School Threat Assessment and Response System (STARS)

• NEMLEC Chair: Chief Leo A. Sacco, Medford Police Department

NEMLEC

The North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) and regional school officials have come together to help ensure safe and secure school environments that are conducive to school based learning. Medford has a comprehensive plan and has participation in the School Threat Assessment and Response Program (STARS) through NEMELC.

School Threat Assessment and Response System (STARS) is a comprehensive program to prepare, assess, respond, and strive to prevent threats of violence in our schools through mobilizing regional resources that recognize the individual uniqueness and integrity of each community.

This multi-tiered assessment and response system is designed to provide local officials access to specialized resources developed through a collaborative effort.

Utilizing the STARS System Protocol, incidents and threats are addressed through response classifications involving varying degrees of consultation, readiness, and intervention.

Once STARS is initiated, local response are augmented by NEMLEC's regionally coordinated resources including access to personnel and experts with specialized skills, planning and training opportunities, communications systems, equipment and advanced technologies, and protocols for program and technique evaluation.

As with all NEMLEC programs and initiatives, the School Threat Assessment and Response System provides a mechanism to ensure communication, coordination, and interaction between member agencies in an efficient and cost effective manner. This is done with a focus on the need to maintain control at the community level.

Resources

The STARS program makes certain resources available to member communities. At this time in the program's development these resources include the following.

STARS Response Team Made available through the NEMLEC Regional Response Team (RRT), STARS Teams made up of both law enforcement and school personnel who have received specialized training and experience in the assessment of threats of violence in school facilities will assist local police and school officials determining the seriousness of threats and make recommendations for appropriate responses.

Bomb Detection Canine Made available through the NRMLRC Regional Response Team (RRT) in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol and Firearms (ATF), an ATF trained explosive device detection canine and law enforcement handler is available to local police and school officials.

 

Equipment and Technology Pilot Testing and Evaluation As a component of the STARS program, pilot testing and evaluation of various types of equipment and advanced technologies will occur in selected schools and school systems from NEMLEC member communities.

 

• School Facility Floor Plans

  Floor plans of each school facility in NEMLEC member communities will be developed and provided to local law enforcement and school officials in both hard copy (booklet) and electronic (computer disc) formats.

 

• Document Examiner (Handwriting Expert) Services

  Made available through the NEMLEC Regional Response Team (RRT), the services of a qualified document examiner (handwriting expert) are made available to local law enforcement and school officials.

 

• Computer Crime Unit (Investigations & Forensics)

  The need to trace, track and identify persons making threats on the Internet and other computer networks, has become a valuable resource for the STARS team.

 

Additional STARS program resources currently under development include:

• Local Critical Incident Planning and Preparation
• Information Technology Systems
• Mobile Incident Command and Communications Capabilities
• Mental Health Evaluation and Consultation Service
• Regional Internet (WEB-based) GIS and Information Sharing System
• Public Information and Media Relations Capabilities

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