Johnson County Community College has a proud history of campus safety. In fact, our hardworking team has been recognized twice for their efforts by ADT Security Services. In 2018 JCCC was named the seventh safest educational institution in the nation and the Safest College in Kansas in 2019.
A wide array of safety programs and procedures are in place to give students, faculty, staff and visitors peace of mind on campus. These actions include:
- A dedicated police department consisting of sworn law enforcement officers, a detective, and an emergency management director.
- Our all-hazard, multi-step emergency preparedness program, Keeping Our People Safe (KOPS).
- JCCC Alert, an emergency notification system that allows the College to quickly communicate urgent campus updates.
- JCCC Guardian, our free smartphone application where users can text and call police and share their status with loved ones.
The ongoing success of JCCC’s emergency response depends on our team of dedicated safety experts. As new procedures and standard practices evolve, JCCC’s Emergency Response team steps in to train and disseminate updates and improvements across campus.
Safety training stays current
Since 2012, JCCC has implemented the ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate) curriculum, an armed/violent intruder response training provided to all faculty, staff and students.
Recently, Navigate360, the company behind ALICE, announced enhancements to ALICE Training®. These updates give ALICE instructors an improved approach to teaching and separates the strategies of ALICE into two distinct “buckets” to motivate individual participation. Situational Awareness, Alert and Inform is in the Awareness and Communication Strategies bucket. Evacuate, Enhanced Lockdown and Counter is taught in the Response Options bucket.
Additionally, ALICE Training® has implemented a trauma-informed approach, guided by the concept of the “Four R’s:”
- Realize – Trainers must have a basic understanding of what trauma is and how it affects the physical, emotional and mental health of participants.
- Recognize – Trainers should be able to recognize the signs of trauma.
- Respond – Trainers should apply a trauma-informed approach when responding to participants.
- Resist re-traumatization – Resist re-traumatization during active shooter safety drills with open discussion and debriefing when necessary.
ALICE takes action
To teach the ALICE curriculum, JCCC uses a blended learning approach:
- An eLearning module for all new employees.
- Guided scenarios throughout the year to help participants understand how to proactively respond to violent situations.
- An instructor-led course from an ALICE Certified Instructor that empowers participants to respond proactively to unsafe situations.
As the new school year began, so did instructor-led ALICE courses. Emergency Management hosted multiple in-person sessions during the spring semester, with each instructor well versed on the updated ALICE Training® enhancements.
Updated instruction builds courage
The enhancements to ALICE Training® give instructors a multi-faceted approach to their teaching and provide participants the assertiveness to take the initiative in the face of violence.
“With updated instructor training, our faculty, staff and students can build confidence in their abilities to respond safely and proactively,” said Dixie Johnson, Emergency Management Coordinator. “These sessions give participants the time to ask questions and learn strategies through the lens of a trauma-informed approach in a safe and secure environment.”
Before you visit, learn what’s new
ALICE is one aspect of JCCC’s safety response. Whether you’re on campus to take a class, walk through the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art or attend an event, take a moment to look through the safety programs and procedures we have in place.
