‘We really aren’t safe anywhere’

Greg Risling

COSTA MESA -- A year has passed since a disgruntled parent, upset over

his son’s special education needs, stormed into the Orange County

Department of Education, took hostages and littered the parking lot with

fake pipe bombs.

The gunman, 45-year-old Michael Generakos, was shot and killed by a

police sniper after a three-hour standoff. To the average eye, not much

has changed at the county’s education headquarters. Those closest to the

chaos that day say the event served as a wake-up call to reexamine safety

procedures for staff and students alike.

Can any business prepare for the unexpected? Should there be barriers,

metal detectors or added security to ensure safety in our public

institutions?

Some educators say those measures aren’t needed because random violence

is impossible to predict and sometimes difficult to stop.

“I think what [added security measures] do is give a false sense of

security,” said county Assistant Supt. Lynn Hartline. “What we learned is

that our employees need to be trained should something like this happen.

As humans, we really aren’t safe anywhere.”

Hartline should know. She was sitting in her office when Generakos

barreled in on Nov. 23, 1998. She was held hostage for more than an hour

before she was freed. Fellow Assistant Supt. John Nelson was forced to

stay with Generakos until the final moment when the educator was pushed

aside by the gunman and a police sniper fired one shot.

Incidents like what happened at the county educationbuilding last

November are becoming common headlines.

Columbine. Atlanta. Texas.

Each time, someone has walked into a school, business or church and

killed or threatened to hurt people for unknown reasons.

As educators, Hartline said, the district has learned from the

experience. She added that the shooting served as a wake-up call to

reexamine its safety policies to ensure protection for both its staff and

students.

Weeks after the shooting, administrators received constructive input from

employees. A consultant was hired to help out and police inspected the

site.

While no major differences are visible at the district building on Kalmus

Avenue, there have been some changes. Blueprints have been left at

strategic points inside the building that would assist police during

hostage-taking incidents.

Lighting has been improved for employees leaving at night. Other safety

precautions have been taken, although they are unbeknownst to most

visitors. Hartline declined to reveal those for safety reasons.

The dramatic event, which was played out on live television, was

beneficial for the district. The relationship was strengthened between

the district and the police department as well as among fellow employees.

“Our employees were extremely supportive of one another and I think the

incident brought them closer together,” Hartline said. “I would hope our

employees are more cautious in every aspect of their life. I know I am.”

Hartline maintains the district did what it could to prevent Generakos

from physically lashing out against administrators.

Generakos was a regular audience member at board meetings, stating his

displeasure with the district’s plan for his son’s education. He voiced

sentiments that, at times, were angry rantings directed at educators.

Hartline said police were notified about Generakos. He was never cited or

arrested because he didn’t break the law.

“When it escalated like it did in this case, we have to alert those about

our concerns,” she said. “Nearly all of the people we deal with are

wonderful. I think this was an isolated, atypical situation. I don’t

think we could have done anything to prevent what happened in this case.”