EAST LANSING, Mich. — Eight months after the Feb. 13 shooting on Michigan State University's campus, the school has released an independent-action report on their response to the incident.
The 25-page report was prepared by Security Risk Management Consultants. The report details the firm's findings and recommendations for how the school can strengthen safety and security on campus, and also improve future responses to any emergency events.
“This report is a critical next step in our ongoing commitment to ensuring MSU is a safe place for all who come to our campus,” said Michigan State University Interim President Teresa K. Woodruff. “It provides concrete recommendations for strengthening campus safety and reinforces our efforts are on the right track.”
The report gives recommendations for 14 key areas, including the following:
- Public safety department policies and procedures
- Planning and preparation
- Officer safety and equipment
- Leadership coordination and collaboration
- Command and control
- Internal communications, situational awareness and intelligence
- External communications, public relations and traditional and social media
- Interagency memorandums of understanding, support agreements and practices
- Emergency medical and psychological care
- First responder wellness and mental health
- Victim and witness support
- Community relations, partnerships and resilience
- Institutional continuity and recovery efforts
- Campus technology evaluation
The school said they have already taken action on many of SRMC's recommendations, and are continuing to take action on more. Among the actions being taken are improvements to the university’s Family Assistance Center processes and plans, expanding and centralizing the university’s security cameras on campus, implementing a centralized security operations center, upgrading electronic building access and updating door locks on campus.
The report recognizes the university's initial response, calling it "appropriate, timely and correct." The report continues: “We believe the initial response by MSU police and other police agencies was efficient and effective. The response in no way contributed to the prolongation of the incident, nor did it contribute in any way to additional loss of life.”
The university added that they are continuing to review the report in detail to determine any additional steps they may take based on the report's recommendations.
“SRMC highlights equally the complexities of such a tragic event on our campus along with the incredible dedication and response by our first responders and staff,” Woodruff said. “I want to again thank each and every one of them for their swift action and care in the immediate hours following the violence, and their ongoing support in the weeks and months that have followed. At the same time, we continue to keep in our hearts the students we lost that night, those injured, the families, and members of our community who were impacted.”
The full report can be found here.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Watch 13 ON YOUR SIDE for free on Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and on your phone.