Intruder Response Training from Strategos International

Virginia Tech, Tennessee Valley Unitarian  Universalist Church, Kirkwood City Hall, and Columbine, are just a few names of the churches, schools and workplaces that should be places of refuge, comfort, and learning, but instead are associated with violent acts. Two million Americans face violence in their workplace annually with 1,000 losing their lives. Extremist behavior, hate crimes, and violence associated with big cities are now within the boundaries of small towns and neighborhoods we call home. Over 50% of Active Shooting incidents occur in cities with populations of less than 10,000. In response to the demands of church officials, school administrations, and workplace management, Strategos International, LLC, has developed Intruder Response Training programs specific for each vulnerable environment.

Strategos International, founded in 2002, provides programs and training to law enforcement and military personnel based on real-world scenarios and the expert methodologies of their highly- trained staff of former law enforcement and military trainers.  Strategos has trained over 7,500 law enforcement and military professionals all over the world since 2002.  Strategos now brings that expertise and experience into its Intruder Response Training programs.  Intruder Response Training feature seminars and consulting in the most critical areas of “Inter-Faith Intruder Response”, “School Intruder Response”, and “Workplace Intruder Response”.

For the Inter-Faith Intruder Response program, the Intruder Response the Strategos team interacts directly with church leaders, business administrators, facility managers, Sunday school or Youth Directors to identify liabilities, develop policies and procedures, work with law enforcement or train private security personnel, and provide an overview of church facility security and surveillance systems and plan for medical emergencies.

In the School Intruder Response program, school administration, faculty and counselor personnel will learn how to recognize the behavioral pre-cursors of school violence and how to prevent the escalation of these type of behaviors, how to establish “lock down” protocols for school entry and exits, secure classrooms, and work with local law enforcement for the response and coordination of emergency action planning. School Intruder consulting services provide schools, universities, and school districts with comprehensive program and policy development as well as a physical site survey and recommendations, “Intruder Response” drilling protocols, and training for existing school security personnel, both armed and unarmed.

Workplace violence has increased to point where 1 out of 6 workplace deaths is attributed to violence. This violence as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA) may be “any physical assault, threatening behavior or verbal abuse occurring in the work setting which includes, but is not limited to, the buildings and surrounding perimeters, including parking lots, field locations, client’s homes, and traveling to and from work assignments”. Violence in the workplace is not limited to co-workers but extends to strangers that have no connection to the workplace, customers or clients, and those that do not work there but may have a personal relationship with an employee. Employers face a variety of legal obligations to their employee’s well-being and security and they must follow Federal, State, and civil requirements. Yet, employers must also protect the rights of the employees that are required by privacy, anti-defamation and anti- discrimination laws. In order for employers to balance the freedoms of individual employees and, at the same time guarantee them a safe work environment, the key is to developing and enforcing a comprehensive workplace violence program.

Workplace Intruder Response seminars are designed for the leadership team in an organization, including but not limited to risk management personnel and frontline employees where they will learn the background of workplace violence and become familiar with their existing policies as well as develop new programs to keep the lines of communication open, and develop an organizational and personal plan for emergency response. Strategos also consults with companies, large and small, to provide Workplace Intruder Response program development and training as well as site surveys and recommendations.

For more information on Strategos International, LLC’s Intruder Response programs for your school, church or workplace, log on to www.intruderresponse.com or call 888-569-5444.