The Board of Aldermen is looking for answers after a year-long wait to set specific policies on how to react in cases of violent incidents in public buildings and schools.

By Jim Clark

A dual set of orders put forward at the latest regular meeting of the Somerville Board of Aldermen called on the Chief of Police, in conjunction with the Administration, advise the Board of the protocol for notifying the public and families when there is an incident in a public building and on specific school-related safety policies and procedures.

Ward 6 Alderman Lance L. Davis, who initially sponsored the orders, told the Board that he felt a follow-up was due after a year had passed since Alderman At-Large Wilfred N. Mbah first brought up the subject of safety in public buildings and schools following the fatal shootings at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida last February.

“Right around the same time there was a conversation going separately, outside of the context of this Board, with questions about what we’re doing and what approaches we’re taking, what types of training we’re providing,” Davis told the Board. “And to be honest, I never felt like I got a really great answer to any of that.”

Davis said that Board members did get a letter that had some information, but he personally didn’t feel like he heard what he hoped to hear to be comfortable.

“Unfortunately, life moved forward, and some amazing kids took up the mantle of that and kept it in the news, and I kind of focused on other things,” said Davis.

An incident at the Kennedy School – which ultimately turned out to be a false alarm – a week prior to this Board meeting was brought up by Davis. “The school went into a ‘secure and hold,’ another word for a lockdown. And the reports that I heard both first hand, second hand and third hand, didn’t do anything to give me further comfort. In fact, they made me much more concerned about the concerns that I had a year earlier when this issue came up under Alderman Mbah’s order.”

In recognition that the issue was addressed nearly a year ago, Davis prepared the orders put before the Board last week, with the intent of advancing the conversation on the matter.

“There are specific protocols and training methods and enhanced lockdown approaches that the state has recommended,” Davis said. “It’s not clear to me whether or not we’re doing that. We have an obligation to do everything we can to keep our kids safe. No one here would disagree with that. I’m speaking the obvious. And I have no doubt that everyone who is involved and has put their heart and soul into it. Has put in a great deal of effort to make our kids safe.”

The specific questions put forward in one of the orders is as follows:

Does the city provide training in enhanced lockdown response strategies (e.g., “Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate;” “Run, Hide, Fight;” “Evacuate, Hide, Take Action”) to staff and students for emergency situations?

What specific details are evaluated following lockdown drills?

What specific feedback is provided to administrators, staff, and students following lockdown drills?

What determines the type of lockdown procedure that is initiated in different scenarios?

Any additional information relevant to school safety training, and how the information requested above applies to the recent incident at the Kennedy School.

The orders, which several other Board members signed on to, were passed and referred to the Committee on Health and Safety for follow-up and further action.