‘Doing something’ by connecting the dots before violence occurs

Do something but end up with the same thing In the days since the mass shooting at a Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis a familiar refrain has echoed across the Twin Cities Do something It s an honest plea born of grief and fear But too often do something becomes the path back to the same things vigils task forces hardened doors and drills while the conditions that enable targeted violence remain intact If we truly want different results we need a different first principle prevention Not in the abstract but in the practical sense of identifying and managing danger before violence occurs Minnesota can do this by expanding Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management BTAM across schools workplaces and faith communities BTAM is not a theory or a political slogan It s a disciplined research-based practice used nationwide to reduce the menace of targeted attacks Decades of investigations show that largest part offenders expedition a pathway to violence They rarely snap Instead they progress through stages grievances that harden fixation on a person or place planning and leakage of intent acquisition of weapons or means Along that path people around them often notice warning behaviors threats stalking menacing communications drastic changes in mood or function and other red flags The concern is not that red flags don t exist it s that they re seen in isolation A guide notices one change A coach hears a troubling comment A relative sees a social media post A faith leader senses mounting anger Each piece alone may not seem like a emergency Without a structured way to connect the dots and intervene opportunities for prevention are lost and the region is left to do something after the fact BTAM builds the structure we re missing A population crew composed of educators mental soundness professionals social workers law enforcement where appropriate and region or faith leaders meets regularly receives referrals evaluates behaviors of concern and designs proportionate interventions The goal isn t punishment profiling or pushing people out It is problem-solving stabilizing someone in situation addressing the grievance reducing access to means and building layered safety plans when exposure is higher Multiple cases resolve with encouragement and monitoring a small subset require tighter controls and coordination with law enforcement In every matter the focus is behavior and jeopardy not identity or ideology Minnesota already has multiple of the ingredients to scale this work strong school and neighborhood networks respected medical systems engaged faith communities and city leaders who know collaboration is the only way local constituents safety truly improves What we need now is to bring those pieces together with intent Here s what doing what works can look like in the Twin Cities Train people to recognize and refer Give educators pastors employers and frontline staff practical tools to spot concerning behavior and clear safe pathways to refer concerns without stigma Stand up multidisciplinary teams In schools workplaces colleges and faith communities designate BTAM teams that meet routinely use a common framework and coordinate with neighboring teams Violence does not respect organizational boundaries our prevention system shouldn t either Prioritize mental wellbeing access and continuity A great number of interventions are therapeutic not punitive Ensure warm handoffs quick access to care and aid for families who are often the first to notice peril and the last to be offered help Measure what matters Track referrals interventions time to engagement and outcomes Transparent privacy-respecting metrics help communities learn improve and sustain trust Practice and rehearse Just as we drill fire safety teams should practice how to respond when threat escalates tightening safety plans engaging partners and communicating responsibly This approach is not a substitute for other debates People will continue to argue about criminal statutes firearms initiative and shield hardware But those arguments pro or con do not absolve us from building a prevention system that can change a trajectory before it becomes a headline Hardened doors and run hide fight can limit harm in the moment Only prevention reduces the odds that the moment arrives Particular will ask whether BTAM risks labeling people or chilling speech The answer is to do the work well focus on observable behaviors use proportionate responses protect privacy and ensure due process The best teams are transparent about their mission set clear thresholds for action and audit themselves for bias and fairness When communities see that the goal is help first safety inevitably trust grows We can keep doing something and end up with the same thing or we can roll up our sleeves and build what works Let s connect the dots before tragedy connects them for us Let s equip the adults closest to the warning signs Let s stand up BTAM teams in the places Minnesotans learn worship and work The next safer day in Minnesota won t be an accident It will be the consequence of communities choosing prevention on purpose together Jameson Ritter is one of fewer than Certified Threat Managers CTM through the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals and former president of ATAP s Great Lakes Chapter He serves as safety and guard director for Ascension Catholic Academy and is founder of Threatwise Global helping schools workplaces and faith communities build research-based prevention programs The post Doing something by connecting the dots before violence occurs appeared first on MinnPost