An evaluation of the efficacy of active attacker training in the postsecondary setting

Abstract

Active attackers have become increasingly more common in schools across North America since 1999, particularly in the United States, so much so that regular training and drills take place, like fire drills. In postsecondary institutions, however, it is quite different, as students may opt out of offered training. The efficacy of active attacker training in postsecondary schools is an insufficiently researched topic. Postsecondary institutions in Ontario have been delivering active attacker training since approximately 2008, yet there have been no published evaluations on whether that training is beneficial to the postsecondary community. Does the training provide a benefit to the community, or is it provided so that institutions are perceived as addressing the issue of active attacker training? By engaging members of the postsecondary community, this study aims to determine what benefit, if any, the training provides to the community and how training can better reflect the needs of the communities.