District participates in threat assessment program

by Dan Holland

Revere High School was the site of a training session in November to prevent targeted violence in the school district. The training, which included law enforcement personnel, community support program leaders and school staff and administration, was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service’s Cleveland Field Office and National Threat Assessment Center.

Officer Scott Dressler, who has worked as the School Resource Officer for the district for the past eight years, was central in the training program. The district hosted a similar program three years ago.

“They came in and did a four-hour presentation on threat assessments and behavior assessments and what to look for to stop anything before it happens,” said Dressler, who has served with the Richfield Village Police Department for 25 years. “The most important thing about these classes is making sure that all red flags are looked at, and that kids aren’t slipping through the cracks.”

“We’ve been doing threat assessments on a regular basis,” Dressler continued. “It’s always helpful when the Cleveland field agent in charge of the Cleveland office lives in our jurisdiction, and we have a good relationship with him, as he has kids in the district.”

The training is repeated every few years to update students, staff, administrators and safety personnel, said Dressler.

“We seem to be up to par with everything they’re teaching, but it was good to get some of the school counselors who have never attended this training, our new assistant principal and our new superintendent; just to show them where we are and what we’re doing,” said Dressler.

Dressler said many threats originate on social media pages. “Kids have access to phones 24 hours a day, and they may do or say things that they wouldn’t normally do in a face-to-face meeting, where an individual may feel emboldened or a little more creative sitting at home,” he said. “So, with social media, it starts with the bullying, and it moves on from there.”

Any and all threats are investigated and assessed, Dressler explained. “This program hopefully brings a little peace of mind to parents in knowing that Revere is proactive and on top of it, and looking at and investigating all situations no matter if it’s a joke or not,” he said. “Any time violence, guns, bombs or weapons are mentioned by students, they are talked to and put through the assessment. It can end up being unfounded or made in jest, or it can go deeper.”

In the end, it’s all about school safety.

“What I want readers to know is what came out of the training; which is the relationship we have with the secret service and the community, and the willingness of the board and the superintendent to have these programs at the school,” said Dressler. “It’s just the willingness of the schools to show they’re serious about school safety and will take any steps necessary to ensure that the kids are safe.” “The training was about prevention, partnership and building systems that prioritize safety and well-being,” said Revere Local Schools Superintendent Dan White. “Together, as educators, law enforcement, mental health professionals and community leaders, we have the opportunity to identify early warning signs, intervene effectively and create a culture of care and resilience. I want to thank everyone in attendance for their commitment to this critical work.”