The Schools

Looking into just how safe Los Alamos really is, it turns out every school here has a Safe Schools Plan updated annually and submitted to the New Mexico Public Education Department for approval.

“We do not publish the details of these plans for safety reasons, but we use a Standard Response and Reunification Protocols across the district,” Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Guy said. “You can find general information about these protocols at https://iloveuguys.org/The-Standard-Response-Protocol.html. We conduct weekly drills for the first six weeks of school and then monthly for the remainder of the school year.”

Guy explained that these drills include evacuations such as for fire drills, lock out drills during which the school building is secured and all students are kept inside, lock down where teachers are taught to keep classrooms locked and students out of site, and shelter in place drills in which teachers plan on a situation where students would be sheltered at the school for a longer period of time. The information about these protocols is shared with parents and students annually.

“We have been very fortunate to have an incredible amount of support in school safety from Los Alamos County and the Los Alamos Police Department,” Guy said. “We have dedicated police officers assigned to our campuses as School Resource Officers each school year. I am grateful for these officers every day. We have been lucky to have the same officers for several years.”

The School Resource Officers focus not only on student safety, but building relationships with staff, students and families, she said.

“They are an integral part of our school team. They provide critical training for staff each year including what to do in an active shooter scenario,” Guy said. “They also serve on school safety teams. Sgt. Chris Ross is an important member of our district safety team advising us regularly on a wide variety of safety situations. The school resource officers teach lessons to students, interact with students, and support parents as needed. This week our School Resource Officers are running Kindergarten Safety Town. The partnership we have developed with the LAPD is outstanding and should be a model for other districts.”

One of the most important things that students, parents, staff and community members can do to help keep schools safe is to report any safety concerns as soon as possible, Guy said. Everyone can use the See Something Anonymous Reporting App to report any concerns 24 hours a day. The application is monitored by trained counselors who can provide support as needed and take on information. Information is reported to the district immediately and the police department after hours. Students and families can use this app to get help for self-harm or safety or report concerns about student safety, threats of violence or school attacks, bullying, dangerous behavior, or things like property damage. All tips are anonymous unless the tipster provides their name.

“We would rather everyone report anything that worries them than not to report and have something happen,” Guy said. “This app provides another tool that has proven to be successful for us.”

Over the past couple of years, the District has worked on improving the physical security of the schools by adding security cameras, fencing and control access points on school campuses, Guy said, adding that they will continue adding these security measures over the course of the next year in Los Alamos and as a part of school construction in White Rock.

“We know that none of the measures discussed can prevent all situations,” Guy said. “When we use all of these safety strategies together including training staff and students, we can increase school safety.”

It also is critically important to keep open lines of communication with families and increase protective measures for all students by providing mental health supports to all students, she said. Last year, the District made sure that every school in Los Alamos and White Rock has a full time clinical counselor in addition to their school counselors.

“Parents should feel comfortable reaching out to their teacher, school counselor, or principal if they are concerned about their student or another student,” Guy said. “School teams are committed to providing the social and emotional support that students need to feel safe and to keep others safe. Parents also can always call the district office at 505.663.2228.”

The Community

Los Alamos Police Chief Dino Sgambellone said the bottom line in any active shooter scenario is to “stop the threat”. 

“We train and plan and equip for whatever we are faced with,” he said. “We are trained to stop the threat.”

Chief Sgambellone explained that his department has been very proactive about training local businesses and organizations, including the Los Alamos Daily Post, on safe practices.

“We’ve cross trained with the Lab and as members of the Los Alamos Public Safety Association, we gather regularly with a variety of law enforcement, security and first responder organizations and agencies to discuss the latest safety protocols,” he said.

Active shooter events aren’t limited to larger cities, Chief Sgambellone said.

“This is why it is important for the community to take our training and report anything suspicious,” he said. “People need to live their lives but also to remain vigilant … if there is a concern with someone’s posts on social media that might indicate a threat … when in doubt give us a call.”

To request safety training or report suspicious behavior, call the police department at 505.662.8222.

Los Alamos National Laboratory

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) also weighed in from a safety preparedness perspective.

“The Laboratory trains regularly for a variety of emergencies, including an active shooter,” LANL Emergency Management Division Leader Jeff Dare said. “We have a close working relationship with LAPD and other first responders in order to ensure that, if the unthinkable happens, we’re ready to respond quickly to keep the Laboratory and the community safe.”