Carroll Buracker & Associates, Inc. (CBI) has been retained to conduct threat assessments and develop physical and technical security blueprints for Fortune 500 companies, city governments, county governments, universities, hospitals, downtown improvement districts, and nonprofit foundations.

As generally applied in law enforcement and security programs, threat assessments often relate to responses by law enforcement/security personnel about comments or actions by a specific person. In other words, a person's behavior or statements might lead to further investigation by law enforcement or security personnel to determine the extent of risk posed by this individual.

In the larger context, threat assessment, as applied by CBI, relates to identification of threat and risk facilitators that seek to identify the potential threat to an employee, official, or asset. Rather than taking a reactive posture, e.g., waiting until the threat is made, the protection of employees from targeted violence should be the cornerstone of any security plan.

The physical and technical security plans included Threat Assessments, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED); integration of law enforcement, security personnel, and technical security services:

  1. Access controls;
  2. External Lighting (outside), internal lighting (stairways/halls);
  3. Fencing;
  4. Closed circuit television monitoring, including remote interaction CCTV;
  5. Parking;
  6. Maintenance Surveys;
  7. Security guards/monitors;
  8. Elevators (where applicable, high-rise buildings);
  9. Passive-infrared and motion alarms in vacant buildings, floors and/or apartments;
  10. Security gates (where applicable);
  11. Resident/employee surveys; and,
  12. Resident/employee involvement.
Vidor, Texas, Public Housing Development

Carroll Buracker & Associates, Inc. was retained by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development to develop a Comprehensive Security Assessment and Blueprint to reintegrate the Vidor, Texas, Public Housing Development, after residents were forced out of the development by an extremist group. This project, which gained national visibility, resulted in many upgrades the reintegration of the public housing development, lighting within and along the perimeter, installation of CCTV cameras around the entire perimeter with redundant monitoring, sensors on fences, centralized access control, and resident involvement in safety. Carroll Buracker and Plassie Williams served as the two consultants on this important assessment and the installation of all physical and technical security upgrades.

East Texas Risk Assessment

Carroll Buracker & Associates, Inc. was retained by HUD to conduct Threat Assessments and Security Audits in six additional East Texas municipalities as a result of court orders to assure safety of residents in federally subsidized housing. This single project was completed by seven CBI consultants and included the taking of aerial photographs during the day and night to develop a Comprehensive Threat Assessment and Security Blueprint for each municipality. The staff members on this assessment and blueprint included Carroll Buracker, Howard Teten, and Dr. Terry Eisenberg.

DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS

Seattle, Washington

CBI was retained to conduct a Feasibility Study for Coordinated Police and Security Services for the South Downtown Seattle Foundation and develop a three-year Blueprint for a Model Security Plan. This study related to the services of more than 27 police/security providers in Pioneer Square, Chinatown/International District, and the North Duwamish. The plan included 62 recommendations to upgrade and coordinate security and safety for stakeholders in the three neighborhoods. The recommendations included closed circuit television cameras and monitors; process for coordinating police/security services; process for collecting, collating, and distributing information about security problems; access controls; and countermeasures to respond to specific risks/threats through supplemental response systems.

A key CBI recommendation that was implemented by the Seattle City Council and the Seattle Mayor included a Model Contract for the Provision of Supplemental Police Services by the Seattle Police Department. Supported by the South Downtown Foundation and the Seattle Chief of Police, this Model Contract was approved by the City of Seattle in February 2002.

Cleveland, Ohio

CBI was selected to conduct a Threat Assessment and developed a Security Plan in Cleveland, Ohio, for the St. Vincent Quadrangle, Inc., which included Cleveland State University, Cuyahoga Community College (12,000 students), 110 businesses, and eight churches. The plan included supplemental police services, institutional security, contract security, Cleveland City police, and five other police agencies serving the area. This plan was updated on three occasions over nine years.

CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS

CBI has conducted assessments of more than 70 police and sheriffs' departments across the United States. More than 50 percent of these studies involved security measures for facilities and personnel. In addition, Fire and EMS studies have been conducted in 36 major cities. The law enforcement studies included assessment of crime and workload by area of the municipality, analyses of deployment strategies, selection/training/evaluation of personnel, records management systems, emergency dispatch systems, disaster planning, vehicle fleet, helicopter operations, boat operations, and internal security processes. Rather than list the scope of services for each city, several prominent cities and counties by region, in addition to those outlined under the Federal Government section, include:
  1. City of Seattle, Washington (1 for the City; 1 for HUD, 1 for Non-Profit);
  2. Tacoma, Washington;
  3. Salt Lake City, Utah;
  4. Fremont, California;
  5. Milwaukee, Wisconsin;
  6. Greenville, Texas (followed church burnings);
  7. Port Arthur, Texas;
  8. Lawton, Oklahoma;
  9. Fort Collins, Colorado;
  10. Kalamazoo, Michigan;
  11. Allentown, Pennsylvania;
  12. Cheektowaga, New York;
  13. Annapolis, Maryland;
  14. Portsmouth, Virginia;
  15. Virginia Beach, Virginia;
  16. Princeton, New Jersey;
  17. Newport, Vermont;
  18. Charlotte/Mecklenburg, North Carolina;
  19. Fort Lauderdale, Florida;
  20. Hartford, Connecticut;
  21. Scott County, Iowa;
  22. Coffey County, Kansas;
  23. Hennepin County, Minnesota;
  24. Mecklenburg County, North Carolina;
  25. Bergen County, New Jersey;
  26. North Hudson County, New Jersey;
  27. St. Mary's County, Maryland;
  28. Cecil County, Maryland;
  29. Queen Anne's County, Maryland;
  30. Stafford County, Virginia;
  31. Spotsylvania County, Virginia;
  32. Chesterfield County, Virginia;
HOSPITALS

Dallas, Texas

Carroll Buracker & Associates, Inc. was retained to conduct a Comprehensive Public Safety Study for the Baylor Health Care System in Dallas, Texas, including hospitals in four surrounding cities. This study included an assessment of physical, technical, and personal security for doctors, nurses, patients, nurse students, and visitors at five major hospitals. In addition, there were internal problems that CBI was asked to investigate and help officials solve. CBI was retained to conduct a nationwide search for a qualified security official to manage the system.

Cleveland, Ohio

CBI was retained by St. Vincent Charity Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, to conduct a Risk Assessment and develop a Strategic Security Plan for this hospital in a downtown portion of Cleveland. This survey included a review of physical and technical security, security staff procedures, security escorts, and the integration between hospital security staff and the Cleveland City Police Department.

RISK MANAGEMENT PLANS

In conducting Threat Assessments for private businesses or government agencies, we evaluate the current 'Risk Management Plan' or system in place. The written company/agency procedures can be a guide for assessing the adequacy of the current 'Risk Management Plan' that is used by all employees in controlling risks. This plan refers to ongoing risk management procedures relating to recognizing, avoiding, evaluating, and managing risks (threats) to all business functions and targeted violence toward employees, officials, or customers.

Many risk management plans do not include the personal risks to employees or officials; typically, the risk management plan relates to avoiding business problems either internally or externally. Reducing risks to employees and officials should be a key component of the internal risk management plan; this may include injury in the job environment, which may include the security and safety measures taken to reduce risk to the employees in conducting business transactions.

If the 'Risk Management Plan' does not exist or does not address the major actions by the business to reduce risks, CBI provides input relative to preparing a model Risk Management Plan. Moreover, if the current risk management plan does not include targeted violence toward employees or officials in the workplace, such as handling stalking complaints, coworkers' complaints about behavior of an employee, and telephone threats, we will provide recommendations and a suggested time line for consideration or implementation.

RESOLUTION OF HOSTAGE SITUATIONS

Carroll Buracker, as a police chief, served as the scene commander for resolution of the largest hostage situation by an armed adult in a public school in the U.S. and evacuation of more than 4,300 students without any injury; 9 teachers and staff were held for more than 23 hours.

Local governments and schools should have comprehensive security plans relative to emergencies in schools. In a number of major cities and counties, these plans did not exist at the time of studies by CBI. Carroll Buracker & Associates

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