National Safety Security
Protection Association
We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with the mission to keep our nation’s K-12 schools safe by providing education, information, research, accreditation, and guidance to our communities. The NSSPA utilizes a diverse group of experts and professionals from across the nation to help the public prevent, mitigate, prepare, and respond to, and recover from emergencies primarily in a K-12 environment.
the nsspa
The National Safety and Security Protection Association (NSSPA) Inc. is a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit with the mission to help our nation prevent, prepare, respond, mitigate, and recover from emergencies. Created in 2019, the NSSPA has put an emphasis K-12 schools.
Prior to the pandemic, and in a very short period, we saw numerous accomplishments including hosting educational summits on school security, conducting extensive research on school security, providing recommendations to numerous state legislative teams, developing accreditation standards for active shooter training and security vulnerability assessments, publishing numerous studies, creating definitions, and developing our website.
Our team of subject matter experts in active shooter, physical security, counter terrorism, building codes, architecture, education, psychology, engineering, and security technology each played an important role over the past two years, and we hope your experience and passion can contribute to our mission and success.
Committment to Education
We offer various events that help educate and inform the user regarding safety & security in our schools. We are here to help you navigate through the sometime muddy waters of safety & security in the K-12 environment.
Evidence-Based Solutions
The NSSPA relies heavily on data and the history of school violence. Because of the lack of unified codes and standards for K-12 security, we study, examine, and analyze past incidents.
Not Influenced by Corporate Decision Makers
We do not accept corporate donations at the NSSPA. Our goal is to stay neutral and free from influence by companies and special interest groups.
Membership
Leadership:
Steve Zaferakis- Retired Fire Chief and the National Director of Security Assessments
Jeremy Belfield- Current Superintendent of Schools for Lafayette CSD
Jim Dereane – Retired FBI Special Agent
Tom Czyz- Retired Homicide Detective and SWAT Operator
Lee Gill – School Health and Safety Consultant for Region 8 Education Service Center in Texas
– 100% Volunteer
– Project teams focused on specific areas (Accreditation, Assessments, Communications, Physical Security, Prevention, Research, Training)
– Members work remotely at their own pace and on their schedules
– Annual elections for leadership teams
At the NSSPA, we like to keep things simple. We understand that joining a professional association requires time from your families, careers, or other volunteer efforts. Our organization allows project teams to work on their own schedules on topics they are passionate about.
Current Projects
– Study: School Shooting and Active Shooters in K-12 Schools from 1970-2021
– Assisting state agencies develop physical security standards
– Technical Papers: Security Glass and Security Film, How Attackers Enter, Life Openings During Attacks on Schools
– Public survey on school violence
– Creating a scholarship program for survivors of school violence
In The News
The Construction Specifier Article (Construction Specifications Institute): Failures: Mitigating active shooter attacks
Security products that help prevent, deter, and protect against an active shooter are always evolving, but the way in which they are tested tends to fall behind. Continue Reading
Campus Safety Article: 7 Times ‘See Something, Say Something’ Stopped Potential Tragedies in 2021
A recent analysis of disrupted plots to commit acts of violence in schools found 94% of students shared their plans with someone, and nearly half documented their ideas in writing or online. Continue Reading
– Study: School Shooting and Active Shooters in K-12 Schools from 1970-2021
– Assisting state agencies develop physical security standards
– Technical Papers: Security Glass and Security Film, How Attackers Enter, Life Openings During Attacks on Schools
– Public survey on school violence
– Creating a scholarship program for survivors of school violence
