LESSONS LEARNED

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LESSONS LEARNED

• Delaware State University
• Campus Shooting
• A Sampling of Lessons Learned
• Presented by
• Chief James Overton
• November 18, 2008

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NEWARK, Aug. 9 In a day of dramatic turns that
included the surrender of one suspect to the
mayor himself, the authorities announced on
Thursday that a 15-year-old youth and a
28-year-old construction worker had been arrested
in the murder of three young people and the
wounding of a fourth in an episode that has
unsettled this crime-hardened city.
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(No Transcript)
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2 Students injured in campus shooting
DOVER, Del., Sept. 21 The campus of Delaware
State University was locked down Friday after two
freshman students were shot and wounded, one
seriously, when an argument that had begun at a
university cafeteria resumed on the street, the
police said. The two suspects in the shootings
were also students, the police said. One was
taken into custody for questioning, and the other
was being sought Friday night. Neither was
identified publicly.
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Friday, Sept. 21, 20071254 a.m.

• Delaware State University police received a call
  that two students were shot on campus near the
  Memorial Hall gymnasium. A single male suspect is
  being sought. Victims were transported to
  hospitals within the state.

LESSONS LEARNED
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Friday, Sept. 21, 2007201 a.m.

• Timely warning notification out
• Campus closed to non-essential personnel
• Door-to-door in residence halls to secure
  students
• Tips/info sought through tip line

LESSONS LEARNED
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Friday, Sept. 21, 2007240 a.m.

• Revised timely warning (more information)
• Students secured in residence halls
• Completed notification to employees currently on
  campus
• Media briefed
• Crisis management team meets
• Notification to campers parked in adjacent lot
  attending NASCAR event

LESSONS LEARNED
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Friday, Sept. 21, 2007356 a.m.

• Update from campus police condition of
  victims/investigation
• Action items launched canceling classes,
  informing constituents through multiple mediums,
  keeping students in residence halls

LESSONS LEARNED
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Friday, Sept. 21, 2007510 a.m.

• President cancels classes/events
• Campus access limited to essential personnel
• Employees directed to take the day off
• Media briefed
• Counseling for students
• Plans in place to handle parents/families wanting
  to pick up students and for students who want to
  immediately leave
• Media briefings, communiqués to key constituents,
  crisis team meetings and action plans activated
  all day.

LESSONS LEARNED
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Saturday, Sept. 22 andSunday, Sept. 23

• Limited campus access, canceled classes
• Students still confined to residence halls with
  dining plans in place and limited activities
• Media briefings and communications to key
  constituents

LESSONS LEARNED
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Monday, Sept. 24

• Classes resume
• Media briefings
• Faculty/staff briefing by President and key staff
• Student briefings in groups (through Tuesday)
• Police arrest a DSU freshman that afternoon. He
  is charged with one count each of attempted
  murder first-degree, assault first-degree,
  possession of a firearm during the commission of
  a felony, and reckless endangering.

LESSONS LEARNED
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MediaPositive

• Numerous briefings
• Backgrounders/ prepared statements
• Real time monitoring of multiple web sites
• Awareness of key rumors
• External help in shaping news releases
• Attention to stereotyping

LESSONS LEARNED
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MediaChallenges

• Back up press office
• Ensure continuous spokesperson training
• Be ready with alternative briefing sites
• Handle staff fatigue

LESSONS LEARNED
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Constituent CommunicationsPositives

• Timely
• Often
• Multiple campus briefings
• Multiple mediums

LESSONS LEARNED
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Constituent CommunicationsChallenges

• Complete implementation of wireless cellular
  emergency system
• Collect more parent e-mails
• Earlier activation of parent hotline
• Dont assume constituents read e-mail/use web

LESSONS LEARNED
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University Crisis Management TeamPositives

• Quick response
• Assumed the worst to maximize efforts
• Close contact with victims families
• Smooth implementation of emergency funds
• Quick activation of support from state and
  federal agencies
• Promotion of tip line

LESSONS LEARNED
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University Crisis Management TeamChallenges

• Lack of real crisis experience among some
  members
• Up-to-date cell contact list
• Care and feeding of staff on front lines

LESSONS LEARNED
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Student AffairsPositives

• Quick residence hall alerts
• Quick securing of students in residence halls
• Plans in place to feed students/offer activities
  while secured in halls
• Continuous counseling
• Plans in place for students who wanted to leave
  or parents who wanted to pick them up
• Student meetings by President/key staff

LESSONS LEARNED
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Student AffairsChallenges

• Means for students to voice global concerns about
  violence
• More visibilitystudents want an immediate
  parent figure
• Process for answering constant flow of parent
  inquiries
• Clearer process for parents to retrieve students

LESSONS LEARNED
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AftermathA sampling of actions

• Put incident in global societal context
• Increase police presence per students request
• Articulate enhanced safety measures
• Increase presence of admissions counselors in key
  territories
• Heal through memorials, named scholarships, etc.

LESSONS LEARNED
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• Based on everything I have seen so far, theyve
  done everything right, said S. Daniel Carter,
  senior vice president of the nonprofit Security
  on campus. Theyve put their warning out
  theyve secured the campus, and theyve done what
  they needed to do.
• --Saturday, September 22, 2007, The News Journal

LESSONS LEARNED
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Questions?

LESSONS LEARNED