Erie Community College, State University of New York

As part of its effort to continue to provide a safe environment for students, faculty and staff, Erie Community College’s security officers held a rapid response to active violence training exercise at the college’s City Campus Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009.

Approximately 10 building guards and college safety officers participated in the training exercise. To date, more than 40 security staff has already participated in this type of training exercise, which has been held at all three campuses. Additional training exercises using different scenarios will be held in the future.

The training scenario used Thursday was that ECC security received a report of a person in a classroom with a gun. The subject had shot one student and was in the process of harming additional students. Security did not know exactly where the shooter was and had to travel down a hallway, look and listen to locate the shooter and take appropriate action. Once they identified the location of the shooter, they neutralized the threat.

In the last year, ECC has made a major investment in campus security, including installing surveillance cameras at all three campuses, emergency blue light systems and holding training seminars and exercises. The college has also developed a long range plan to enhance its security operations.

At a news conference prior to the exercise, Quinn praised the experience and background of Director of Security Jack McDonnell and thanked all the members of the ECC security department.

“Nothing is more important at ECC than the safety and security of our students, faculty and staff,” Quinn said. “At ECC we are committed to on-going training and practice in the safety techniques to keep our ECC family safe.”

The security staff at ECC includes three senior building guards, 12 full-time building guards, three full-time watch attendants, approximately 20 part-time building guards and watch attendants and 32 part-time college safety officers, who are armed off duty police officers.

Erie Community College meets the needs of a diverse student body and contributes to regional economic vitality by providing excellent, flexible, affordable and accessible educational programs in a multi-campus environment committed to continuous improvement.