Executive Risk Assessment on Active Shooter - Essay Example

Executive Risk Assessment on Active Shooter Introduction Active shooting is an act where an individual purposely engages in shooting mass of people with an intention to kill in the hospital or its campus. In most cases, active shooters use firearms, however in some other incidences there has been the use of improvised explosives and other weapons. The results of such cruel acts have been injuries and loss of innocent lives. One of these isolated incidences is the Military Circle Mall on14th February 2014. Many questions have since emerged on the police preparedness to combating and reducing its frequencies. This paper aims at examining this incidence with a view of suggesting appropriate ways to handle them. Besides, it explores on possible revamping of existing protocols on responding to the critical incidences. Active shooting remains one of the topmost priority in critical impact management. Review of Military Circle Shooting Norfolk Police investigation pointed out to an incidence that broke out between two people who were entangled in an argument. The police report further illustrated that there was a fight among some men inside the mall where one of them pulled a gun and shot another man. In essence, this is a precise report, which explains the incident as it occurred and the subsequent events. Some witnesses were interviewed while one man released a video he shot during the incidence. A lot can be said about how events occurred. However, the impact of the incidence and its occurrence is a burden to the police force. The injured was taken to the hospital, although the casualty was limited, many people in crowded areas remains at risk of such awful incidences. Certainly, this was not the first time for such occurrence; there has been a number of both successful and thwarted attempts within an outside Norfolk Police Department. Background Profile Just like any other crime, understanding the pattern of this offence is fundamental in curbing its occurrence. To do so, one need to understand clearly the intentions of an active shooter. Many of these saddening events occurs on the motive of the shooter. There are two types of active shooters, one that open firearms senselessly with an intention of killing as many people as possible. Most of these incidences are terrorism-related and often executed by highly trained shooters. Their primary goal is to cause horror and have a shooting spree. Historically, United States bears the greatest burden of this incidence. A good way to provide a clear picture of the occurrences and brief recent history would be to review a meta-analysis study by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Report 2014. According to a meta-analysis report produced by the FBI Report entailing active shooter incidences between 2000 and 2013, there was a total of 160 recorded incidences. Out of the 160 active shooter incidences in the U.S, there was a total of 1043 causalities. Out of which, there were 486 deaths and 557 casualties, excluding the shooters. Although a significant proportion of the findings have been withheld since it has been identified that some sections can aid prospective shooters, some other findings are worrying. In about 21 of the 45 incidences where the police engaged the shooter, nine police officers lost their lives (Schweit, 2013). Also, the report indicated that 45.6% of these events occurred in the commercial environment. Also, 24.3 (39 cases) took place in learning institution while others happened in multiple places specified by the report. This is quite similar to what the Norfolk Police investigated two years ago. Some of the areas that were recorded include Cinemark Century, a movie theater, the Sikh temple in Wisconsin, Colorado, Sandy Hook Elementary school among other places. In many incidences, the report identified public confusion, fear, and inability to respond rationally as the leading cause of deaths (Jacobs et al., 2013). Incidentally, when a shooter starts firing aimlessly, people always find themselves running haphazardly making the shooters have a shooting event. From the report, it captured the fact that almost half of these deaths would have been averted had the risk Presidential Risk assessment strategy been in place. Report on Management of Incidences Efforts have been directed to address this unforeseen circumstance within the police units. There was somewhat a good response from the Norfolk Police Unit, however, much efforts is still needed to address gun possession. The analysis identified a number of successful neutralization of the weapon holder as well as faults in responding to the incidences. Remarkably, more than 90% of the shootings studied ended on the shooters initiative after a combat, in such cases the culprit either fled or committed suicide. There were 21 incidences where unarmed members of the public helped to neutralize the situation. This was quite remarkable. However, this can be a breath-taking experience for one to engage. In future, unarmed citizens should be cautioned against approaching an active shooter. However, experts argue that in situations of self-defense, fighting would be an alternative. It is now evident that there has been some successful attempts to stop shooters from causing more mayhem. From the 160 incidences that were studied. Classification of Active Shooters One way to look at these cases is to explore the intention of the shooter. In the Norfolk case, this was probably a fight on personal issues. Other possibilities include personality breakdown and psychosis. While such incidences may be difficult to control, the police have a role in ensuring registration of all gun holders and ensuring mental competency before issuing guns. One man or some men can engage in senseless shooting especially in terror-related occurrence. Single man shooting are often easy to combat when police are quick to respond, just like how one could even take a video of the shooting in the Circle Mall incidence. Multiple shooting that involve taking captives is probably an awful experience of the police and the prisoners. Such shooters often succeed in capturing media attention and publicity. The result is severe confusion and fear to go to public places. Whichever the type of the shooter, police engagement should be re-evaluated with a view of strengthening policy and guidelines. The second category is suicide attackers; these are people who have certain cultural or religious extremism. Although in both cases the driving force is to kill, most o suicide bombers are often claimed many lives including that of the criminal. The Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995, is an exemplary example of a mass murder. Unlike active shooters, mass killers often have a planned approach. Notably, the investigation from the Oklahoma incidence showed that the killer had a parked Ryder truck with explosives near the Alfred Murrah building. The incident had been well-choreographed, and the result was a loss of 168 innocents people with dozen wounded (Makarios & Pratt, 2012). Today, it remains a mystery how an explosive-impounded vehicle escaped several police units along the highway and more importantly the intelligence. With such great number of people losing their lives, there is, therefore, an urgent need to revitalize training, revamp the policy and realign police strategies. This has been outlined in the Progress Report on the Presidents Executive Actions to reduce the gun violence report (2013). Critical components of long-term management of active shooter are deeply anchored here. A number of the recommendation has been suggested to help curb this menace. Challenges in Handling Active Shooters. One of the greatest impediment in ensuring safety is in cases of mass killing by suicide bombers. To date, they remain unpredictable, and practically police cannot check each vehicle along highways. Secondly, where shooters take over a mall with some captives, it becomes increasingly frustrating in balancing between engaging the killers and protecting the lives of civilians. Besides, many drafted policies remain on shelves, and situational response appears to take over with total disregard on policy guidelines. Recommendations Also, to eliminate the increasing incidences of active shooters, a raft of measures should be employed. To address local rates, regulation on holding firearms cannot be overemphasized. The federal agencies should review the categories of people legally allowed to possess a gun. This would eliminate incidences such as that seen at the Circle Mall. The office of Attorney General has let down the public in this, as policy makers the issues on gun possession ought to be a cornerstone. All gun sellers should be held responsible for selling any firearm without running background checks on the licensed dealers. Besides, there should be an improvement on the incentives for states and members of the public to share relevant information that would lead to possible suspects (Mitka, 2013). This would ensure that they are arrested before they unleash bullets to the public. More fundamentally, the existing barriers that limit states from reporting those unsuitable to hold guns. There has been an ongoing process by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address legal bottlenecks that target the Accountability Act (HIAA) that restrict information sharing. It suffice to note that through supporting such good will from the HHS, policy makers will have made a significant contribution. Some of the policy to reflect on include provision of training on responding to active shooters. As identified in the meta-analysis, the majority of public expose themselves to these shooters during incidences by making unthoughtful and delayed reactions. An existence of knowledge deficit is evident, this should be approached collaboratively by the Department of Justice, Homeland Security among other key players. More importantly, firearm surveillance should be revamped, data on lost and stolen guns and making it state-by-state responsibility. Combating crime is the best address when bureaucratic systems are cut and public participation is enhanced. Besides, the policy should provide for the speedier execution of cases involving active shooters. Harsh punishment should be enforced at all levels. Notably, prosecution of such crimes has been envisaged in the four key priority areas in the DOJ. To achieve this, the AG should be tasked to continue forming working groups that would provide reliable advice. Institutions of learning should be given incentives to develop Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) that will ensure resourced school officers. More research on the causes and possible remedies should be funded to ensure that methods adopted to combat this form of crime are based on knowledge. Lastly, addressing mental health problems and ensuring proper support and care for the mentally unstable patient will help eradicate some mental related critical incidences. Conclusion Active shooting has continued to cause security concern to date. Some of the established cases revolve around extremism religious and cultural beliefs, mental instability as well terrorism. Unlike other forms of crimes, these shooters and suicide bombers more often target large crowds, shoot randomly and the intention is to maim and kill many. Steps to address this menace are multi-faceted, however, stringent regulation of gun possession will reduce incidences. The U.S remain susceptible to these incidences despite existing of the huge amount of money invested in the intelligence, weapon surveillance, handling of mental illness and policy to improve security in learning institutions. Reference Jacobs, L. M., McSwain, N. E., Rotondo, M. F., Wade, D., Fabbri, W., Eastman, A. L., … Sinclair, J. (2013). Improving survival from active shooter events: the Hartford Consensus. The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, 74(6), 1399–400. http://doi.org/10.1097/TA.0b013e318296b237 Makarios, M. D., & Pratt, T. C. (2012). The Effectiveness of Policies and Programs That Attempt to Reduce Firearm Violence: A Meta-Analysis. Crime & Delinquency. http://doi.org/10.1177/0011128708321321 Mitka, M. (2013). Search for Ways to Reduce Gun Violence Spurred by Toll of Recent Shootings. JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association, 309, 755–756. http://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2013.610 Schweit, K. W. (2013). Addressing the Problem of the Active Shooter. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 82(5), 1–5. Read More