Boosting Safety in Hawaiian Schools
The U.S. Department of Justice has awarded the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu a significant grant to bolster the state’s threat assessment and violence prevention capabilities in its schools and communities.
Project Details and Goals
• To increase threat assessment and violence prevention capabilities on involved campuses
• To develop sustainable violence prevention practices in K–12 schools and their communities
• To enhance bystander intervention techniques among school and campus members
• To implement school Behavior Threat Assessment teams using national best practices
• To improve cultural perception of threat assessment and violence prevention practices in school and campus communities
These goals aim to create a safer and more secure environment for students, staff, and the wider community.
Partnerships and Collaborations
The project involves several key partners, including:
• The Hawaiʻi Office of Homeland Security
• The Hawaiʻi State Fusion Center (HSFC)
• K–12 private and charter schools
• Threat Team Hawaiʻi
• Other public and private organizations and businesses
These partnerships will help to support the project and ensure its success.
State-Wide Initiative
The U.S. Department of Justice has previously awarded targeted violence and terrorism prevention grants to the university in 2021 and 2022, totaling over $1.3 million. These grants have helped to build Hawaiʻi state school threat assessment teams and raise awareness about the importance of violence prevention.
Leading the Charge
The principal investigator, Bev Baligad, is committed to making Hawaiʻi a safer place for its schools and communities. “We intend to fulfill our commitment to preventing acts of targeted violence in Hawaiʻi by working closely with schools and fostering the establishment of sustainable threat assessment teams and practices,” Baligad said.
The award of $2 million to the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu marks an important step towards enhancing the state’s threat assessment and violence prevention capabilities in its schools and communities. With this grant, the university is well-positioned to make a significant impact on the safety and security of Hawaii’s schools and communities. What You Can Do
To learn more about the project, visit the Ka Puna O Kaloʻi website. Example: Threat assessment and violence prevention can be implemented through a variety of measures, including:
• Behavioral assessment and intervention
• Crisis response planning
• Safe reporting systems
• Bystander intervention training
These measures can help to create a safer and more secure environment for students, staff, and the wider community. Example: A school may use a threat assessment team to:
• Identify and assess potential threats
• Develop strategies to address threats
• Implement safety protocols
• Provide support and resources
By implementing these measures and strategies, schools can create a safer and more secure environment for everyone.
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