Representatives of the Greater Sudbury Police Service, area school boards and local agencies signed a Community Threat Assessment Protocol on March 27, 2012, pledging to work together to ensure schools remain safe for students and staff.

The Community Threat Assessment Protocol is a collaborative response to student behaviour that may pose a risk to other students, staff and members of the community. Under the initiative, school boards, police and community partners will share information, advice and support. Plans will be developed to minimize risk.

“Safe schools is a shared responsibility that requires collaboration, cooperation and effective communication,” said Greater Sudbury Police Chief Frank Elsner. “This protocol will enable us to work together to assess threats and implement early interventions. Our goal is to prevent incidents or avert further escalation.” He added: “The strength of the partnership lies in the multi-disciplinary composition of the response team. The members will review relevant information and draw on a broad range of expertise. This united approach will respect the individual’s rights to privacy and the safety of all.”

The protocol is based on the work of Kevin Cameron, Director of the Alberta-based Canadian Centre for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response. Kevin Cameron is a Diplomat with the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and a Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress. He has years of clinical experience, including working in the Child Welfare and Young Offender systems in Canada, providing high-risk assessment and intervention with children, youth and families.

The protocol outlines roles and responsibilities and defines policies and procedures. Partners will build working relationships based on mutual respect and trust. Together, they will help children and youth become happy, healthy, active, involved, and caring members of the community.
Greater Sudbury Police Service is the lead partner in the Community Threat Assessment Protocol with the four local school boards – Conseil scolaire catholique du Nouvel-Ontario, Conseil scolaire public du Grand Nord de l’Ontario, Rainbow District School Board and Sudbury Catholic District School Board.

Additional community partners include Cambrian College, Child and Family Centre/Centre de l’enfant et de la famille/Ngodweaangizwin Aaskaagewin, Sudbury-Manitoulin Children’s Aid Society/La Société d’aide à l’enfance des district de Sudbury et du Manitoulin, Collège Boréal, Health Sciences North/Horizon Santé-Nord, and the Ministry of Children and Youth Services – Probation/Ministère des Services à l’enfance et à la jeunesse, Services de justice pour la jeunesse – Probation.