A lawsuit filed by the parents of children killed in the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012 highlights how the best-thought-out security plans can fall apart because of details and/or last-minute changes. Before the tragedy unfolded, Sandy Hook Elementary had established protocols in place to cope in the event of an active shooter incident. However, some of the protocols broke down on the day of the shooting, and it’s possible that additional young lives were lost as a result.
A lawsuit filed by the parents of Jesse Lewis and Noah Pozner, who died at Sandy Hook, allege that classroom doors could only be locked from the outside with keys, which prevented a teacher from locking the classroom door (with the students inside) while the shooting was happening. Also, the teacher that day was a substitute who was not aware of safety and security protocols rehearsed at the school to prepare In case of an intruder. She also did not have a key to the door.
The lawsuit also alleges the town was negligent by not having bulletproof glass on the front windows. Lax security in the parking lot allowed shooter Adam Lanza to park less than 100 feet from the front entrance to the school, the lawsuit contends.
“We are hopeful that the Town of Newtown’s elected and hired representatives will work with these families, who have already suffered, and continue to suffer, unimaginable loss, to help resolve this matter in the most efficient and constructive way possible,” said attorney Donald Papcsy, who represents the families, in a statement. “As residents of the town, we all either have, or are going to have, students in our Sandy Hook schools, and we promote the idea of learning from the past and protecting our children in the future.”
Security professionals should also learn from the past. The lawsuits are a timely reminder of the importance of detail when implementing an emergency plan. The details that seem small and unimportant before an incident occurs take on greater – in some cases, life-or-death – importance as an event plays out. Holding drills and practicing protocols are critical to ensure an effective response in a shooting incident. Attention to detail is paramount. It’s easy to second-guess what went wrong after the fact. That’s what lawyers do. A much bigger challenge is to anticipate and correct any problems before the fact. That’s the job of security professionals.
