State Homeland Security officials urge better information sharing, expand behavioral threat teams after school attacks

Leaders from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) and the Department of Education told a joint meeting of the Senate and House Education committees that school safety requires improved statewide information sharing and wider adoption of behavioral threat assessment teams to prevent violent incidents.

GEMA deputy director Linda Kriblay said the agency is pushing two priorities: improving information sharing among schools and law enforcement, and expanding behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) programs. "We are not collecting the dots, so we can't expect our superintendents and sheriffs to connect the dots," Kriblay said, arguing that after‑action reviews of past attacks show signs typically appear before violence occurs.

The remarks came as GEMA officials reported a sharp increase in validated school safety threats: 214 in the first quarter of the 2024–25 academic year, compared with 20 in the same period the previous year. Kriblay emphasized that reporting to GEMA is voluntary and that actual numbers are likely higher.

Why it matters: Committee members heard GEMA describe current capacities and gaps and were asked to weigh how the Legislature can support technical and legal frameworks that allow threat reporting while protecting student privacy. Kriblay said compliance with FERPA and HIPAA is achievable in information‑sharing agreements and will require legal work to implement statewide.

Key facts and programs - GEMA said it has 10 post‑certified law enforcement officers assigned almost exclusively to school safety work, and a school safety intelligence unit that analyzes threats and issues warnings to schools and law enforcement. - GEMA described BTAM as a cross‑disciplinary, local team that evaluates and mitigates potential threats; the agency has trained nearly 1,300 school officials and law‑enforcement officers in BTAM concepts and has a one‑hour overview and a six‑hour implementation course. - Kriblay said BTAM training has been delivered in about 40 counties; eight school systems have adopted GEMA’s BTAM model in full. - GEMA cited partnerships with the Secret Service, FBI and Department of Homeland Security in developing its BTAM guidance and training.

Department of Education role Justin Hill, deputy superintendent for the Office of the Whole Child at the Georgia Department of Education, described DOE’s work to build local capacity alongside GEMA. He noted a Ready Georgia Seal of Preparedness voluntary recognition program that had nearly 500 school applications this year and said DOE and GEMA are co‑presenting training for school officials, including BTAM material, to increase local uptake.

Committee questions and concerns Committee members asked whether authorities had enough evidence to say earlier interventions could have prevented specific past attacks. Kriblay said GEMA first learned the name of the Apalachee shooter only after the attack and characterized that as a symptom of broken information flows: "If people don't make that right decision... Barrow County was in the dark as well." She cautioned she was not speaking for any after‑action review.

On technology, members asked about detection systems such as thermal cameras and metal detectors. Kriblay said the devices can qualify for existing school security grants but stressed prevention and mental‑health supports are critical because "most of these school threats are from people who have access to the building."

What was not decided No new statute or funding appropriation was proposed or voted on during the meeting. Committee members and agency staff discussed policy options, and several representatives said they would bring additional questions back to staff and stakeholders.

Ending GEMA and DOE officials told lawmakers that expanding BTAM teams, improving cross‑agency information flows, and scaling training are priorities for the coming year. Kriblay closed by urging partnership across state and local agencies to reduce the risk of repeat tragedies.