FBI Special Agent Joseph Malhoit will deliver a 90 minute presentation on active shooting situations on Sept. 14 from 10-11:30 a.m. in the Upper Conference Center.

The presentation was designed specifically for colleges and other educational settings. Malhoit will address what to do in an active shooter situation and how to identify precursors to such an event. Active listening skills will be emphasized.

“You don’t want people leaving being afraid,” Mike Munford, Director of Public Safety, said. “You want people leaving with a healthy level of concern. The reason I’m so excited about this presentation is that part of this will talk about a historical perspective of active shooters, but also what we can do as community members to help prevent such an incident from occurring on campus.”

Should an active shooting take place, public safety officers understand the evacuation process and how to get people out of harm’s way. Local law enforcement will come to neutralize the situation.

It is the University’s responsibility to communicate information to the community in the form of SMSU Alerts, email, phone calls, webpage announcements, and the local radio station.

“This goes to a key philosophy of mine,” Munford said. “I think information is power.”

According to the latest crime statistics report, which includes data from July through December, there was one instance of illegal weapons possession in September 2014. No arrest was made, and the party was referred for disciplinary action.

“I’d be naive to think there were no weapons on campus,” Munford said. “But the reality is that number doesn’t seem low compared to what we get typically. I wish it were zero. I don’t think it’s low, I think it’s the reality of people, from what has transpired in our country, understanding that weapons on a college university are not allowed.”

There are 200 seats available for the presentation, and many have already made reservations. Munford hopes to turn no one away who wants to attend.

Monday’s presentation will be the first event in the first annual Public Safety Week. Other events include Operation ID held Sept. 15-17 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. in the Conference Center Lower Ballroom. Here, students can register their devices, and records will be kept with Public Safety. This will help with recovery in the event of theft.

Impaired driving awareness will take place Sept. 17 from 6-8 p.m. in the Conference Center loop. Students will use fatal vision goggles to demonstrate how alcohol can make ordinary activities, like driving, deadly.

Munford has wanted to host Public Safety Week for a while, and says the timing is right. He hopes each year will have a different perspective.

“I think it’s going to be beneficial to our community members to be there and participate in it,” Munford said.