State University community, you may come in contact with individuals experiencing personal distress or difficulties coping with university life, academic, work related or personal issues. These individuals may reveal problems to you through personal communication or indirectly by their general behavior.

While there is no exact method to predict when a person will become violent, an individual may display one or more warning signs before engaging in violent behavior.   While these signs do not necessarily indicate that an individual will become violent, this type of behavior should trigger concern as they are usually exhibited by people experiencing stress or interpersonal problems. Research has indicated that individuals who consider carrying out targeted violence don't just "snap." Most will exhibit signs or triggers:

• Plan or prepare for the act.
• Consider the act beforehand.
• Discuss the act with others.
• Demonstrate troubling behavior to others.
• Appear desperate or verbalize desperation prior to an attack.

Please be aware that the behavior(s) identified above call for your action and support.  It is very important to emphasize that everyone has a role in promoting campus safety.

HOW TO REPORT THREATENING OR VIOLENT BEHAVIOR

Immediate and Readily Apparent Threatening or Violent Behavior

Report the following immediately by dialing 911

• Any immediate and readily apparent threating behavior or violent actions.
• If you believe someone is in imminent danger of harming themselves or others.

Suspected or Potential Threatening or Violent Behavior

• Student Intervention
  • If you are concerned about a student, but it is not an imminent dangerous situation, call the Dean of Students Office at (860) 465-5247 or (860) 465-4412.

Complete the "Tell Somebody" online report form at Tell Somebody Report (T.S.R.) (maxient.com) to provide detailed information on any behavioral matter that is concerning you and should be reviewed.

• Employee Intervention (or others)
  • To intervene on behalf of someone who is not an imminent danger to themselves or others but is displaying signs or triggers that they may need help, contact your immediate supervisor or call the Human Resources Office at (860) 465-5228.

Complete the "Tell Somebody" online report form at Tell Somebody Report (T.S.R.) (maxient.com) to provide detailed information on any behavioral matter that is concerning you and should be reviewed.

When reporting potentially threatening or violent behavioral issues, please make every attempt to provide the information below.  Using the "Tell Somebody" online report will help guide you through the process.

• Identity of the individual who may need assistance.
• The demeanor or specific behavior of the individual.
• Possible triggers for the behavior.
• Where the incident took place.
• Date(s) and time(s) the behavior was observed.
• If this is the first time you have witnessed or been made aware of the individual's actions.
• Identify anyone else who witnessed the incident.

LiveSafe

The LiveSafe App is available as a free download for all Eastern students. It allows students to report campus safety matters to the University’s Public Safety Department. It also allows students to manage their own personal safety in everyday situations, and in higher risk ones.