Grand Rapids, MI, Dec. 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vowing to do everything in its power to address school security gaps, the security firm Secure Environment Consultants (SEC) has partnered with renowned law enforcement consultant Dr. Margaret Coggins and launched a new service, the Behavioral Threat Assessment Process, to help schools nationwide put safety plans into effect. SEC is marshalling these formidable resources to give students and educators access to the same grade of threat protection that is trusted at the highest levels of government.
For schools facing increased rates of violence and set to receive increased federal funding for safety measures in coming years, there is an urgent need to address the gap between assessing threats and responding to them. Using insights from a distinguished career in the United States Secret Service, among other government agencies, Dr. Coggins is helping SEC teams address that gap, providing guidance in site assessments, trainings, planning sessions, and other services. In every case, Dr. Coggins and SEC emphasize implementation, preparing schools to turn knowledge from assessments into action.
“An emergency plan is worthwhile only if it can move from abstraction to reality,” said Dr. Coggins. “Right now, there is a gap between what schools know they need to do and what they can actually do, but with the right guidance in the right places, they can close that gap and improve school security.”
Amplifying the impact of its partnership with Dr. Coggins, SEC has also designed a new consultative service, Behavioral Threat Assessment Process. Built on evidence to transform education security, this comprehensive training and implementation model helps schools accurately identify threatening behaviors and respond appropriately. The service consists of a two-day training, process analyses, ongoing professional development, and 24/7 ongoing support from SEC experts in identifying threats and activating local resources. With SEC’s action-oriented approach, schools are empowered to be proactive and reduce the chance of violence on their campuses.
“Our services will provide decisive insights and support for many schools,” said SEC Founder and President Jason Russell, who is also a former U.S. Secret Service agent. “The gaps exist in school safety today because of a lack of time, resources or expertise to implement. Behavioral Threat Assessment Process supplies those missing pieces and advances the most crucial goal imaginable: keeping students and staff safe.”
SEC has made it a priority to hire only consultants with experience at the highest levels of security. Between its new assessment service and the access it offers to the best minds in the field, the company gives educators a way to optimize their time, energy, and guardianship of their schools.
To learn more about SEC’s team and comprehensive security assessments, visit https://secprotects.com/
About Secure Environment Consultants (SEC)
Secure Environment Consultants, LLC equips and empowers clientele to create safer environments through tailored site assessments, emergency preparedness planning, and critical incident response training from our elite group of tactical professionals. Learn more at www.secprotects.com
About Jason Russell
Jason Russell is the Founder and President of Secure Environment Consultants. A former Secret Service agent, Jason started SEC in the wake of Sandy Hook to bring White House-level threat assessment and protection to schools and businesses. He’s a frequent keynote speaker on emergency preparedness, active shooter response and safety and security and has trained thousands of individuals in critical incident response, de-escalation and behavioral threat assessment. With his background, he’s frequently asked to respond to crisis situations, including mass shootings, and serves as an advisor for school districts across the country, the ACLU, and more. Most recently, he was appointed by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to serve on the School Safety and Mental Health Commission.
About Dr. Margaret Coggins
Dr. Coggins is a trusted and accomplished law enforcement consultant, with over 30 years of specialized experience in the prevention of targeted violence, threat assessment, behavioral analysis, and change management. She is a subject matter expert in workplace violence prevention programs; school and campus safety; insider threat and fraud prevention models; and protective intelligence investigations. As a psychologist, Dr. Coggins’s approach emphasizes proactive prevention and intervention strategies to mitigate risk. She routinely consults on best practices for program design and implementation, policy development, communications strategies, and training to achieve safety and security objectives. She also advises in support of Federal law enforcement mission operations, to better align workforce efficiencies, technology modernization, and manage organizational change.
