Date: Tuesday, September 22
Time: 2 p.m. ET | 1 p.m. CT | 11 a.m. PT
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Columbine changed active shooter response. More than two decades later, after-action reports continue to identify many of the same operational challenges.
Drawing on an analysis of publicly available U.S. active shooter after-action reports from 1999 through 2022, researchers found recurring recommendations in areas including incident command, communications, multi-agency coordination, training and casualty care. Despite decades of lessons learned, many of the same recommendations continue to appear.
This 90-minute webinar asks the harder question: Why?
Join the researchers behind the study as they discuss what 24 years of after-action reports reveal, why agencies continue to struggle with implementing lessons learned and what practical steps law enforcement leaders can take to strengthen preparedness before the next critical incident. From building stronger command structures and improving interoperability with fire and EMS partners to enhancing casualty care and organizational learning, attendees will leave with actionable strategies grounded in nearly a quarter century of after-action reporting.
The discussion will also move from research to the reality of response. Detective Michael Adrian Collazo of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, who was among the officers who entered The Covenant School during the March 27, 2023, shooting, will share how prior training and school preparedness influenced the response, what happened when that preparation was put to the test and what other agencies can learn from Nashville’s experience. He will also discuss the importance of supporting officers after a critical incident through peer support, counseling and other resources.
Attend this webinar to:
- Identify the recurring operational challenges and recommendations that emerged from 24 years of active shooter after-action reports.
- Examine why agencies struggle to translate lessons learned into lasting organizational and operational change.
- Discuss practical strategies for strengthening incident command, communications and multi-agency coordination.
- Explore approaches to improving fire/EMS integration, casualty care and overall agency preparedness for active shooter incidents.
About our panel
Rachael Arietti, Ph.D., is an applied researcher whose work focuses on policing, violence prevention, and community safety. She earned her doctorate in Criminal Justice from John Jay College/CUNY Graduate Center. Before pursuing her Ph.D., Dr. Arietti worked at the Police Executive Research Forum, where she partnered with law enforcement agencies on research and technical assistance initiatives addressing a wide range of public safety issues, including active shooter preparedness.
Michael Adrian Collazo was born and raised in Middle Tennessee. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He served for eight years and earned his college degree while continuing his military service in the Marine Corps Reserve. Collazo joined the Nashville Police Department after graduating from the police academy. He spent approximately two years on patrol before joining a proactive uniformed Flex Team, where he served for three years. He later investigated street-level narcotics cases with a Crime Suppression Unit before transferring to the Field Intelligence Unit to focus on complex, long-term investigations. On March 27, 2023, Collazo was among the first officers to respond to the mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville. He and four other officers entered the school, searched for the shooter and confronted the attacker. The response, which followed the deaths of six victims, changed the course of Collazo’s life and career.
Joshua D. Freilich, JD, Ph.D., is a professor in the Criminal Justice Department at John Jay College, CUNY. His research has been funded by DHS, NIJ and other agencies. It focuses on the causes of and responses to targeted violence, open-source research methods and criminology theory, especially situational crime prevention.
About our moderator
Greg Friese, MS, NRP, is a paramedic, educator and content strategist with more than two decades of experience in emergency services, continuing education and public safety media. Greg has designed and delivered hundreds of accredited courses, training resources, webinars and conference presentations for paramedics, firefighters and public safety leaders. Greg is known for translating complex operational and clinical topics into practical tools public safety professionals can use to improve decision-making and team performance.
Register now using the “Register for this Police1 Webinar” box on this page!