Crisis Intervention Plan in Response to a School Shooting

Crisis Intervention Plan
Institution
Course Number and Name
Instructor’s Name
Date
Student’s Name
Crisis Intervention Plan
A crisis intervention plan is integral in addressing different emergencies, including an active shooter incident. After receiving a report of gunshots at a local middle school and there being fatalities and panicking children, a crisis intervention plan is necessary. As the first responder, my plan will entail the following steps:
1 Determining the cause of the shooting.
2 Liaising with the school authorities.
3 Dealing with the parents
4 Dealing with the media, and
5 Preventing violence and talking to the perpetrator(s) if possible
My first undertaking will be to determine the cause of the shooting. I will ensure caution is taken caution by parking the patrol car for several reasons. The first reason is to ensure that the perpetrator(s) do not notice our presence in the event they are still holed up at the scene. Discovering our presence might provoke them to start shooting indiscriminately, which may worsen an already volatile situation. In this case, the most reliable source of credible information would be the security guards working in the school. Liaising with the community plays a pivotal role in helping officers address unforeseen challenges (Office of Justice Programs, 2015). This is because they provide vital information concerning the incident. For instance, they may have information about the gunshots. Was it indiscriminate or sparse? That may provide crucial clues regarding the perpetrator(s).
Step 1: Determining the Cause of the Shooting
Option A
Determining the cause of the shooting is crucial and will inform the rest course of action. If, for instance, the perpetrator is a lone shooter and a student, the situation might not prove complicated. Mostly, students engage in shootouts to get back at people who hurt them or express disgust about a given issue. Such perpetrators carry out their plans without much forethought; they act on the spur of the moment. In determining the cause of the shooting, I will also have to establish whether the shooter(s) is still in the institution. In case they have fled, where could they be hiding? Do they pose more danger to citizens? This will also help me determine the size of backup I need. This step will involve communicating with a reliable member of the school community who is well-poised to clarify the cause of the attack (UCLA Center, 2016). The clarification will also debunk false rumors regarding the attack. In addition, I will need to get information about available resources and personnel for medical and psychological help.
Option B
If I establish that the shooting was perpetrated by a group of outsiders, then that might be a case of terrorism. That would present a different ball game altogether because such perpetrators thoroughly and meticulously plan their attacks. Some are radicalized individuals, and they pose a great risk. In some instances, some are after monetary gain. Whatever the case, they are always inclined to take hostages to negotiate their way out or to earn a ransom. In addition, they pose the threat of shooting indiscriminately at the slightest provocation. If this happens...