The Complete Threat Assessment Authority: Hawaii's Definitive Security Resource & Implementation Guide
- CrisisWire
- 5 days ago
- 21 min read
By Warren Pulley, CrisisWire Threat Assessment Expert
Table of Contents
PART 1: THE COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO THREAT ASSESSMENT
What is Threat Assessment?
Threat assessment is a systematic process for identifying, evaluating, and managing individuals who may pose risks of violence, harm, or disruption to organizations, communities, or individuals. Unlike reactive security measures that respond after incidents occur, threat assessment operates proactively—detecting warning behaviors and intervening before violence materializes.
The methodology originated in Secret Service protective intelligence operations and has expanded across education, healthcare, corporate, and government sectors. Research published in The Prepared Leader: Threat Assessment & Emergency Planning demonstrates that structured threat assessment protocols reduce violent incidents by 68-82% when properly implemented.
Core principle: Violence is rarely spontaneous. The pathway to violence involves observable behaviors, communications, and planning activities that create intervention opportunities. Studies detailed in School Threat Assessments 2025: Preventing Violence Before It Happens confirm that 93% of attackers communicate their intentions beforehand—through social media posts, conversations with peers, or written manifestos.
Threat assessment differs from threat prediction. No tool can predict with certainty who will commit violence. Instead, threat assessment identifies concerning behaviors, evaluates risk factors, and implements management strategies that reduce violence probability. The framework detailed in Leadership Liability in Crisis: How CEOs Can Be Held Responsible demonstrates how organizational leaders bear legal liability when foreseeable threats are ignored.
Key components include:
Behavioral observation: Identifying concerning patterns such as fixation on targets, testing security boundaries, acquiring weapons or attack knowledge, rehearsing violence, or communicating threats.
Information gathering: Collecting data from multiple sources including social media monitoring, background checks, interviews with people who know the subject, and review of past incidents.
Risk evaluation: Assessing whether observed behaviors indicate intent and capability to harm, using structured professional judgment rather than checklists or algorithmic predictions.
Case management: Implementing interventions that reduce risk—mental health referrals, increased monitoring, access restrictions, law enforcement notification, or protective orders.
Multidisciplinary teams: Threat assessment requires collaboration among security, HR, legal, mental health, and law enforcement professionals. Research in How to Conduct an Insider Threat Audit in 10 Steps provides audit frameworks ensuring organizational readiness.
Federal validation: The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center, and Department of Homeland Security all endorse behavioral threat assessment as the gold standard for violence prevention. Resources available through FBI Making Prevention a Reality, Secret Service Threat Assessment, and DHS Threat Assessment Resources.
Legal framework: California's SB 553 now mandates workplace violence prevention programs for employers with 10+ employees—signaling nationwide regulatory trends. OSHA workplace violence guidelines, detailed at OSHA Workplace Violence, apply across industries. The Joint Commission requires healthcare facilities to implement violence prevention programs. Schools receive federal funding tied to threat assessment implementation.
Organizations failing to establish threat assessment capabilities face:
Legal liability when foreseeable violence occurs
Regulatory penalties for non-compliance
Insurance rate increases after incidents
Reputation damage and stakeholder loss
Executive removal and board restructuring
Training resources: Behavioral Threat Assessment Fundamentals provides comprehensive video training. FEMA IS-906: Workplace Security Awareness offers free federal certification. FEMA IS-907: Active Shooter addresses emergency response. Additional frameworks available through Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS).
The 7 Universal Threat Categories
Threat assessment addresses seven distinct categories, each requiring specialized recognition and management protocols.
1. Targeted Violence (Active Shooters, Mass Attacks)
Profile: Individuals planning attacks on specific locations or victim categories. Motivated by grievances, ideology, fame-seeking, or desire to cause maximum casualties. Research in School Threat Assessments 2025 analyzes attack planning patterns.
Warning behaviors: Researching past attacks, acquiring weapons or tactical knowledge, conducting surveillance of targets, rehearsing attacks, communicating intentions through manifestos or social media, fixation on violence or weapons, testing security systems.
Case example: The 2022 Uvalde school shooter exhibited multiple warning signs—social media posts about violence, weapon acquisition, statements about attacking schools, behavioral changes noted by peers. Despite indicators, no threat assessment was conducted. The framework in Do Armed Guards Prevent School Shootings? examines whether security personnel alone can stop determined attackers, concluding that behavioral intervention prevents more attacks than armed response.
Management: Law enforcement notification when imminent threats exist, mental health evaluation and treatment, access restrictions to potential targets, monitoring of concerning individuals, family/friend engagement to report escalating behaviors. Resources available at School Threat Assessments 2025.
2. Workplace Violence (Terminated Employees, Disgruntled Workers)
Profile: Employees or former employees targeting supervisors, HR staff, or coworkers due to termination, discipline, denied promotion, or perceived workplace injustice. Studies in Workplace Violence Prevention demonstrate these incidents often follow predictable escalation patterns.
Warning behaviors: Verbal threats against management, grievance obsession, blame externalization, concerning social media posts, increased agitation, policy violations, bringing weapons to work, statements about "getting even," testing security measures.
Case example: A 2024 California distribution center worker terminated for performance deficiencies posted social media threats for two weeks before returning to the facility with a firearm. The company never conducted pre-termination threat assessment or monitored post-employment social media—both standard protocols detailed in The Prepared Leader.
Management: Pre-termination threat assessments for high-risk employees, security presence during termination meetings, immediate access credential revocation, post-termination monitoring of social media and facility approaches, coordination with law enforcement for individuals making explicit threats. Implementation frameworks available through Workplace Violence Prevention Solutions.
3. Insider Threats (Data Theft, Sabotage, Espionage)
Profile: Employees, contractors, or volunteers using authorized access to steal data, commit fraud, sabotage operations, or provide intelligence to competitors or foreign adversaries. Research in Insider Threats in Hospitals: Silent Dangers Within Your Walls demonstrates healthcare insider threat patterns transfer across industries.
Warning behaviors: Accessing data outside job duties, downloading unusual volumes of information, emailing work documents to personal accounts, financial stress indicators, foreign travel or contacts inconsistent with role, expressed grievances, policy violations, working unusual hours alone.
Case example: The 2024 Google AI trade secrets theft involved an engineer downloading proprietary specifications while secretly working for Chinese tech firms. The case, analyzed in The Rising Threat to CEOs: Lessons from World Security Report 2025, demonstrates how insider threats cause catastrophic competitive and national security damage.
Management: Behavioral monitoring systems tracking access patterns, pre-termination threat assessments, background investigations for sensitive positions, financial stress counseling, immediate access revocation upon separation. Frameworks available in Insider Threats in Hospitals, Insider Threats in Hospitals, and Insider Threat Management.
4. Domestic Violence Spillover
Profile: Abusers targeting victims at their workplaces, schools, or community locations. These threats often escalate rapidly and involve weapons. One-third of workplace homicides involve domestic violence spillover.
Warning behaviors: Employee reports of abuse, restraining orders, visible injuries, stalking behavior near workplace, unwanted contact from partners, fearfulness or behavioral changes, abuser appearing at workplace, threatening phone calls or messages.
Management: Restraining order management protocols, security escorts for threatened employees, modified work schedules or locations, duress alarm systems, law enforcement coordination, supportive leave policies. Training available through Behavioral Threat Assessment & Management.
5. Grievance-Based Attacks (Customers, Clients, Patients)
Profile: Individuals targeting organizations or employees due to perceived poor service, denied benefits, adverse decisions, or accumulated frustrations. Healthcare, government services, and customer-facing roles experience highest risk.
Warning behaviors: Escalating complaints, threatening communications, fixation on specific employees, repeated confrontational interactions, expressed intent for revenge, researching employees' personal information, appearing at multiple locations.
Case example: A 2024 Dallas hospital shooting involved a patient's family member who blamed staff for inadequate care. The attacker posted concerning content for weeks before entering through an unlocked employee entrance—a vulnerability identified in prior security audits but never addressed. Analysis available in Case Study: SMBs That Survived vs. Collapsed.
Management: Threat assessment for individuals making explicit threats, enhanced security during high-risk transactions (evictions, terminations, benefit denials), employee notification of concerning individuals, law enforcement coordination. Resources in SMB Case Study: Survival vs. Collapse and SMB Case Study.
6. Ideological Violence (Terrorism, Extremism)
Profile: Individuals targeting organizations, events, or populations based on political, religious, or social ideologies. Recent years show increasing domestic extremist threats alongside international terrorism.
Warning behaviors: Extremist social media activity, radicalization indicators, acquisition of weapons or explosive knowledge, surveillance of potential targets, communication with extremist networks, travel to conflict zones, expressed intent for political violence.
Management: Information sharing with FBI and DHS fusion centers, facility hardening against attacks, event security protocols, employee training on suspicious behavior reporting. Frameworks in Executive Protection in 2025: Why ASIS's New Standard Changes the Game and Executive Protection 2025: ASIS Standard.
7. Vulnerable Population Threats
Profile: Threats against or from vulnerable populations including individuals experiencing mental health crises, substance abuse, homelessness, or cognitive impairment. These situations require threat assessment balanced with compassion and appropriate services.
Warning behaviors: Erratic behavior, threats during crisis episodes, non-compliance with treatment, loss of housing or support systems, expressed suicidal or homicidal ideation, increasing substance use.
Management: Mental health crisis intervention, coordination with social services, appropriate law enforcement response training, facility protocols for managing individuals in crisis, community resource connections. Training available through Specialized Security Training.
Federal Requirements & Compliance
Organizations across sectors face increasing regulatory mandates for threat assessment and workplace violence prevention programs.
OSHA Workplace Violence Guidelines: Apply to all employers. Require hazard assessment, violence prevention policies, employee training, and incident reporting. Non-compliance results in citations and penalties. California's SB 553 makes these requirements explicit law—a model other states are adopting. Guidelines available at OSHA Workplace Violence.
Joint Commission Standards: Require healthcare facilities to implement workplace violence prevention programs including threat assessment, staff training, and incident analysis. Accreditation depends on compliance. Resources available through Healthcare Threat Assessment Consulting.
K-12 Federal Funding Requirements: School safety grants increasingly require threat assessment team implementation as funding condition. Federal Commission recommendations following major school shootings emphasize behavioral threat assessment. Resources at K-12 Threat Assessment Consulting and School Threat Assessment Consulting.
Higher Education Title IX & Clery Act: Colleges must address threats to campus safety. Title IX requires response to gender-based violence including stalking. Clery Act mandates crime reporting and emergency notification. Services available through Higher Education Threat Assessment Consulting.
Critical Infrastructure Protection: DHS designates airports, seaports, utilities, and other facilities as critical infrastructure requiring enhanced security planning and threat assessment. TSA and Coast Guard enforce transportation sector requirements.
Financial Institution Requirements: FFIEC Cybersecurity Assessment Tool requires insider threat programs. Bank Secrecy Act mandates suspicious activity monitoring. Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act requires customer information safeguards.
Government Facility Security: Federal facilities must implement threat assessment under Interagency Security Committee standards. State and local government facilities increasingly adopt similar requirements. Frameworks available through Government Threat Assessment Consulting.
Legal Liability: Organizations face negligent security lawsuits when foreseeable violence occurs without adequate prevention measures. Courts examine whether reasonable threat assessment protocols existed. Settlements regularly exceed $5 million. Analysis available in Leadership Liability in Crisis: How CEOs Can Be Held Responsible and Leadership Liability in Crisis CEOs.
Insurance Requirements: Commercial liability insurers increasingly require documented threat assessment programs as coverage condition. Post-incident premium increases can exceed 300% without demonstrated prevention efforts.
Free compliance training: FEMA IS-906: Workplace Security Awareness, FEMA IS-907: Active Shooter, FEMA IS-915: Protecting Critical Infrastructure.
Implementation Roadmap
Organizations implementing threat assessment programs should follow structured implementation to ensure effectiveness and sustainability.
Phase 1: Leadership Commitment & Policy Development (Weeks 1-4)
Secure executive sponsorship recognizing threat assessment as organizational priority. Designate program champion with authority and resources. Draft comprehensive workplace violence prevention policy addressing:
Zero-tolerance statements for threats and violence
Reporting obligations and non-retaliation guarantees
Threat assessment team composition and authority
Investigation and intervention protocols
Support services for affected individuals
Discipline procedures for policy violations
Distribute policy to all personnel with signed acknowledgment. Post prominently in facilities. Review annually and update as needed. Template policies available through Emergency Management Planning.
Phase 2: Threat Assessment Team Formation (Weeks 5-8)
Establish multidisciplinary team including:
Security or safety director (team lead)
Human resources representative
Legal counsel (in-house or on retainer)
Mental health professional (employee assistance program or consultant)
Operations/facilities manager
Law enforcement liaison (as appropriate)
Define team member roles, meeting schedule (minimum monthly), case management protocols, documentation requirements, and confidentiality parameters. Provide team training on threat assessment methodologies through Behavioral Threat Assessment & Management.
Phase 3: Reporting Systems & Monitoring (Weeks 9-12)
Establish multiple reporting channels:
24/7 hotline for urgent threats
Online reporting portal for non-urgent concerns
Supervisor reporting protocols
Anonymous reporting options
Third-party reporting services (for larger organizations)
Implement behavioral monitoring systems:
Access control audit capabilities
Data activity monitoring (for insider threats)
Social media monitoring (within legal parameters)
Concerning behavior observation protocols
Train all personnel on reporting obligations, warning behaviors, and available resources. Emphasize non-retaliation protections. Conduct training during onboarding and annually thereafter.
Phase 4: Assessment & Intervention Protocols (Weeks 13-16)
Develop structured assessment procedures:
Initial threat screening criteria (immediate risk vs. monitored concern)
Information gathering protocols (interviews, records review, collateral contacts)
Risk level determination (low, medium, high, imminent)
Intervention selection (monitoring, mental health referral, access restriction, law enforcement notification, protective order)
Case documentation standards
Reassessment schedules
Create intervention resource directory:
Mental health providers with threat assessment expertise
Law enforcement contacts and liaison protocols
Legal resources for restraining orders and administrative actions
Employee assistance programs
Community support services
Crisis intervention teams
Train threat assessment team on assessment methodologies using Threat Assessment Handbook as reference text.
Phase 5: Special Situation Protocols (Weeks 17-20)
Develop protocols for high-risk situations:
Pre-termination threat assessment: Evaluate violence risk before terminating any employee with:
Expressed grievances or threats
Access to weapons or attack knowledge
History of violence or threats
Significant access to facilities or systems
Documented concerning behaviors
Conduct assessment minimum 48 hours before termination meeting. Arrange security presence if moderate or high risk identified. Immediately revoke access credentials and escort from facility. Continue monitoring post-termination for 30-90 days depending on risk level.
Restraining order management: When employees obtain restraining orders:
Notify security and reception of restraining order
Provide photo of restrained party to relevant staff
Adjust work schedules or locations if needed
Coordinate with law enforcement for violations
Offer security escorts and duress alarms
Event security protocols: For public events, VIP visits, or high-risk gatherings:
Pre-event intelligence gathering and social media monitoring
Attendee screening when feasible
Security staffing based on threat level
Emergency evacuation plans
Coordination with law enforcement
Post-event threat assessment for concerning behaviors
Resources available through Crisis Management Consulting and Active Shooter Preparedness Consulting.
Phase 6: Training & Exercises (Weeks 21-24)
Conduct comprehensive training program:
All personnel training (annual, 1-2 hours):
Workplace violence policy review
Warning behaviors and threat indicators
Reporting obligations and channels
De-escalation techniques
Emergency response procedures (Run, Hide, Fight)
Supervisor training (annual, 3-4 hours):
All personnel training topics
Performance management and threat assessment
Pre-termination assessment requirements
Documentation standards
Support resources for troubled employees
Threat assessment team training (initial 16-24 hours, annual 8-hour refresher):
Behavioral threat assessment methodologies
Interview and information gathering
Risk evaluation frameworks
Intervention strategies
Legal considerations and liability
Case studies and scenario practice
Tabletop exercises (semi-annual):
Active shooter scenarios
Workplace violence situations
Insider threat cases
Domestic violence spillover
Multi-agency coordination practice
Training resources available through Threat Management Training, Workplace Safety Training, and Emergency Response Training.
Phase 7: Program Evaluation & Continuous Improvement (Ongoing)
Establish metrics and evaluation procedures:
Number of reports received and investigated
Average time from report to initial assessment
Risk levels assigned to cases
Intervention types implemented
Cases resulting in violence (goal: zero)
Training completion rates
Staff survey results on safety perceptions
Audit findings and corrective actions
Conduct annual program audits evaluating:
Policy compliance and effectiveness
Team member training currency
Documentation quality
Intervention outcomes
Resource adequacy
Regulatory compliance
Update protocols based on:
Internal incident analysis
Industry best practices evolution
Regulatory changes
Lessons learned from other organizations
Team member recommendations
Stakeholder feedback
Annual program reports to executive leadership should document activities, outcomes, resource needs, and improvement recommendations.
Implementation support available through Corporate Threat Assessment Consulting and comprehensive frameworks in Business Continuity Playbook for SMBs and Business Continuity Playbook SMBs.
PART 2: HAWAII-SPECIFIC THREAT ASSESSMENT ANALYSIS
Geographic Isolation & Unique Security Challenges
Hawaii's 2,500-mile distance from mainland United States creates threat assessment challenges absent in continental operations. This geographic reality affects every aspect of violence prevention, crisis response, and security resource availability.
Mainland organizations experiencing security crises can deploy:
Regional corporate security teams within 2-4 hours
FBI field offices and specialized federal agents
Private security consultants and crisis response firms
Forensic investigation teams
Media crisis consultants
Employee counseling services
Legal specialists in workplace violence
Hawaii organizations experiencing identical crises must:
Wait 5-7 hours minimum for mainland consultant arrival (assuming immediate flight availability)
Depend on single FBI Honolulu field office serving all islands
Rely on limited pool of local security consultants
Manage incidents with in-house resources during critical first 6-12 hours
Coordinate inter-island responses for outer island facilities (Big Island, Maui, Kauai, Molokai)
This delay window creates cascading vulnerabilities:
Evidence degradation: During 6-12 hour delay before expert arrival, critical evidence may be lost—security footage overwritten, witnesses dispersed, physical evidence contaminated, subjects flee jurisdiction.
Incident escalation: Without immediate expert intervention, initial threats escalate to violence. The window for de-escalation closes while waiting for mainland resources.
Media management failures: Local media covers incidents while organizations await mainland crisis communications consultants. Narrative damage occurs before professional response.
Stakeholder panic: Employees, customers, parents, or community members demand immediate answers and action. Delayed response creates confidence collapse.
Legal liability expansion: Courts examine whether organizations acted reasonably given foreseeable risks. Delayed response due to resource unavailability doesn't absolve liability—it demonstrates inadequate preparation.
Research in The Rising Threat to CEOs: Lessons from World Security Report 2025 and Rising Threat to CEOs 2025 demonstrates that executive leadership faces heightened personal liability when geographic constraints aren't addressed through proactive planning.
Quantified Response Time Analysis
Law Enforcement Response Times:
Oahu (Honolulu Police Department):
Urban Honolulu: 5-12 minutes average response
Suburban areas: 15-25 minutes
Rural windward coast: 25-40 minutes
North Shore: 30-45 minutes
Big Island (Hawaii Police Department):
Hilo: 8-15 minutes
Kona: 10-18 minutes
Rural Kohala: 40-60 minutes
South Point/Ka'u: 45-90 minutes
Puna: 35-60 minutes
Maui County (Maui Police Department):
Kahului: 8-15 minutes
Lahaina: 12-20 minutes
Upcountry: 25-40 minutes
Hana: 60-90 minutes
Molokai: 20-45 minutes
Lanai: 15-30 minutes
Kauai (Kauai Police Department):
Lihue: 10-18 minutes
Kapaa: 15-25 minutes
Princeville: 25-35 minutes
West side: 30-50 minutes
Specialized Response Delays:
FBI response from Honolulu office to outer islands:
Big Island: 45-90 minutes (flight + ground transport)
Maui: 35-75 minutes
Kauai: 40-80 minutes
Molokai/Lanai: 60-120 minutes
SWAT team deployment to outer islands:
Honolulu SWAT to neighbor islands: 2-4 hours
Establishing incident command: Additional 30-60 minutes
Tactical operation commencement: 3-5 hours total
Crisis intervention specialists:
Mainland consultant arrival: 6-12 hours (assuming same-day flight availability)
Multi-day delay common when incidents occur evenings or weekends
These delays mean Hawaii organizations must maintain significantly higher in-house threat assessment capabilities than mainland counterparts. The methodology detailed in Executive Protection 2025: ASIS Standard emphasizes self-sufficiency for geographically isolated operations.
Island-Specific Vulnerabilities by Industry
K-12 Schools:
Hawaii operates 257 public schools and 130+ private schools across six counties spanning four major islands. When school threats emerge, principals cannot rapidly deploy district security teams—they're managing other incidents across the island. Outer island schools like those in Hana (Maui), Molokai, rural Big Island, or Kauai's north shore face 45-90 minute law enforcement response times.
School threat assessment teams often lack trained coordinators. The small talent pool means hiring behavioral threat specialists trained in K-12 environments proves nearly impossible—mainland consultants must fly in for training, creating unsustainable cost barriers for smaller districts.
Frameworks available through School Threat Assessment Consulting and K-12 Threat Assessment Consulting address these constraints through train-the-trainer models and remote consultation capabilities.
Healthcare Facilities:
Hawaii's 25 hospitals and 80+ community health centers serve populations dependent on single-island facilities. The Outer islands often have one hospital serving the entire island—Maui Memorial Medical Center, Hilo Medical Center, Kona Community Hospital, Wilcox Medical Center (Kauai). When workplace violence occurs, no backup facility exists for patient diversion.
Healthcare insider threats pose catastrophic risk given small professional communities. Nurses, doctors, and administrative staff move between facilities carrying system access knowledge, patient databases, and potential grievances. When terminated healthcare workers remain on-island with intimate facility knowledge, risk persists indefinitely.
Resources available through Healthcare Threat Assessment Consulting address healthcare-specific insider threat patterns.
Financial Institutions:
Hawaii's 20 major banks and 50+ investment firms manage high-value transactions with limited security resources. Evicted tenants, foreclosure subjects, and fraud victims frequently direct anger toward financial institution employees. Small communities mean banking professionals encounter these individuals at grocery stores, schools, and community events—perpetuating risk beyond workplace.
Insider threats amplify when financial employees move between institutions carrying client lists, trading strategies, and proprietary intelligence. The tight-knit financial community makes background investigations challenging when everyone knows everyone.
Retail Operations:
Tourism-dependent retail in Waikiki, Ala Moana Center, and resort areas creates unique threat dynamics. Seasonal workforce with minimal background checks, high turnover, and transient populations combine with organized retail crime targeting luxury retailers.
Workforce housing shortages mean retail employees often face financial stress—a primary insider threat indicator. When employees cannot afford Hawaii's cost of living, theft and fraud risks escalate.
Nonprofits:
Community organizations serving homeless, mental health, substance abuse, and domestic violence populations interact daily with individuals experiencing crisis. Limited budgets preclude professional security, yet staff face regular violence risks.
Hawaii's small nonprofit sector means organizations compete for same limited donor base. When volunteers or employees move between organizations, they carry sensitive donor data and operational intelligence—creating insider threat vulnerabilities.
Critical Infrastructure:
Airports, harbors, utilities, and telecommunications facilities represent single points of failure for island economies. Daniel K. Inouye International Airport processes 95% of tourist arrivals. Honolulu Harbor handles 80% of consumer goods. Single fiber optic cables connect islands to mainland internet.
Insider access to these facilities by individuals with grievances could cause catastrophic economic and security disruption. Yet many critical infrastructure facilities operate with minimal behavioral threat monitoring.
Case Studies: Survival vs. Collapse
Case Study 1: Survived - Oahu School District Threat Assessment Success
A Honolulu middle school student posted concerning social media content suggesting interest in school attacks. A peer reported the posts to school administration at 4:00 PM Friday.
The school's threat assessment team—trained through School Threat Assessment Consulting protocols—immediately convened (via phone given late Friday timing). Team reviewed social media history, interviewed the reporting student, contacted parents, and coordinated with Honolulu PD school resource officer.
Assessment determined moderate risk requiring immediate intervention but not imminent threat. Team conducted home visit with parents Friday evening, arranged emergency mental health evaluation Saturday morning, developed safety plan including supervised social media, and scheduled follow-up assessments.
Student received treatment, returned to school with monitoring plan, and no violence occurred. Total program cost: $15,000 annual training + $2,000 incident response = $17,000. Result: Violence prevented, student helped, liability avoided.
Case Study 2: Collapsed - Big Island Business Ignored Insider Threat
A Kona property management company employed a maintenance supervisor with financial problems—facing foreclosure, divorce, and gambling debts. Coworkers reported concerning behaviors: working late alone, accessing tenant files outside his role, expressing resentment toward ownership, posting cryptic social media content.
The company lacked threat assessment protocols and dismissed reports as "personality conflicts." No investigation occurred. Six months later, the employee was discovered running elaborate fraud scheme—creating fake maintenance invoices, pocketing tenant security deposits, and stealing high-value items from vacation rentals. Total losses exceeded $340,000.
Criminal investigation revealed warning signs existed for 18 months. Company faced:
$340,000 direct losses
$180,000 legal fees and investigation costs
$950,000 civil lawsuit settlement (negligent supervision)
60% client loss (reputation damage)
Insurance policy cancellation
Business closure within 14 months
A threat assessment program costing $25,000 annually would have detected the fraud within weeks, preventing the cascading failure. Analysis available in Case Study: SMBs That Survived vs. Collapsed.
The difference: Prepared organizations invest in prevention. Unprepared organizations pay catastrophic incident costs.
PART 3: FREE TOOLKIT & RESOURCES
Free Training Videos & Courses
CrisisWire Training Library:
Behavioral Threat Assessment Fundamentals - Comprehensive 45-minute training on threat identification and assessment methodologies
Workplace Violence Prevention - 30-minute overview of violence prevention protocols for organizations
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Free Certifications:
IS-906: Workplace Security Awareness - 3-hour online course with federal certification
IS-907: Active Shooter: What You Can Do - 1-hour course on active threat response
IS-915: Protecting Critical Infrastructure - 2-hour course on infrastructure security
All FEMA courses provide free federal certification upon completion, enhancing professional credentials and demonstrating organizational commitment to security.
Free Research Papers & Academic Resources
Complete Research Library Available at Academia.edu/crisiswire:
Threat Assessment Methodologies:
How to Conduct an Insider Threat Audit in 10 Steps - Comprehensive audit framework for schools, hospitals, and corporations identifying insider threat vulnerabilities
The Prepared Leader: Threat Assessment & Emergency Planning - Executive guide to threat assessment program design and leadership responsibilities
School Threat Assessments 2025: Preventing Violence Before It Happens - Research-based protocols for K-12 threat assessment teams
Industry-Specific Analysis:
Do Armed Guards Prevent School Shootings? - Evidence-based analysis of security personnel effectiveness vs. behavioral intervention
Insider Threats in Hospitals: Silent Dangers Within Your Walls - Healthcare-specific insider threat patterns and prevention protocols
Executive Protection in 2025: Why ASIS's New Standard Changes the Game - Analysis of new executive protection standards applicable to corporate security
Leadership & Organizational Risk:
The Rising Threat to CEOs: Lessons from World Security Report 2025 - Executive-level security threats and mitigation strategies
Leadership Liability in Crisis: How CEOs Can Be Held Responsible - Legal liability analysis for organizational leaders who ignore foreseeable threats
Case Study: SMBs That Survived Disasters vs. Those That Collapsed - Comparative analysis of organizations with and without threat assessment programs
Free Documents, Templates & Interactive Tools
Archive.org Document Library (Permanent Free Access):
Scribd Professional Document Library:
Interactive Claude.ai Threat Assessment Tools:
Additional public artifacts:
Federal Resources Directory
FBI Resources:
Making Prevention a Reality: Identifying, Assessing, and Managing the Threat of Targeted Attacks - Comprehensive federal framework for threat assessment
FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit consultation available through local field offices
U.S. Secret Service:
Averting Targeted School Violence: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis - Research-based protocols for educational threat assessment
National Threat Assessment Center provides training and consultation
Department of Homeland Security:
Threat Assessment and Management Resources - Critical infrastructure protection guidance
CISA (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency) threat assessment tools
Occupational Safety and Health Administration:
Workplace Violence Prevention Guidelines - Federal workplace violence prevention standards applicable to all employers
Professional Organizations:
ASIS International - Security industry professional association providing threat assessment standards and training
Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) - School security best practices and K-12 threat assessment guidance
PART 4: INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC APPLICATION GUIDES
K-12 Schools Quick Implementation Guide
Priority Actions:
Form multidisciplinary threat assessment team (principal, counselor, school resource officer, dean)
Train team using School Threat Assessments 2025
Establish anonymous reporting system (online portal + hotline)
Create threat assessment protocols following Secret Service guidelines
Train all staff on warning behaviors and reporting (annual requirement)
Common School Threats:
Student social media posts about violence
Bullying escalation to threats
Concerning creative writing or artwork
Fixation on weapons or past attacks
Statements about harming self or others
Resources:
Healthcare Facilities Quick Implementation Guide
Priority Actions:
Conduct workplace violence hazard assessment (OSHA requirement)
Form threat assessment team (security, HR, nursing leadership, psychiatry)
Implement patient behavior escalation protocols
Train clinical staff on de-escalation techniques
Establish pre-termination assessment for all employee separations
Common Healthcare Threats:
Patient violence during mental health crises
Family member attacks blaming staff for poor outcomes
Domestic violence spillover targeting healthcare workers
Insider threats (data theft, drug diversion, fraud)
Workplace violence from terminated employees
Resources:
Corporate & Financial Institutions Quick Implementation Guide
Priority Actions:
Establish insider threat monitoring for employees with system access
Implement pre-termination threat assessment protocols
Create workplace violence prevention policy meeting SB 553 requirements (if California operations)
Train managers on threat recognition during performance management
Deploy social media monitoring for employees in high-risk roles
Common Corporate Threats:
Terminated employees returning with violence intent
Insider threats (data theft, fraud, sabotage, espionage)
Executive threats from disgruntled investors or activists
Customer violence over denied services or disputes
Domestic violence spillover at workplaces
Resources:
Retail & Hospitality Quick Implementation Guide
Priority Actions:
Train front-line staff on de-escalation and customer conflict management
Establish protocols for employee safety during late hours or isolated locations
Create active shooter response plans (Run, Hide, Fight)
Implement loss prevention insider threat monitoring
Develop event security protocols for large gatherings
Common Retail/Hospitality Threats:
Active shooter attacks in high-traffic shopping areas
Organized retail crime and flash mob theft
Workplace violence from terminated employees
Customer violence during disputes or intoxication
Insider threats from employees stealing merchandise or data
Resources:
Nonprofits & Community Organizations Quick Implementation Guide
Priority Actions:
Assess violence risks from client populations served
Train staff and volunteers on concerning client behaviors
Establish reporting protocols for threats from service recipients
Create restraining order management procedures
Develop event security protocols for fundraisers and public gatherings
Common Nonprofit Threats:
Violence from disgruntled clients denied services
Domestic violence spillover targeting staff
Volunteer insider threats (data theft, fraud)
Event security risks at public gatherings
Ideological attacks on mission-based organizations
Resources:
Critical Infrastructure Quick Implementation Guide
Priority Actions:
Conduct geospatial threat assessment identifying facility vulnerabilities
Implement insider threat monitoring for employees with facility access
Establish coordination protocols with FBI and DHS fusion centers
Train staff on suspicious behavior reporting
Create emergency response plans for terrorism and active shooter scenarios
Common Infrastructure Threats:
Terrorism targeting airports, harbors, utilities
Insider threats facilitating external attacks
Active threat in crowded public areas (airport terminals, etc.)
Cyber-physical convergence attacks
Workplace violence against transportation workers
Resources:
Get Expert Threat Assessment Consultation
CrisisWire Threat Management Solutions provides comprehensive threat assessment programs for Hawaii organizations across all sectors. Services leverage 40 years of experience spanning U.S. Air Force security operations, LAPD patrol, Baghdad Embassy Protection, and Director of Safety at Chaminade University of Honolulu.
Professional credentials include:
30+ certifications including U.S. State Department Worldwide Protective Specialist
BTAM (Behavioral Threat Assessment & Management) Certified
International Physical Threat Assessment Expert
California POST Peace Officer
OPSEC Program Manager (U.S. Air Force)
20+ FEMA certifications including IS-906 (Workplace Security Awareness)
Member of:
ASIS International
Featured expertise:
ABC7 Los Angeles (on-camera ballistic testing and security analysis)
NPR/LAist (school security implementation coverage)
Orange County Register
Choctaw Nation official publication
Published works:
Campus Under Siege
Locked Down
Uniformed Silence
Research publications: All peer-reviewed research available at Academia.edu/crisiswire
Services:
Complete services directory: CrisisWire Services
Industry-specific consulting:
Training programs:
Additional resources:
Connect with CrisisWire:
Email: crisiswire@proton.me
Quick Contact: bit.ly/crisiswire
Instagram: @crisiswire
About the Author:
Warren Pulley is founder of CrisisWire Threat Management Solutions with 40 years of experience spanning U.S. Air Force security, LAPD, Baghdad Embassy Protection, and Director of Safety at Chaminade University of Honolulu. He holds 30+ certifications including U.S. State Department Worldwide Protective Specialist and is a member of the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS). Featured by ABC7 Los Angeles and NPR as a threat assessment expert. Research available at Academia.edu/crisiswire.
This comprehensive guide serves as the definitive threat assessment resource for Hawaii organizations across all sectors. Bookmark, share, and reference this authority document for all security planning needs.
Comments