What is RISE (Part 1)
By: Everett Hornbostel
For four years before coming to the Dakotas, I served as a training officer at a university. In this capacity, I trained several people how to respond to an active intruder. The training was geared specifically for schools and universities. I learned through these trainings that most schools and universities are similar in structure and layout.
Churches, on the other hand, are unique creatures. Each church is designed differently, with some churches filling spaces previously occupied by office buildings, newspaper facilities, department stores and bars. This motivated me to develop an active intruder response specifically for churches. It flowed out of a project I completed for my Master of Corporate Security Leadership at Missouri Baptist University.
For the next few months, I will share the elements of this program, which I have called RISE. RISE is an acronym for Report, Interrupt, Secure, Evacuate.
Before we dive into the “R” of report, if your church leadership is interested in getting more information about the RISE program, you can reach me at everett@dakotabaptist.com. I would be happy to come to your church and provide training in RISE and help determine some techniques for securing your facility in case of an active intruder.
It is important to remember, RISE is not intended to be a linear process, rather a framework of a response to an active intruder.
REPORT
This sounds like it should be self-evident. Unfortunately, our minds get so involved in a situation that we don’t think about simply dialing 911. An important thing to consider is safety. In an intense situation, such as an active intruder, any person should consider personal safety before dialing 911 and being on a phone call. If it is unsafe to make the call, it would be wise to not make the call.
It is important to call 911. Dispatch and first responders I have spoken to have said they would rather receive 60 calls about an incident rather than 0.
There is a psychological phenomenon called “the bystander effect.” This basically means that the more people who witness a crime taking place, the less likely someone is to either intervene or to call 911. (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/bystander-effect)
During my undergraduate study in Law Enforcement in the mid-2000s, a professor shared a story about an incident which took place in the courtyard of an apartment complex. Someone was repeatedly assaulted in the courtyard over several hours. After the incident, law enforcement made contact with several residents who had windows facing the courtyard. They found that several people had witnessed the attack, but no one called 911 because they each said they thought someone else would make the call.
Reporting isn’t just making the initial call. It also involves continual communication with dispatchers or first responders to allow for a flow of information which will aide those on scene in locating the intruder.
Some churches utilize security cameras in and around the building. These same churches often have someone tasked with monitoring the activity on the cameras. This person can be the eyes and ears that responders need in handling the incident appropriately.
Next time we will look at the “I” of RISE, Interrupt.