The Mass Attacks Defense Toolkit: Preventing Mass Attacks and Saving Lives

Funded by the National Institute of Justice, the Mass Attacks Defense Toolkit was created to help reduce the likelihood of mass shootings and other public attacks and reduce the casualties of completed attacks. Whatever your role or level of experience, this toolkit can make you a better defender against mass attacks. After studying 600 mass attack events and plots, interviewing dozens of experts, and reviewing hundreds of references, the team identified the Mass Attacks Defense Chain, a series of defenses that work together to reduce the probability of mass attacks and their impacts. In this toolkit, researchers describe the most important tips they found to help reduce the likelihood and casualties of mass attacks and they provide key guidance and resources to provide more-detailed information.

Learning Outcomes/Objectives

1. Understanding the Mass Attacks Defense Chain
2. Understand what are (and are not) warning signs and the sources of warning data.
3. Gain awareness of the tools and resources available to help discourage attacks and increase awareness and reporting.
4. Learn about actions community partners—and the public—can do to defend against, and better respond to, mass attacks.

About Your Instructors

John S. Hollywood is a senior operations researcher at the RAND Corporation, where he conducts decision science research in the areas of criminal justice, homeland security, and information technology. He is a recognized expert on improving the detection of mass attack plots, using machine learning in policing, and criminal justice technology more broadly, and is commonly interviewed on these topics. He led development of the Mass Attacks Defense Toolkit.

Tara Richardson Senior Consultant, Lafayette Group For more than twenty-five years, Mrs. Richardson has served in leadership roles for national security, law enforcement, public safety, technology, and intelligence and information sharing programs. This includes having managed the operations of the Intelligence Commanders Group (ICG) and their development of the Threat Review Program (TRP) and National Threat Picture. The ICG was a joint group of the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) and the Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA). Additionally, she supported the White House and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) efforts to prevent terrorism and targeted violence. She also managed many policing programs on behalf of MCCA addressing traditional violent crime and law enforcement priorities. Mrs. Richardson guides strategy and outreach work of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) new Integrated Operations Division. She also supports mass violence research projects and the Leadership in Counter Terrorism (LinCT) Alumni Association in its activities in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Mrs. Richardson’s previous experience includes supporting the California Governor Pete Wilson and the establishment of the first office of the Chief Information Officer for the State of California. Mrs. Richardson holds a Bachelor of Science from Georgetown.

Richard Donohue, Policy Researcher and Director, Center for Quality Policing, RAND Corporation Richard is a policy researcher and Director of the RAND Center for Quality Policing. His primary areas of research focus on homeland security and law enforcement issues, including training, police-community relations, and recruitment/retention. He is a retired police sergeant and supported the research and creation of the Mass Attacks Defense Toolkit.

Pricing

$39 reg price, $29 InfraGard members, $26 Patriots Circle members