Apr 20, 2007 2:46 PM

Could it happen here? Plans in place to safeguard campus

In view of the recent shootings at Virginia Tech, concerns have been raised about UCLA's own security and emergency procedures. Helping to shed light on these issues are UCPD's Chief Karl Ross and Captain John Adams, who is in charge of the Field Operations Bureau, and UCLA Emergency Preparedness Manager David Burns. All three sat down recently with Today Staff Writer Wendy Soderburg.

The shootings at Virginia Tech have people wondering what kind of police programs are in place at UCLA. Can you tell me about that?

Adams: Right after Columbine, we decided it was imperative that our officers get some training to handle such problems. So we sent several of our instructors through a great course taught by the National Tactical Officers Association. Then we developed our own training course, using what's called "Simunition," based on a paintball system. You take the guns that you normally use and change the barrels out so they're modified for paintball use. Then we do some role-playing. It could be a situation where an armed suspect is not moving, or it could be an active shooter that we must neutralize.

Ross: It's our rapid deployment team policy, and it encompasses our tactical response. Here in Los Angeles, it would probably take 30-45 minutes for the SWAT team to get here. If we were to have a situation like Virginia Tech's, obviously you can't even wait two minutes. The reaction of this department would be immediate. We would immediately engage and not wait for the special weapons team to arrive.

Some have criticized Virginia Tech for the slow response time in notifying the campus community of the first shooting. What kind of procedures do we have in place?

Ross: In the event of a crisis, communication is critical. There is no one best way to reach a campus population, particularly on a large public campus. Therefore, we use a combination of approaches that can include e-mail, media, contacting individual building managers/residence hall staff, posted bulletins, university radio and TV, and public address systems.

Burns: There is no one system that will reach 100% of the population. It takes many resources, and each has its limitations. E-mail, for instance, is dependent on the servers and the network. But we also look at hazards. Earthquakes can knock out electricity in all of our systems. So we have some redundancies built into our systems; for example, a four-day battery backup for the radio station. What can people do to help themselves?

Burns: They can educate themselves. We're trying to get people to understand their role: When they get alerted, they need to turn to the Internet, turn on a radio station, get to their PDA or go to whatever system they're familiar with and follow the instructions provided.

Ross: How many employees have an AM radio at their desks? Probably a good idea to get one now.

What should people do if they notice unusual behavior?

Adams: We have a Workplace Violence Committee that works on these types of issues to investigate whether or not there is a threat. Students can use Student Psychological Services. In the residence halls, there are resident assistants and directors who work with troubled students to make sure they get the proper care.

You often hear about a student who reads something on a Facebook or MySpace page and thinks someone is acting a little strangely, but does nothing about it. Well, maybe it's time to speak up and not be afraid, because it's always good to let us know. If it's nothing, we'll move on. But if it is something, at least we have a heads-up, and we can start working on it.

Do you have any other reassurances for the UCLA community?

Ross: Well, this kind of incident is not new to us. The police department has actually practiced a scenario not unlike what happened at Virginia Tech. But that doesn't mean it stops there. We need to expand this training. We recognize that getting information out is a critical piece of this. So no matter where these major incidents happen — Virginia, Columbine — emergency management officers should reassess where we are locally, as if it had happened here. Then we need to refine what we're doing so that we can learn to handle it better.

For more information:

UCPD statement about campus preparedness

Safety tips & guidelines for active shooter incidents

Also see these stories:

Solemn vigil links campuses in mourning

Be alert to warning signs of a student in crisis

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