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Threat Assessment Training Designed To Prevent School Violence

By Andy Chow

Published February 27, 2020 at 12:19 PM EST

Attorney General Dave Yost (R-Ohio) [Andy Chow / Statehouse News Bureau] — Attorney General Dave Yost (R-Ohio)

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is rolling out a new training program geared towards teaching law enforcement and officials how to assess potential risks of violence at schools.

The Ohio School Threat Assessment Trainingis a three-hour course available for free to anyone who wants to learn more about preventing school violence.

The assessment is intended help teachers, school administrators, and law enforcement identify people of concern, assess their risk of violence or harm, and create intervention strategies.

Subtle changes in a student's behavior can be a warning sign, and this training program is meant to help people recognize those subtleties, Yost said.

"Also to bring a lot of different viewpoints into the threat assessment team," Yost said.

Stark County officials, who have implemented these guidelines, said they have seen success in reaching a student before they carry out harm to themselves or others.