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Colton Joint Unified runs armed‑intruder drill, expands reporting tools and mental‑health debriefs with law enforcement
Summary
The district’s safety director, John Saxs, highlighted reporting tools (QR-linked tip lines and WTIP), visitor management and an annual armed‑intruder workshop; the meeting included a recorded drill demonstration with sheriff deputies and a mental‑health debrief led by Antonio Castro.
John Saxs, director of safety and security services for Colton Joint Unified School District, told the community cabinet that safety is central to the district’s mission: "Safety is at the core of everything we do here at Colton Joint Unified School District," he said.
Saxs reviewed tools the district uses to encourage reporting and manage visitors: a QR‑linked "see something, say something" contact list for schools, a district‑specific WTIP tip portal that routes digital tips to school sites, and a visitor management system that scans identification and checks names against registries.
The meeting included a recorded simulation of an active‑shooter scenario conducted with Colton PD, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and district safety officers. The video showed 911 calls, officer clearing procedures, room clearing and casualty handling — included in the presentation as a staff training resource.
After the drill, Antonio Castro, director of behavior and mental health services, described a structured debrief to address emotional processing following high‑stress incidents. "When the dust settles, we are left with this emotional chaos," Castro said, urging supports for both students and adults and describing debrief steps used after the simulation.
Several deputies and school resource officers reflected on operational takeaways: familiarity with campus layouts, interagency communications and the practical value of drills. Sergeant Mike Sandival, who oversees SROs, urged families to monitor social media and report concerning posts and said training and campus familiarity save time in incidents.
Why it matters: Saxs said the district offers the armed‑intruder workshop multiple times each year and opens districtwide sessions to staff to improve readiness; the recorded simulation provides a training artifact that the district can replay and analyze.
Next steps: Saxs invited community members to the next safety workshop (announced for Oct. 22 in the presentation) and encouraged parents to use the tip reporting tools and attend outreach events where SROs and deputies discuss positive school climate work.
