Reverberations from the mass shooting at the municipal center two and half years ago are still being felt, but steps are being taken to make the city government‘s offices safer.
This week, city staff divulged details about its efforts to prevent another violent attack.
Virginia Beach has hired a former FBI agent to conduct active shooter response training. It also has created an anonymous platform for city workers to report complaints or concerns about co-workers. And, soon, employees will be able to use an app on their cellphones to report emergencies.
On May 31, 2019, a city public utilities engineer shot and killed 12 people and injured four before police shot him in Building 2. About 400 people worked in the building.
Part of the city’s recovery effort has been implementing the recommendations of an independent investigation, which was completed two years ago.
Among those recommendations: Conduct workplace violence prevention training and establish a threat assessment team.
The city hired Mike Freeman, a former FBI agent, to be its new security program manager, and he’s in the process of assembling a team. Freeman will coordinate active shooter response training, which will include exercises on exiting a building during an emergency.
“It’s better to have a plan and not need it, than need a plan and not have it,” Freeman told the council.
City employees will soon have an application on their cellphones that will allow them to report an emergency and be notified of one.
Another recommendation was to create a channel for employees to voice concerns. A new, 24/7 online reporting platform has been established. It’s dubbed R.E.S.P.E.C.T., which stands for ‘report employee situations promptly to enable change together.’
The platform allows employees to anonymously file a complaint that will be investigated by human resources. The employee can also anonymously check the status to see what steps have been taken, according to Regina Hilliard, director of human resources.
Hilliard’s department will also be involved in all workplace investigations and any issues that involve employee disciplinary action.
“That should lead to more consistency on how discipline is administered,” Hilliard told the council.
The city opened the VB Strong support center after the mass shooting with money from a federal grant to help those affected. Rosanne Foggin, the center’s coordinator, told council members that the counseling services are still needed.
“These are not experiences that heal in vacuums,” Foggin said. “They do not heal in silos. They do not heal at a certain time based on a calendar or the turn of a planner. People heal when they’re ready and not until they’re ready.”
Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com
