Violent Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA)

Student Violence Threat Risk Assessment

Fair Notice and Process to our Students and Parents/Caregivers

What Parents & Students Need to Know

  • All threat making behaviour(s) must be reported to the school Principal/Vice-Principal who activates the VTRA protocol
  • Investigation may involve student services counsellors, the police of jurisdiction, or other community agencies
  • Investigation may involve locker and personal property searches
  • Interviews will be held with the students, threat maker, parents/guardians/caregivers and staff who may have information about the threat
  • Parents of students who are directly involved will be notified
  • Threatening behaviour may result in disciplinary action
  • An intervention plan may be developed for the student making the threat and a support plan developed for any individuals targeted by threats

What is a threat?

An expression of intent to do harm or act out violently against someone or something which may be verbal, written, drawn, posted on the Internet, or made by gestures. Luther College cannot ignore any threat of violence.

What is the purpose of a VTRA?

  • Ensure the safety of students, staff, parents/guardians/caregivers, and others
  • Ensure a full understanding of the context and level of the threat
  • Begin to understand factors that contribute to the threat maker’s behaviour
  • Be proactive in developing an intervention and support plan for the emotional and physical safety of the threat maker
  • Promote everyone’s emotional and physical safety

When will a VTRA be initiated?

A student VTRA will be initiated for threat making behaviors including:

  • Serious violence or violence with intent to harm or kill
  • Verbal/written threats to harm or kill others that are clear, direct and plausible
  • Online threats to harm or kill others
  • Possession of weapons (including replicas)
  • Bomb threats (including making and/or detonating explosive devices)
  • Fire setting
  • Hate motivated violence targeting a particular student/group
  • Sexual intimidation or assault
  • Chronic, pervasive, targeted bullying or harassment
  • Gang related intimidation and violence

Duty To Report

To ensure a safe, caring, accepting learning environment for all, staff, parents/caregivers, students and community members share an obligation to actively take steps to prevent violence, manage threats, and plan for safety.

Duty to Respond

Threats must be taken seriously, investigated, and include an appropriate response. Luther College will not accept a “no response” to a serious threat.

Our goal is to:

  • respond to threats quickly and professionally
  • maintain a multi-disciplinary VTRA team including the Principal, Vice Principal, counsellors and others
  • create and maintain partnerships with community resources such as:
  •         Regina Police Services
  •         City of Regina, Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services
  •         Regina Fire & Protective Services
  •         Regina Catholic School Division
  •         Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety
  •         Regina Public Schools
  •         Child & Youth Services, Saskatchewan Health Authority
  •         Regina Open Door Society
  •         Ministry of Social Services
  • engage all parties in the VTRA process
  • work with community partners by sharing information, advice, and support that reduces risk
  • respect an individual’s right to privacy and safety of all to the fullest extent possible when sharing information with committee members and community partners

Our process is based on the North American Centre for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response (NACTATR) model of Violence Threat/Risk Assessment.