For Immediate Release
Monday, July 24, 2017
Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net
Burlington Police Officers Attend School Safety Symposium
BURLINGTON — Chief Michael Kent reports that three members of the Burlington Police Department attended “The Briefings: A National School Safety Symposium” at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.
Co-hosted by the “I Love U Guys Foundation” and Jeffco Public Schools, the symposium provides preemptive school safety measures for law enforcement agencies.
Sgt. Daniel Hanafin, School Resource Officer Keith Sheppard and Officer Domenic Grossi participated in the three-day symposium in early July, leaving with essential skills that the Burlington Police Department could implement immediately.
Attendees examined components of a crisis and were given a detailed action plan on how to address emergencies. They were trained in the Standard Response Protocol, which was adopted by the Burlington Public School system in 2016 after Burlington officers, including Chief Kent, and Burlington school officials attended the 2016 conference.
“Ensuring the safety of our students, faculty and staff is always a top priority,” Chief Kent said. “This symposium helps us do that by preparing our officers to handle a variety of school-related incidents in an effective and safe manner.”
After participating in the 2016 conference, Chief Kent and Superintendent Dr. Eric Conti announced that Burlington Public Schools would adopt the Standard Response Protocol to address any incidents or threats to student safety. The district transitioned to the new protocol last fall.
The “I Love U Guys Foundation” is an organization that advances school safety by connecting school administrators with law enforcement officials to handle critical events and emergencies. Founded by John-Michael Keyes, whose daughter Emily was fatally shot in the Platte Canyon CO High School Shooting. Emily’s final text to her father before being killed was, “i love u guys.”
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