Triage and imminent threats to life

Units must further have the capability to triage all reports for imminent threats to life or safety and respond accordingly.

When reports of concerning behavior are received, the BTAU must be prepared to triage the information quickly and accurately with an initial focus on identifying and responding to imminent threats to life.

In emergency situations where an imminent threat to life exists, mitigation of the threat takes precedence over the initiation of a behavioral threat assessment.

For example, if coworkers report that an employee showed up armed to a meeting at which the employee expected to be terminated, then an immediate law enforcement response should be prioritized over a behavioral threat assessment. In such a scenario, the focus is on mitigating the physical threat and protecting the safety and wellbeing of everyone present.

A behavioral threat assessment should take place only after the imminent risk is alleviated.

Therefore, BTAUs should have established protocols for responding to reports indicating an imminent threat to life and should define at what point a behavioral threat assessment is incorporated into the process.

Part of the BTAU’s initial processing of reports involves confirming jurisdiction and sharing information with the appropriate internal and external parties as needed. It is important that any information that may assist in protecting public safety is not unnecessarily siloed within the BTAU or the agency.

At times, it may be determined that a report is unfounded and an assessment is not warranted.

Foregoing an assessment should be reserved for scenarios when doing so is clearly articulable and defensible.

Even for reports determined to be unfounded, the information should still be documented as future developments or reports may cause the BTAU to revise its assessment.

Unfounded reports may also be relevant to other internal and external partners (e.g., fusion centers or federal law enforcement agencies), and the BTAU should have procedures in place for sharing this information as appropriate.

Examples of unfounded reports that may require no further action from the BTAU include nuisance/prank reports and reports lacking any investigative avenues for gathering additional information, including unidentifiable anonymous threats.

Report is received Does this report involve an imminent threat to life?

Document, close, and retain the report. Share information as

Respond as necessary. Is a behavioral threat assessment still