NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

4/24/2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES - Northwestern State University police will be working with Louisiana State Police in the upcoming weeks to assess university security and safety. As part of the process of reviewing the university's emergency response plan, NSU Environmental Health and Safety Officer Tammie Pezant attended a FBI School Violence Seminar sponsored by the Louisiana State Police in Baton Rouge Monday.

The seminar was conducted by Special Agent Terry Royster, who teaches in the Behavioral Science Unit at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va.

Royster emphasized that each school, college or university should have an emergency response plan.

"An emergency response plan is very important," said Pezant. "We cannot always prevent an event from taking place, but we can plan our response to it. This seminar reinforced the plan we have and let us know that our plan is on track."

During the seminar, participants received a Threat Assessment/Intervention Plan Overview, learning the types of threats, levels of threats and what motivates threats.

Past school shootings were used as case studies, helping law enforcement and school officials learn from past incidents.

Royster said there is no way to prevent a school shooting or to profile a school shooter. Every school shooter is unique, she said.

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