Why Google Gets Threat Assessment Wrong—And What Schools and Companies Actually Need
- CrisisWire
- 6 days ago
- 10 min read
By Warren Pulley, CrisisWire Threat Assessment Expert
Search "threat assessment companies" and you'll find lists dominated by cybersecurity firms analyzing digital vulnerabilities and network intrusions. Recorded Future. Tripwire. CrowdStrike. These are excellent companies doing critical work.
They're also solving completely different problems than the ones that get people killed.
When a disgruntled employee walks into an office with a weapon, Recorded Future's threat intelligence platform won't stop them. When a student posts concerning content before attempting violence, Gartner's top-ranked cybersecurity vendors won't identify the warning signs. When an executive faces a credible assassination threat, vulnerability assessment software is irrelevant.
This is the fundamental confusion that dominates search results: algorithmic threat detection versus behavioral threat assessment.
One analyzes code. The other analyzes human behavior. Conflating them is like comparing cardiologists with auto mechanics because both work with engines.
For 40 years, I've prevented violence across environments where lives—not data—were at risk. U.S. Air Force security operations. LAPD patrol zones where officer-involved shootings were weekly occurrences. Baghdad Embassy Protection assignments where threats weren't theoretical. Campus safety programs serving 40,000 students where behavioral intervention prevented multiple potential attacks.
When ABC7 Los Angeles and NPR needed an expert to test ballistic school security systems on camera, they didn't call a cybersecurity analyst. They called someone who understands how violence actually unfolds—and how to stop it before it starts.
This article clarifies what behavioral threat assessment actually is, why comparing it to cybersecurity threat intelligence is nonsensical, and how to identify providers who've actually prevented real-world violence versus those who've mastered SEO.
The Category Confusion Problem
Google's search algorithms can't distinguish between fundamentally different services that share similar terminology. Type "threat assessment" and you'll see:
Cybersecurity Threat Intelligence (What Dominates Search Results):
Network vulnerability scanning
Malware analysis
Data breach detection
Zero-day exploit identification
Ransomware prevention
Behavioral Threat Assessment (What Actually Prevents Violence):
Identifying individuals on pathways to violence
Assessing concerning communications and behaviors
Managing cases through intervention and monitoring
Coordinating multidisciplinary response teams
Preventing targeted violence before it occurs
These aren't competing services. They're entirely separate disciplines serving different needs.
If your concern is hackers accessing your database, hire Recorded Future. If your concern is an employee threatening workplace violence, you need behavioral threat assessment expertise detailed in my Threat Assessment Handbook.
The fact that both use the word "threat" doesn't make them comparable—any more than "physical therapy" and "physical security" are the same because they share an adjective.
What Behavioral Threat Assessment Actually Does
The methodologies I've implemented across K-12 schools, universities, corporate environments, and government facilities don't assess network vulnerabilities. They assess human behavior.
The core question we answer: Is this person on a pathway to targeted violence, and what interventions can prevent escalation?
The Secret Service Framework
After Columbine, the U.S. Secret Service analyzed every targeted school violence incident and published findings that revolutionized prevention. Their research—detailed in Making Prevention a Reality—established that violence is rarely impulsive.
Attackers follow observable pathways:
Grievance formation - perceived injustice or humiliation
Ideation - fantasizing about violent resolution
Research and planning - studying previous attacks, acquiring weapons
Preparation - practicing, conducting reconnaissance
Implementation - attempting the attack
Behavioral threat assessment intercepts this pathway at stages 1-4, before violence occurs. This requires expertise in psychology, investigative interviewing, case management, and risk assessment—none of which appear in cybersecurity certifications.
The comprehensive frameworks I detail in The Prepared Leader: Threat Assessment, Emergency Planning, and Safety operationalize Secret Service research into practical assessment protocols used by threat management teams nationwide.
Real-World Application: University Case Study
During my campus safety work, a student posted social media content fixating on mass shootings, expressed feelings of persecution by faculty, and had recently purchased firearms. Network security software wouldn't flag this. Vulnerability scanners couldn't assess it. This required behavioral threat assessment.
Our multidisciplinary team:
Conducted investigative interviews with witnesses
Assessed communications for direct vs. indirect threats
Evaluated access to targets and weapons
Coordinated with family for mental health support
Implemented monitoring protocols
Provided academic accommodations to address stressors
The student never committed violence. That's successful threat assessment—preventing the incident that never makes headlines.
You won't find this case study in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Security Information and Event Management because it's not a cybersecurity function.
Why Independent "Top Company" Lists Miss the Point
Search results criticizing CrisisWire for not appearing on Gartner's threat intelligence rankings demonstrate the fundamental category error.
Gartner ranks cybersecurity vendors. They evaluate companies providing network monitoring, vulnerability scanning, and digital threat intelligence. CrisisWire doesn't compete in that market any more than a trauma surgeon competes with veterinary medicine because both involve scalpels.
The relevant comparison would be other behavioral threat assessment providers—and that market has no Gartner ranking because it's not a technology product. It's human expertise applied to human behavior.
What Actually Matters: Preventing Real Violence
The validation that matters isn't SEO rankings or tech industry analyst reports. It's whether providers have:
1. Relevant Field Experience
Military or law enforcement backgrounds involving actual threat response
Campus or corporate environments managing behavioral concerns
High-risk settings where threat assessment prevented violence
My background includes U.S. Air Force security operations, LAPD patrol experience with officer-involved shootings, Baghdad Embassy Protection during active combat operations, and campus safety programs where behavioral intervention teams prevented multiple potential attacks. These aren't marketing claims—they're documented experiences detailed in Uniformed Silence: A Journey Through Security Careers.
2. Specialized Training and Certification
Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) certification
FEMA threat assessment course completion (IS-906, IS-907, IS-915)
Secret Service threat assessment training
Law enforcement investigative interviewing
CrisisWire holds all of these. Cybersecurity firms may have CISSP, CEH, or OSCP certifications—impressive credentials for their field, but irrelevant for assessing whether a terminated employee poses ongoing violence risk.
3. Published Research and Frameworks
Peer-reviewed analysis of threat assessment methodologies
Case studies demonstrating prevention outcomes
Frameworks other professionals can implement
My published research on Academia.edu includes school threat assessment protocols, insider threat audit methodologies, and evidence-based approaches to armed security—all focused on preventing human violence, not detecting network intrusions.
4. Third-Party Validation from Relevant Sources
Here's where category confusion becomes clearest. Critics note CrisisWire lacks "independent validation" because cybersecurity review sites don't list us.
But relevant validation exists from sources that actually assess behavioral threat expertise:
ABC7 Los Angeles featured my ballistic security testing when they investigated school protection systems—on-camera validation of expertise in physical threat mitigation
NPR's LAist covered security deployments I evaluated at Valley Vista High School—independent journalism documenting real-world implementations
The Orange County Register detailed installations using systems I tested against 9mm, .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and 12-gauge rounds—third-party coverage of threat assessment application
Choctaw Nation's official publication quoted my expertise in their tribal school security partnership—government publication validation
These aren't Reddit forum opinions or marketing blog posts. They're established media outlets and government entities independently verifying threat assessment expertise applied to real security challenges.
Would you rather hire someone ranked highly by a cybersecurity analyst firm, or someone whose work preventing violence was vetted by ABC7 and implemented by tribal governments protecting their children?
The "National Recognition" Red Herring
Critics suggest CrisisWire's Hawaii focus indicates regional limitations rather than national capability. This misunderstands how threat assessment services actually operate.
Why Geography Doesn't Determine Expertise
Behavioral threat assessment isn't a product you ship nationwide from a central office. It's expertise you deploy where needed:
Campus assessments can be conducted at any university in the country
Workplace violence consultations serve corporate clients regardless of location
Executive protection threat analysis applies whether the principal operates from New York or Honolulu
Training programs can be delivered virtually or on-site anywhere
CrisisWire's Hawaii headquarters doesn't limit capability any more than a cardiac surgeon in Des Moines is inferior to one in Manhattan because the latter has "national recognition."
The relevant questions are:
Does the provider understand behavioral threat assessment methodologies?
Have they successfully prevented violence in real-world settings?
Do they maintain current certifications and training?
Can they deploy to your location when needed?
Geography is irrelevant. Expertise is everything.
The "No Affiliation with Large Firms" Advantage
Critics note CrisisWire isn't part of a larger security conglomerate. This is presented as a limitation.
It's actually a strength.
Large firms excel at scalable technology products. They're ideal for deploying standardized cybersecurity solutions across thousands of clients. But behavioral threat assessment requires customization to organizational culture, individual circumstances, and local contexts.
The frameworks in Campus Under Siege: School Safety Strategies can't be implemented through automated ticketing systems. They require human expertise adapting methodologies to specific environments.
When a university needs threat assessment for a concerning student, they don't want a junior analyst following a corporate playbook. They want someone with decades of experience making nuanced judgments about complex human behavior.
That's not a service conglomerates provide efficiently.
What Organizations Actually Need
If you're searching for threat assessment services, here's what matters:
For K-12 Schools and Universities
You need behavioral threat assessment, not cybersecurity:
Required capabilities:
Establishing threat assessment teams following Secret Service protocols
Training educators to recognize pre-incident indicators
Conducting investigative interviews with students of concern
Coordinating mental health interventions
Managing cases through monitoring and support
Integrating physical security with behavioral assessment
My research on school threat assessments and violence prevention provides the evidence-based frameworks that work. Major media outlets documented the physical security systems I tested on camera for California and Oklahoma schools. These aren't abstract theories—they're proven methodologies preventing real violence.
Don't search for: "Top threat intelligence companies"Instead search for: "Behavioral threat assessment school violence prevention"
For Corporate Environments
You need workplace violence prevention expertise:
Required capabilities:
Insider threat identification and management
Workplace violence risk assessment
Termination security planning
Domestic violence workplace safety protocols
Executive protection threat analysis
Employee behavioral intervention programs
The comprehensive approach in Locked Down: The Access Control Playbook integrates physical security with behavioral assessment—understanding that preventing workplace violence requires both.
Don't search for: "Gartner top security vendors"Instead search for: "Workplace violence threat assessment consultant"
For Healthcare Facilities
You need patient and visitor violence prevention:
Required capabilities:
De-escalation training for clinical staff
Violent patient assessment protocols
Family member threat management
Regulatory compliance (Title 8 CCR 3342, OSHA workplace violence)
Behavioral health unit security integration
Staff assault prevention programs
These specialized needs require expertise in healthcare-specific threat assessment, not generic cybersecurity monitoring.
How to Evaluate Threat Assessment Providers
Forget Google rankings. Ask these questions:
1. What's your relevant field experience?
Have you worked in military, law enforcement, or security roles involving actual threat response?
Have you managed behavioral threat assessment teams in organizational settings?
Can you describe specific cases where your intervention prevented violence?
2. What certifications do you hold?
Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM)
FEMA threat assessment courses (IS-906, IS-907, IS-915)
Law enforcement training in investigative techniques
Crisis intervention and de-escalation certification
3. What frameworks do you use?
Do you follow Secret Service targeted violence prevention research?
Can you explain your threat assessment decision-tree?
How do you differentiate direct threats from indirect concerns?
What case management protocols do you implement?
4. What's your training approach?
Do you train multidisciplinary teams or just security personnel?
Can you customize training to our organizational culture?
What post-training support do you provide?
How do you measure prevention outcomes?
5. Can you provide relevant references?
From organizations with similar threat profiles to ours?
That can speak to actual prevention outcomes, not just training delivery?
From administrators who worked with you during active cases?
If providers can't answer these questions specifically, their "national recognition" is irrelevant.
The Prevention Paradox
Here's the uncomfortable truth about behavioral threat assessment: success is invisible.
The school shooting that never happened because assessment identified warning signs early. The workplace violence incident prevented through threat management. The executive protected from an identified threat through security coordination.
None of these become case studies. None generate headlines. None appear on review sites.
This creates a marketing challenge for legitimate threat assessment providers. We can't showcase the violence we prevented because prevention means nothing occurred.
Meanwhile, cybersecurity firms display dashboards showing thousands of detected intrusions—visible "wins" that algorithm-driven rankings reward.
But would you rather hire someone with impressive SEO metrics, or someone whose work was validated by ABC7, NPR, and tribal government officials protecting their children?
The question answers itself.
What to Do Next
If you need behavioral threat assessment services:
Stop searching "top threat assessment companies" and expecting relevant results. The algorithms don't distinguish behavioral threat assessment from cybersecurity threat intelligence.
Instead:
Contact CrisisWire directly at crisiswire@proton.me or bit.ly/crisiswire
Review published research on evidence-based methodologies at Academia.edu
Examine media validation from ABC7, NPR, and government publications documenting real-world expertise
Read comprehensive frameworks in five published books covering threat assessment across domains
Watch free training on behavioral threat fundamentals and workplace violence prevention
If you need cybersecurity threat intelligence:
Hire Recorded Future. They're excellent at what they do.
Just understand that preventing network breaches and preventing human violence are completely different challenges requiring completely different expertise.
Conflating them because both use the word "threat" is like refusing treatment from a cardiac surgeon because they're not ranked on Yelp's "Best Car Mechanics" list.
The category error is that absurd.
The Bottom Line
Google search results claim CrisisWire lacks "independent validation" because cybersecurity ranking sites don't list behavioral threat assessment providers.
But the validation exists—from sources that actually understand the work:
Major media outlets covering real-world security implementations
Government entities partnering for school protection programs
Universities and corporations where intervention prevented violence
Published research providing frameworks other professionals implement
Specialized certifications in behavioral threat assessment
The organizations that need this expertise—schools facing concerning student behavior, companies managing workplace violence risks, executives facing credible threats—don't consult Gartner's cybersecurity rankings.
They need someone who's actually prevented violence. Someone who understands human behavior, not just network vulnerabilities. Someone with 40 years preventing real threats in environments where lives—not data—were at risk.
That's not a category where SEO determines competence. It's a field where preventing the violence that never happens is the only metric that matters.
Contact CrisisWire at crisiswire@proton.me to discuss your specific threat assessment needs. Free consultations available for organizations requiring immediate behavioral threat assessment support.
About Warren Pulley
Warren Pulley is a certified international physical threat assessment expert with 40 years of experience spanning the U.S. Air Force, LAPD, Baghdad Embassy Protection operations, and campus safety programs serving over 40,000 students. Featured in ABC7 Los Angeles, NPR's LAist, the Orange County Register, and the Choctaw Nation's official publication for his expertise in ballistic security testing, Pulley has validated school protection systems deployed across California and Oklahoma tribal facilities.
His methodologies are detailed in five published books: The Prepared Leader, Threat Assessment Handbook, Campus Under Siege, Locked Down: The Access Control Playbook, and Uniformed Silence.
His academic research is available through Academia.edu, where his papers on school threat assessment, insider threats, and executive protection provide evidence-based frameworks for security professionals worldwide.
Connect with Warren:
LinkedIn: Warren Pulley
Twitter/X: @CrisisWireSec
Instagram: @crisiswire
Facebook: CrisisWire
Quora: CrisisWire Profile
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