‘Safe Schools Summit' held to discuss ways to combat safety challenges
The countdown to the new school year is on.
On Thursday, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) brought together educators, school officials, and police to discuss the biggest issues schools across the state are facing.
Nicole Lake, the Deputy Commissioner of DESPP, said they are constantly battling an ever-evolving threat environment.
“What students and schools are facing now is very different than even ten years ago,” Lake said.
The “Safe Schools Summit,” held at the legislative office building, brought together people from a variety of roles in schools to discuss ways to combat these challenges.
“We’re really a comprehensive kind of safety net of first responders and work that happens when disaster and tragedy strike,” said Lake.
One growing concern is any type of communication that targets someone because of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other parts of who they are.
“Students don’t always recognize that the speech that they are sharing is hateful,” said Lt. Haley Russenberger, with the Connecticut State Police. “And it can affect communities at large. You’re not just affecting one individual. You’re affecting entire communities when they’re crossing that line to hate speech.
Evan Allard, the director of the Connecticut Intelligence Center, said fake emergency calls, also known as “swatting,” are on the rise.
“We tracked swatting incidents across the state in 2025 to 2026,” said Allard. “That academic year was the highest that we’ve seen since we started keeping track.”
Allard said these hoax calls don’t just tie up emergency resources; they also leave a lasting impact on students, staff, and families.
“In the process of going through that drill, potentially experiencing what it would be like to be in that active shooter situation, it can be very traumatic for students and for parents who don’t know what’s going on,” said Allard. “Psychologically and developmentally.”
Police said one of the most important things parents can do is talk with their kids about what they are seeing online and help them recognize hateful content and remind them to never share any personal information with strangers.
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