FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Contact: Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Joseph I. Ciccarelli, Huntington FBI Office, (304) 526-3960

 

Conference on responding to school violence
takes place Wednesday and Thursday at Marshall

The Federal Bureau of Investigation in partnership with Marshall University, U. S. Attorney’s Office (SDWV), West Virginia (WV) Chapter of FBI National Academy Associates, WV Chiefs of Police Association, and the WV Sheriff’s Association, are sponsoring a two-day conference titled, “Responding to School Violence: Moving from Compliance to Implementation.”

The conference will take place March 26-27, 2008, at Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center.

The purpose of this conference is to challenge attendees to move beyond having an Emergency Operations Plan to actively implementing that plan through integrated working relationships.

The conference is open to school administrators, law enforcement officials, tactical officers, resource officers, and emergency management service personnel.

The first day of the conference will feature presentations on the background and history of school violence, the characteristics associated with a prior offender, the importance of a safe school plan, first responder perspective, and managing the aspects of a school violence incident.

On the second day, attendees divide into two separate groups.  School administrators, incident management personnel, and law enforcement executives will focus on developing contingency plans for reducing security risks.  Simultaneously, law enforcement training officers will participate in tactical training at a second training site.

Opening remarks will take place from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 26. Remarks will be provided by the following: Dr. Stephen J. Kopp, President, Marshall University; Michael A. Rodriguez, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Pittsburgh Division; Charles T. Miller, US Attorney, US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of WV; and Kim Wolfe, Sheriff, Cabell County, West Virginia Sheriff’s Association.

Conference highlighted topics include:

• “Lesson Learned From the Tragedy at Columbine High School” on Wednesday, from 10:20 a.m. to noon. Presenter is Sue Mencer.  She was appointed to the Governor’s Columbine Review Commission and Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Safety.  Mencer was an FBI Special Agent from 1978 to 1998.
   
• “Jonesboro, Ark. Middle School Shooting Incident” on Wednesday from 1 to 3:45 p.m. Presenter is Lieutenant Rick Elliott, Jonesboro, Ark., PD.
   
• “Harrison County, WV, Emergency Operations Planning” (panel discussion) on Thursday, from 8:10 to 11 a.m.  An integrated team of 15 professionals from Harrison County Schools in Clarksburg, WV, will facilitate interactive discussions on developing contingency plans for reducing security risks.  The Harrison County Emergency Response Plan will be addressed.
   
• “Mass Casualty Response and Communications” on Thursday, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Presenters are A. Gordon Merry, Director, Cabell Co. EMS, and Stephen M. Murray, Assistant Director, Cabell Co. EMS.

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