Many in the Parkland, Florida, school-community believe that “justice” is being served with the arrest and charges against former Broward County School Resource Officer (SRO) Scot Peterson for not entering a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School building as shots were being fired in February, 2018. Peterson has been called a coward by many. He may […]
Blog Archives
Parkland one year later: School security and emergency preparedness after the MSD school shooting
During the past half-dozen or so years, I have done an increasing about of expert witness and litigation consulting on pK-12 school security-related lawsuits. These types of cases have included high-profile active shooter cases, such as my retention by the defense for the Sandy Hook Elementary School litigation, as well as rape and other sexual […]
Federal Commission on School Safety report rehashes decades-old best practices, adds a few political twists
Statement by school security expert Kenneth S. Trump, President of National School Safety and Security Services, on the Federal Commission on School Safety’s final report: The Federal Commission on School Safety’s final report largely rehashes school safety, security, and emergency preparedness best practices that have been recognized since the Columbine era nearly 20 years ago. […]
School safety considerations for mail handling, suspicious packages, and bomb threats
The good news in related to 12 bomb-like packages sent to current and former elected officials, along with CNN, is that one person is in federal custody as of the time of this writing. Thank you to our law enforcement professionals and other first responders across the nation for their hard work. This incident raises […]
Federal Commission on School Safety receives testimony from school security expert Ken Trump
The following testimony was submitted to the Federal Commission on School Safety by Kenneth Trump, President of National School Safety and Security Services on August 28, 2018. The Commission acknowledged receipt the following afternoon. To the Federal Commission on School Safety: Commissioners, my name is Kenneth Trump and I am the President of National School […]
Advocates, activists, experts, and opportunists: Do you know the differences among those giving school safety advice?
“I don’t know what to believe and who to listen to,” one principal told us several months ago. As school safety issues remain in the forefront of school-community conversations following recent school shootings, the number of voices, viewpoints, and vendors continue to grow. School safety has been politically-hijacked by both gun control and gun rights […]
FBI failed to investigate Florida school shooter tip; “See something, say something —AND DO SOMETHING” should be new fed mantra
The FBI is the very best at what they do. The problem is that school safety is not something they do as a part of their core mission. FBI agents are not school safety experts. In fact, federal agents don’t regularly work with juveniles. They deal with adult criminals. They typically defer those few juveniles […]
School wrongful death, assault with injuries lawsuits: School security expert witness says cases are going from the schoolhouse to the courthouse
Today’s headlines on this week’s school shooting from The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, reads: “Signs and warnings failed to prevent Freeman school shooting.” Given observations over recent years, it would not be surprising if a future headline reads: “Lawsuit filed on school shooting claims warning signs were missed.” A wrongful death suit against former Chardon, […]
School sexual assault litigation: Security expert witness consultant says school rape, sex assaults are turning into lawsuits
As a school security expert witness and litigation consultant on school safety lawsuits, there are some weeks where I receive more inquiries for services from attorneys than I do from superintendents and other school leaders. Suffice to say that a number of parents today are taking their allegations and grievances about school safety from the […]