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Commonwealth Fusion Center Hosts School Safety and Security Seminar at State Police Headquarters
FRAMINGHAM – This week, more than 100 education and law enforcement officials participated in the Commonwealth Fusion Center’s School Safety and Security Seminar. The program at State Police General Headquarters provided important information about the evolving threat landscape and equipped school administrators, educators, IT professionals, and school resource officers with information and resources to better protect their school communities.
Subject matter experts from the State Police, FBI Boston Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) offered presentations focused on a broad range of topics from cybersecurity and cybercrimes to bomb threats, swatting hoaxes, and the emerging threat of nihilistic violent extremism. Each session reinforced the importance of proactive planning, threat awareness and coordinated responses to help prevent violence, mitigate risks and protect students, educators, and staff.
“Keeping our schools safe requires vigilance, collaboration and a commitment to staying ahead of emerging threats,” said Colonel Geoffrey Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. “With the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s support, the State Police is bringing educators, administrators, law enforcement, and other professionals together to build relationships, share critical information, and ensure our school communities have the knowledge and resources they need to better protect students, staff, and community members.”
State Police participants also included members assigned to the Fusion Center, the Anti-Terrorism Unit, the Watch Center Criminal Information Section and Intelligence Services Unit, the Cyber Crime Unit’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, as well as one of the State Police Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) canines.
This program continues the State Police’s commitment to supporting educational institutions. Last year, as part of the ongoing commitment to ensure the safety of those studying and working at colleges and universities, the Department convened 100 campus leaders for a two-day training program designed in partnership with the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators and Rutgers University Miller Center on Policing and Community Resilience. That program focused on the urgent and growing concerns of administrators and public safety officials surrounding intimidation, terroristic threats, harassment, and violence towards students and faculty members.
The Commonwealth Fusion Center (CFC) is Massachusetts’ primary intelligence and information-sharing center that works to enhance public safety and homeland security. The sworn and professional members of the Fusion Center bring together law enforcement agencies and public safety partners to collect, analyze, and share information related to criminal activity, terrorism, and potential threats. By encouraging collaboration among local, state, and federal agencies, the Commonwealth Fusion Center helps identify emerging threats, support criminal investigations, and improve emergency preparedness. Its overall mission is to protect Massachusetts communities by providing timely and accurate information that helps law enforcement and public safety officials make informed decisions.
Elly Smith, a manager in the Fusion Center’s Intelligence Services Unit, discussed the Current Threat Environment. Det. Lt. Edward Keefe, Commander of the Fusion Center’s Criminal Information Section, presented on Cybersecurity Considerations for Educational Institutions. During a presentation by the Massachusetts State Police Cyber Crime Unit, Sgt. Meghann Benesh leads K-9 Griffin, an Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) canine that is trained to locate hidden digital devices and storage media during criminal investigations involving child sexual abuse material, human trafficking, cybercrime and other matters.
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