Ohio Governor Mike DeWine in 2018

Ohio Governor Signs Executive Order to Create School Safety Center

The center aims to increase the use of an anonymous tipline, review school emergency management plans and host an annual safety summit, among other priorities.

  • By Haley Samsel
  • August 23, 2019

In a move he hopes will decrease violence in schools, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order Wednesday to create the Ohio School Safety Center.

The new initiative will have a staff of seven people and work within the state’s department of public safety to develop more security resources for schools, staff and students. The center will offer free risk and threat assessments to schools in addition to addressing some of DeWine’s other priorities, including the increased use of a centralized tipline.

“Having one office where the staff solely focuses on keeping our students safe and our schools secure, will allow analysts to nimbly assess threats, proactively address potential issues, and expertly train and support school faculty in a more streamlined manner,” DeWine said in a statement.

According to the governor’s office, the center’s staff will focus on:

  • Promoting and expanding the use of Ohio’s Safer School Helpline, which responds to anonymous reports of school safety concerns and passes those tips to law enforcement
  • Conducting more thorough monitoring of online platforms and social media for threats of school violence
  • Reviewing emergency management plans and providing threat assessment training to schools
  • Hosting an annual summit for public safety and mental health professionals to share best practices and resources with school leaders
  • Consolidating all school safety resources and upcoming training dates on the center’s website

DeWine’s executive order also created the Ohio School Safety Working Group. The group of experts on public safety, education, mental health and emergency management will meet quarterly to discuss current campus security trends and help develop a yearly report on the state of school safety in Ohio.

The governor said that the new center is part of his 17-point plan to reduce gun violence and increase mental health treatment for Ohioans. DeWine released the plan shortly after nine people were killed by a gunman in a Dayton entertainment district earlier this month.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Rethinking Campus Security From the Inside

    For decades, campus security strategies focused on keeping threats outside school walls. But since the tragedy at Columbine High School, data has shown that many attacks begin inside the building, often in classrooms and corridors. This shift has prompted schools to rethink security from the inside and place greater emphasis on interior elements such as classroom doors. This shift is evidenced by a new generation of classroom door systems engineered to delay inside intruders and an ASTM standard that raises the bar on how these systems must be designed to defend against attack. Read Now

  • AI in Security: Advancing Campus Safety and Considerations for Implementing

    Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to capture attention across every sector, and the physical security industry is no exception. Once seen as experimental, AI-enabled analytics now underpin how organizations monitor environments, detect threats, and make decisions. What was once futuristic is now a practical necessity for safety professionals managing growing volumes of data, tighter resources, and increasing expectations for faster, more accurate responses. Read Now

  • How Cloud Security Solutions Are Transforming Campus Safety

    Campus administrators today face a challenging mandate: deliver stronger security across their facilities while working within tighter budget constraints. From school districts focused on student safety to hospitals protecting patients and staff, the question remains the same: how do you build security infrastructure that evolves with your needs without requiring massive capital investments? Read Now

  • 77% of Americans Support Gun Detection Technology in Schools, Workplaces, and Houses of Worship

    More than three-quarters of Americans (77.4%) believe gun detection technology should be deployed in schools, workplaces, and other public spaces, according to new survey data released recently. The national survey shows strong support for incorporating camera-based gun detection into existing video surveillance systems. Read Now

Most   Popular