Group: Security plan should look for threatening behaviors

Public spaces — including Boston Public Schools — are amping up security in response to mass shootings, but school safety experts say that’s only a small piece of the puzzle.

“Unfortunately, what we’ve seen since 2012 is a very skewed focus on security products and hardware and that conversation has intensified over the last few months and even few days,” said Ken Trump, president of National School Safety and Security Services. “Certainly physical security and hardware are good, but they’re only as good as the weakest human link behind them.”

BPS allocates $5 million toward school security, which includes 75 officers paid to patrol schools. Two new officers will be added next year, according to spokesman Daniel O’Brien.

Metal detectors are used at the entrances of some local schools “on a case-bycase basis.”

BPS is also looking beyond physical security measures, and in January began a partnership with Sandy Hook Promise, a program designed to spot the warning signs to prevent a tragedy.

Amy Klinger, director of programs and founder of the Educators’ School Safety Network, said schools should have threat assessment management teams. They are only mandated in two states: Indiana and Virginia.

“Security cameras, buying things, there’s nothing wrong with that per se,” said Klinger. “But it’s really the only thing we’ve done.”

She added, “Money we’re spending on people standing around in the school, we could be spending that money on these teams . ... people literally dying in the hallways aren’t getting any training.”

BPS is looking to implement a Safety Assessment and Intervention program through the Sandy Hook initiative, which teaches how to “identify, assess, and respond to threats of violence of at-risk behavior before a tragedy takes place.”