Virginia Tech Crisis Management

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Virginia Tech Crisis Management
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Virginia Tech

• The University was founded in 1872

• Land Grant College

• 19.6 miles of roads

• 15 access roads onto/off campus

• Private airport

• Corporate Research Center

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Virginia Tech

• 329 Major buildings owned by Virginia Tech in
  Montgomery County, with over 150 on main campus

• Over 8.5 million square feet
• 14,369 parking spaces.
• Main campus is 2,600 acres

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Virginia Tech

• Virginia Tech has one of the largest full-time
  student populations in Virginia with 28,000
  registered students.

• 9,000 students reside in campus housing.

• Virginia Tech is the largest area employer with
  over 8,400 full and part-time employees.

• Virginia Tech has an internal mail system with a
  distinguished postal zip code.

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Virginia Tech Police Department

• Established in 1945

• 1995 awarded National Accreditation

• 61 full-time employees

• Operations Division 4 patrol shifts, Criminal
  Investigations, Police K-9, Tactical Team

• Administrative Division Communications,
  Community Outreach, Campus Watch / Security
  Officers

• Wendell Flinchum, Chief of Police

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The Town of Blacksburg

• Incorporated in 1798

• Has grown to be Virginias largest Town

• 19.6 square miles

• Population 45,000 including resident students.

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Blacksburg Police Department

• Established in 1871

• Awarded National Accreditation 1993

• Grown to 74 full-time employees

• Operations Division 3 patrol shifts, Criminal
  Investigations Unit, Police Motor Patrol, Bike
  Patrol, Tactical Team and Police K-9

• Services Division Communications, Crime
  Prevention, School Resource and DARE Officers,
  Property and Forensics

• Kim Crannis, Chief of Police

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VTPD Communication Center

• Staffed by 8 full-time communications officers.
• Typical coverage is 2 scheduled per shift.
• Supervised by a civilian- administrative
  coordinator who is also responsible for records,
  accreditation, and IT.
• Report to Shift Sergeant after hours and on
  weekends.

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Responsibilities

• Monitor radio frequencies to include
• Police 1
• Game Operations
• Parking Services
• SIRS
• Housing
• Electric Service
• Physical Plant
• Virginia Tech Rescue
• Blacksburg Fire Department
• Mutual Aid/Fire

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Responsibilities

• Answering telephones (emergency and
  non-emergency)
• Maintaining the computer aided dispatch system
  (CAD)
• Servicing walk-in customers
• Researching requested information for faculty,
  staff, and students
• Key issuance of key orders to faculty and staff
  from the university key shop
• Monitors fire, panic and burglar alarm computers
• Assist other agencies (Blacksburg, MCSO,
  Christiansburg etc.) by providing information on
  students when needed
• After hours call out of physical plant personnel,
  electricians, etc.
• Query/Entry of all information (stolen items,
  missing/wanted persons, drivers, vehicles etc.)
  into VCIN/NCIC

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Blacksburg Police Communications Center

• Staffed by 8 full-time communications officers.
• Typical coverage is 2 scheduled per shift.
• Supervised by a full-time communications officer.
• Responsibilities for communications with
  Blacksburg Police, Fire and Rescue

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Major Incidents

• August 19-21, 2006
• Convict escaped from Montgomery Regional Hospital
  while in custody of Deputy seeking medical
  treatment.
• Killed security guard at hospital and fled on
  foot.
• 3 day manhunt that ended just off campus after
  killing a Montgomery County Deputy.

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Challenges

• Lack of phones to accommodate all available
  incoming lines.
• Need for a commanding officer in the
  communication center to serve as a liaison with
  the command post.
• An unofficial broadcast system would have
  increased efficiency and provided a means to get
  specific information to specific individuals
  without going over the radio.

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Aftermath

• Added an additional workstation.
• Issued Nextel phones to all supervisors and
  investigators.

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2nd Major Incident

• West Ambler Johnston Hall
• Gross Square Footage 272,019
• East and West wings consisting of over 630 rooms
• Housing 1,230 residents
• 12 entrances
• Administrative offices
• Campus mail room
• 7 Floors

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West Ambler Johnston Hall THE INITIAL CALL

• On April 16, 2007, the initial call is received
  on a VTPD administrative telephone line at
  720am.
• The caller advised the communications officer
  that a female student in Room 4040 West Ambler
  Johnston (WAJ) Hall had possibly fallen from her
  loft bed and was injured.
• The caller was provided this information by
  another WAJ resident who was near Room 4040 and
  heard what sounded like someone falling from a
  loft.

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WAJ - Police/Rescue Response

• At 721 am the VTPD communications officer
  dispatched the VT Rescue Squad for the female
  student that may have possibly fallen from her
  loft bed in WAJ.
• A VTPD officer was also dispatched at that time
  per VTPD protocol.

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WAJ - Police/Rescue Response

• At 724 am, the VTPD officer arrived at WAJ.
• After arriving at 4040 WAJ, VTPD officer
  discovered two people (1 male / 1 female) had
  been shot inside the room.
• The responding officer immediately requested the
  shift supervisor and additional VTPD officers to
  respond to room 4040.
• At 730 am, additional VTPD officers began
  arriving at Room 4040 WAJ.

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WAJ - Police Response

• At 740 am VTPD Chief Flinchum was notified by
  phone of the WAJ shootings.
• At 751 am Chief Flinchum contacted Blacksburg
  Police Department by phone.
• Chief Flinchum made a request for the BPD
  evidence technician to respond to WAJ for
  assistance.
• BPD Detectives were also requested to assist with
  the investigation.

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WAJ - Police Response

• At 757 am Chief Flinchum notified the Office of
  the University Executive Vice President.
• At 800 am Chief Flinchum arrived at WAJ. (Time
  as recorded by Chief Flinchums card swipe at
  WAJ)
• By 800am, VTPD Detectives and BPD Detectives
  were on the scene at WAJ and the investigation
  was underway.
• In addition, a local State Police Special Agent
  responded to the scene.

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WAJ - Police Response

• At 811 am Blacksburg Police Chief, Kim Crannis,
  arrives on scene. (Time as recorded by BPD
  Dispatch)
• At 813 am Chief Flinchum requested additional
  VTPD and BPD officers on scene to assist with
  securing WAJ entrances and to assist in the
  investigation. (Time as recorded by VTPD
  Dispatch)
• At 813 am, off-shift personnel for VTPD and BPD
  were called in for additional assistance.
• After responding, VTPD and BPD officers were
  assigned together in teams

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WAJ - Police Response

• At 815 am Chief Flinchum requested the VTPD
  Emergency Response Team (SWAT TEAM) respond to
  the VTPD in anticipation that search warrants
  and/or arrest warrant services will be needed.
• At 819 am Chief Crannis requested the BPD ERT
  respond for the same reason.
• At 915 am both ERT teams are ready and staged at
  the Blacksburg Police Department for deployment.

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WAJ - Police Response

• A Witness told VTPD investigators about an
  acquaintance of the female victim. The
  information indicated that this person may have
  been with the victim earlier that same morning.
• The reported information revealed that the person
  was not a VT student and did not live on campus.
  
• Investigators search for acquaintances vehicle
  in campus parking lots and become more confident
  individual had left campus.

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WAJ - Police Response

• VTPD and BPD officers went to acquaintances
  known residence individual was not home
  surveillance of residence was initiated.
• A BOL (Be On the Lookout report) was sent to
  Blacksburg Police Department and Montgomery
  County Sheriffs Office for individuals vehicle.
  (surrounding jurisdictions)
• All of the previous actions including the BOL,
  occurred between 816 am and 924 am.

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WAJ - Police Response

• Meanwhileon campus
• Officers were canvassing WAJ for possible
  witnesses.
• VTPD, BPD, and VSP evidence technicians were
  processing the crime scene and gathering
  preliminary evidence.
• Officers searched interior and exterior waste
  containers and surrounding areas near WAJ for
  evidence.

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WAJ - Police Response

• Meanwhileon campus. (continued)
• Investigators secured identification of victims.
• Followed up with rescue squad personnel for any
  additional evidence/information.
• Allocated and assigned additional responding law
  enforcement.
• Tried to locate the first student who told the
  Resident Advisor about the noise in 4040 WAJ.

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WAJ - Police Response

• Additional Notes
• VT residence halls were locked before, during,
  and following the WAJ double shooting. (Exterior
  residence hall doors are normally locked from
  1000 pm to 1000 am daily)
• All evidence recovered from the WAJ crime scene
  and witness information gathered at WAJ
  indicated that the WAJ incident was an isolated,
  singular event.

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WAJ - Police Response

• There was never any evidence or indication that
  additional killings would follow.
• After several months of investigation by Local,
  State and Federal Law Enforcement agencies, there
  is still no information from the WAJ case that
  would indicate the Norris Hall shootings would
  later occur.

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WAJ - Police Response

• From 810 am to 925 am, Chief Flinchum provided
  updated information via phone to the VT Policy
  Group regarding progress made in the WAJ
  investigation as it became available.
• At 925 am VTPD Police Captain joined VT Policy
  Group and provided updates as information became
  available.

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WAJ - Police Response

• At 924 am, a Montgomery County Deputy Sheriff
  alerted on acquaintances vehicle and initiated
  traffic stop off campus.
• VTPD / BPD Detectives were en-route to assist
  with questioning the acquaintance.
• Six Emergency Response Team members responded
  from various locations to provide assistance.
• From 930 942 am questioning of acquaintance
  was ongoing.
• A primer residue test was also performed at this
  time.

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WAJ - Police Response

• No witnesses heard any gunshots, or any type of
  altercation.
• No witnesses saw anyone in or around the area of
  room 4040 WAJ.
• No witnesses saw anyone fleeing the building.

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Norris Hall / The Initial Call

• At 942 am, the first call was transferred to the
  VTPD Communications Office regarding an active
  shooting in Norris Hall.
• The call was originally received by the MCSO on a
  cellular phone and was transferred to a VTPD
  administrative phone line.
• The VTPD Communications officer immediately
  dispatched all units to that location and
  continued to obtain additional information.
• A second call at 942 am, is received at the BPD
  and also transferred on an administrative line.

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Virginia Tech Main Campus Map
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Norris Hall
4 levels including the basement 0ver 272,000
square feet 3 public entrances 190 total rooms
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Law Enforcement Response
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In Route

• All available police units on campus respond
  immediately.
• Tactical units responded from the BPD and from
  deployment to Prices Fork Road (traffic stop).
• Multiple routes were utilized to reach Norris
  Hall with officers arriving on different sides of
  the building.

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Communication Center Actions

• Communications officers were answering numerous
  calls from on-campus staff and students wondering
  what was going on at AJ and Norris.
• People were walking in to get parking passes.
• Rescue was being notified.
• Several calls came in from within Norris and
  attempts were made to get additional information.
• Other calls for assistance were coming in across
  campus from involved students.

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• Numerous outside calls were coming in from
  parents and media.
• Outside law enforcement agencies were calling to
  offer assistance.
• Phones were non-stop-literally.
• Radio traffic was on-going from officers at the
  scene requesting additional resources and rescue
  teams.
• Lieutenant in communications center coordinates
  offers for assistance from law enforcement and
  community groups and answers phones.

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Law Enforcement Response

• Upon arrival, officers from both the VTPD and BPD
  integrated into teams and immediately attempted
  to make entry.
• As additional officers arrived, the same practice
  was followed, and teams were established by
  arrival time, not department.

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Law Enforcement Response

• Shots were heard by all arriving units and
  appeared to be coming from the second floor.
• No rounds appeared to be hitting outside the
  building (active shooter vs. sniper)
• First attempt made to gain entry was made at the
  Drill Field side of building.
• This entrance was chained, so the team moved to
  the next door.

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First Attempted Entry Point
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Entry Attempt

• Finding the next door chained as well (west side
  public entrance), VTPD officer was directed to
  fire his shotgun into the chain in an attempt a
  breach. Two shots were fired, but both were
  unsuccessful.
• The team moved to a solid maintenance shop door
  (adjacent) and successfully shot the lock and
  gained access to Norris Hall.
• Maintenance workers directed officers to nearest
  stairwell, while shots were still being fired.

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Norris Hall
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After Clearing

• After clearing the building
• Teams 1 , 2, and 3 joined in the second floor
  hallway and flooded into the classrooms.
• At 1008 am, Cho was located deceased in room 211
  and called down.
• The search continued for additional suspects and
  rescue operation immediately began.

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Law Enforcement Response

• Tactical Teams were redeployed to clear all rooms
  in Norris Hall.
• Officers arrived from multiple jurisdictions and
  supported the rescue effort and contained the
  established perimeter.
• All available rescue assets were called for and
  staged in close proximity.
• A second triage station was established on the
  Drill Field side of Norris Hall.

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Law Enforcement Response

• A BPD Lt. began shuttling victims by police
  vehicle from the triage areas to waiting rescue
  vehicles.
• Several trips were made with multiple wounded
  victims.
• Mass casualty protocols were utilized and medics
  were cleared to triage victims in secured rooms.
• Officers moved victims by color coded priority.
• All viable victims were removed and transported.

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Law Enforcement Response

• Initial casualty count was taken.
• Rooms were secured and only essential police
  personnel remained.
• A call for shooting at Lee Hall was received.
  Multiple officers responded and found a Norris
  Hall victim that fled the scene and collapsed.
• Command posts were established in Norris Hall,
  Burruss Hall and Old Turner Street.
• Initial Incident Command initiated.

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INITIAL INCIDENT COMMAND
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The Investigation

• On April 16, 2007, at 645 am, Cho, a student
  later identified as the offender, was seen
  loitering inside the foyer area between the
  exterior doors and inside locked doors of Ambler
  Johnston (AJ) Hall.
• On April 16, 2007, at approximately 715 am, two
  victims were found injured in room 4040 of West
  AJ Hall by a female student.
• April 16, 2007, at 717 am, Cho entered his
  residence hall- Harper.

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The Investigation

• On April 16, 2007, at 901 am, Cho mailed a
  package to NBC in New York, New York, from a
  Blacksburg Post Office.
• Cho Enters Norris Hall Between 915 am and 930
  am (as determined by witness statements).
• First call received by the communication center
  942 am.

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POST INCIDENT

• Media Considerations
• Command Post/Communication Center interaction
• Scheduling (shifts and manpower)
• Funding (4300 hours of OT)
• Presidential Visit

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POST INCIDENT

• CISM (immediate needs / later needs)
• Multi Agency Relationships
• Other events

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Communication Center Challenges

• Daily duties
• Walk-in visitors
• Visitor passes
• Requests for services
• Fingerprints
• Records checks
• Gun check out-in
• Report requests
• Key pick-up

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Challenges Continues

• Alarm testing
• Everyday phone calls and information requests
• Officer assignments (two crime scenes)
• Internal phone system
• Call load
• Cell phones
• Nextel issues

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Challenges Continued

• Suspicious people/circumstances calls
• Other related threats
• Calls offering assistance
• Law enforcement
• Those that have the answers
• Media
• Walk-in
• Replay/recording of radio/phone traffic

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Challenges continued

• Non department affiliated people in police
  department
• Outside dispatch assistance
• Deliveries
• Requests by law enforcement for student related
  information
• CAD documentation

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Technical Considerations

• Console/radio abilities
• Multiple departments/functions
• Replay capabilities/authorizations/
• knowledge
• Recording capabilities of all types of
  communication
• Telephones
• Dedicated lines/staffing

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Considerations

• Emergency mobilization procedures
• Liaison with phone companies, power companies,
  VDOT, Red Cross, churches, etc
• Joint information center referral/notices
• Communication officer training in unusual
  occurrences/crisis management
• Staffing levels

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Considerations

• Community alert process
• Requests for information/presentations/ training
• Offers (what do you need?)
• Training
• Grants
• Donations
• Equipment