Behavioral Threat Assessment for SROs: School Based Threats & Situational Awareness

Behavioral Threat Assessment for SROs: School Based Threats & Situational Awareness

Instructor: Brian Clouse, Esq

Date: November 24, 2026

Duration: 2 hours (90 minutes)

Format: Online

Cost: $150.00

Categories: School Resource Management

Course Overview

This 90-minute webinar prepares School Resource Officers to recognize, evaluate, and address potential threats proactively before they escalate. The training shifts the SRO focus beyond conventional security measures toward comprehensive prevention strategies incorporating situational awareness, environmental assessment, behavioral evaluation, and community relationship development.

Key Topics

Participants will examine the three essential elements of situational awareness: recognition, assessment, and response. The course introduces the OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) and demonstrates its practical application within school settings. Officers will also learn the STEP Principle—Subject, Target, Environment, and Precipitating Events—as a framework for identifying and evaluating potentially dangerous behaviors and circumstances. The curriculum addresses both physical and behavioral indicators of concern, explores the pathway to targeted violence, and discusses threat evaluation and credibility assessment.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, participants will be able to:

• Define situational awareness and its critical role in effective school-based policing
• Identify environmental irregularities and behavioral indicators suggestive of school-based threats
• Explain the pathway to violence and relevant threat evaluation factors
• Apply the OODA Loop and STEP Principle to real-world threat assessment scenarios
• Articulate the SRO's responsibilities as a member of a multidisciplinary Behavioral Threat Assessment Team
• Execute appropriate de-escalation and engagement tactics for students in crisis or displaying concerning behavior

Course Content

Through case studies and scenario-based discussions, the training examines information-gathering methods, relationship-building techniques, threat assessment protocols, threat management strategies, and the intersection of disciplinary and criminal justice procedures. Emphasis remains on maintaining a school environment that is both secure and welcoming for all students and staff.