C.W. Post to Host Campus Security Summit Thursday, June 21

Police and security officials from Long Island schools, colleges & hospitals will attend;
Newsday’s Ellis Henican to moderate panel discussion 

Brookville, N.Y. – Police and security officials will gather at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University on Thursday, June 21 for a “security summit” panel discussion focused on preventing incidents such as the Virginia Tech shootings.

From left: Dianna Pennetti, C.W. Post Director of Public Safety; Ellis Henican, Newsday columnist, Tracey McRoberts of Lansdell Protective Agency Inc. Front row, from left : Lt. Andrew Mulrain, Dr. Ronald Hinckley, Dr. James Fico, George Sutton.

Law enforcement officers and security officials from Long Island schools, colleges and universities and hospitals have been invited to attend the panel discussion, which will feature security experts and will be moderated by Newsday columnist and Fox News commentator Ellis Henican. It will run from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Hillwood Commons student center at C.W. Post.

“In the wake of Virginia Tech, I believe every public safety director needs to reassess their response plan,” said Dianna Pennetti, director of the C.W. Post Department of Public Safety. “Keeping the students safe is our primary mandate and concern.”

C.W. Post’s Public Safety Department took part in “active shooter” training exercises in fall 2006 and the Campus’ emergency response plan calls for an increased emphasis on such training.

The panel discussion will be the first in a series at C.W. Post. It was scheduled before the April 16 Virginia Tech shootings that claimed the lives of 33 people. In the aftermath of the Virginia Tech tragedy, organizers concluded that preventing similar situations in the future would be the appropriate subject of the first seminar in the series.

Panelists will include:

• James Fico, Ph.D. of  Waupaca, Wis., a psychologist who provides selection, promotion and manager development services to a variety of private businesses and 39 police and fire departments. Fico is the lead examining psychologist for the Federal Flight Deck Officer program, which arms selected commercial airline pilots.

• Ronald Hinckley, Ph.D., an adjunct professor at The George Washington University, founder of the opinion research firm Research/Strategy/Management Inc. and a former public affairs officer and director of research for the U.S. Information Agency.

• George S. Sutton, vice president for legal services and university counsel of Long Island University.

• Lt. Andrew Mulrain, commanding officer of the Nassau County Police Department Gang Investigation Squad.

The seminar is sponsored by the C.W. Post Department of Public Safety and School of Continuing Education and Lansdell Protective Agency Inc., the private firm which provides security in C.W. Post residence halls under contract with Long Island University.

C.W. Post Continuing Education students are eligible for .3 continuing education units for attending the seminar.

Posted: June 18, 2007