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Douglas College Threat Assessment Team

Douglas College has established a Threat Assessment Team (TAT) to assist in creating and maintaining a working and learning environment where students, employees and users feel safe and secure. The purpose of the TAT is to assess, investigate and determine an appropriate level of response to reports of behaviours of potential concern and/or threats with the potential to result in harm to the campus community. Integral to the success of the TAT will be the coordinated effort of all employees and students to identify and report behaviours of potential concern and threats and to work together to create and maintain a respectful, supportive, caring and safety oriented College community.

The TAT is responsible for gathering and conducting a fact based assessment of all relevant information and data pertaining to students, employees or users whose behaviours may present a threat to the Douglas College community. The primary focus of an assessment will be the safety and well being of all members of the College community; the secondary focus will be recommendations to responsible Administrators based on the individual assessment and a plan for intervention and support for the threat maker/person of concern as well as support for any employees and/or students and/or users impacted by the threat maker/person of concern.

In conducting a threat assessment the TAT will review a report of violence, threat or behaviour of concern, consider any immediate steps that have been taken and recommend or implement any further steps believed necessary for the safety of the College community.

The TAT acts under the authority of the College's Senior Management Team in the performance of its duties and functions.

Threat Assessment Team Members

Depending on the case under assessment, additional persons may be brought to the TAT as team members or advisors to the team, as appropriate, and may include: the Responsible Administrator with authority for the unit where the threat, violence or behavior of concern has occurred; police; mental health professionals or other internal or external resources with expertise related to the case.

Reporting Concerns

Employees, students and users of the College may bring issues of concern to the attention of the TAT by contacting any member of the TAT, Security, or the Responsible Administrator for the unit. All reports of concerns will be handled in a confidential manner.  

In situations where there is a clear, direct and plausible threat or an immediate threat of injury towards any member of the campus community or the campus community at large, or violence resulting in injury, violence involving weapons or theft of property or violence otherwise requiring immediate emergency response, campus Security and local Police must be notified immediately.

Behaviours of Potential Concern 

Behaviours of potential concern to bring forward to the TAT are those that cause concern for members of the College community that may indicate that an individual is moving toward a greater risk of harm towards self or others.

Examples of such behaviours may include, but are not limited to:

Acts of violence;
Threats;
Stalking;
Excessive or intimidating expressions of violence, death or weapons in drawings, artwork, writings, spoken words, videos, personal websites or blogs;
Homicidal/suicidal expressions, actions or gestures;
Weapons (or replica weapons) on campus or recent acquisition of firearms;
Fascination or preoccupation with violence, themes of violence, or weapons;
Expressions of approval of the use of violence to resolve conflict and identification with perpetrators of violence;
Excessive or intimidating references to workplace or campus violence incidents or other mass murders;
Belligerent or angry outbursts, uncontrolled anger for seemingly minor reasons, depression;
Expressions of extreme anger towards self, students, employees or Douglas College;
Sudden irrational ideas/beliefs;
Indications of hatred towards any particular group;
Statements expressing a strong sense of marginalization caused by others which may include elaborate plans for revenge;
Excessive blaming of others;
Injustice collector, resentment over real or perceived injustices;
Social withdrawal and isolation from family and friends;
Drastic changes in behaviour including absenteeism, mood swings, diminished self care and personal hygiene;
Drastic changes in academic or work performance;
Evidence of drug or alcohol abuse;
Numerous conflicts with supervisors, other students or employees;
Exposure to and/or involvement in violence or bullying.

Douglas College Threat Assessment Team Terms of Reference