NP 19-70 Northeastern Junior College FASTER Protocol

APPROVED: Mike White, President

EFFECTIVE: August 22, 2024

REVISED: August 22, 2024

Northeastern Junior College participated in the Colorado FASTER program to enhance safety and security on the campus. The program is overseen by the President of the College, with the Director of Campus Safety and Security administering the program. The following definitions and protocols apply:

Definitions:

“FASTER” means Faculty/Administrator Safety Training and Emergency Response.

“College FASTER Program” means and includes training and activities associated with the FASTER training program sponsored by the College.

“College FASTER Coordinator” means the College employee designated by College to coordinate the College FASTER Program.

“CCW Permit” means a permit to carry a concealed weapon issued pursuant to § 18-12-205, Colo. Rev. Stat.

“FASTER Participants” means college employees who have been approved by the FASTER Program to participate in the College FASTER Program, and who are actively participating in the College FASTER Program.

Protocol:

College employees (including faculty, instructors, Administrative/Professional-Technical (APT), and classified employees, but not including student employees) are eligible to seek approval to participate in the College FASTER Program. An employee must hold a current CCW Permit to be eligible to participate in the College FASTER Program. FASTER Participants are responsible for covering the cost of the CCW permit and renewal.

College employees seeking to participate in the College FASTER Program must successfully complete the screening process set forth in the College FASTER Program Screening Guidelines. To be screened for the College FASTER Program, an eligible College employee must notify the College President or FASTER Coordinator of the employee’s interest.

Participation in the College FASTER Program is strictly voluntary. No employee will be compelled to participate in the College FASTER Program. Employee participation in College-sponsored training and activities explicitly required by the College to participate in the College FASTER Program is considered work time. Employees shall coordinate with their supervisors to ensure their participation in the College FASTER Program does not interfere with other job duties and to receive approval for overtime or compensatory time, if necessary. Employees participating in the College FASTER Program are not entitled to any additional status or pay (beyond their regular/overtime rate or compensatory time, as applicable) for their participation. College will pay for costs associated with a College employee’s participation in training for the College FASTER Program.

FASTER Participants are responsible for providing their own firearm and other equipment (including holster/concealment device) suitable for participation in the College FASTER Program. While grants are available, the College will provide FASTER Participants with ammunition required for practice and the course. If grants are not available, FASTER participants are responsible for providing their own ammunition suitable for participation in the College FASTER Program. All firearms, equipment, and ammunition must be maintained in good working order during participation in the College FASTER Program.

FASTER Participants are required to comply with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations pertaining to the carrying and use of firearms. FASTER Participants must maintain a CCW Permit throughout their participation in the Program. FASTER Participants must notify the College FASTER Coordinator as soon as practicable upon expiration or revocation of their CCW Permit or upon the occurrence of any other event that affects their ability to own, possess, or use a firearm.

To remain an active participant in the College FASTER Program, a College employee must participate in regular ongoing training as determined by the College FASTER Coordinator. Regular ongoing training may include, but need not be limited to: tabletop exercises, simulations, drills, familiarization walkthroughs, firing range exercises, meetings with local law enforcement, and training courses and exercises administered by FASTER Colorado.

The College FASTER Coordinator will maintain records pertaining to the College FASTER Program. College FASTER Program records, including those which may identify College FASTER Program participants, may be considered to contain specialized details of security arrangements and are not subject to disclosure under the Colorado Open Records Act.

The College reserves the right, at any time and in its sole discretion, to remove an employee from the College FASTER Program. Because participation in the College FASTER Program is strictly voluntary, such removal alone does not affect the pay, status, or tenure of the employee and shall not be deemed to be disciplinary in nature.

The College strongly recommends that College employees participating in the College FASTER Program obtain and maintain a personal CCW insurance policy that sufficiently covers both civil and criminal defense costs.

The State Office of Risk Management (SORM) supports the implementation of the College FASTER program and provides liability coverage to FASTER Participants to the extent permitted by law pursuant to the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act and the Risk Management Act. In the event a FASTER Participant is injured while performing activities related to the FASTER Program, coverage under the Colorado Workers’ Compensation Act will be provided if the FASTER Participant is determined to have been in the course and scope of employment at the time of the injury and the injury is determined to have arisen from the employment pursuant to the Colorado Workers’ Compensation Act. All of these statutes will guide the evaluation of coverage for employees in their participation in the College FASTER Program, including when responding to an incident. FASTER Participants who respond in good faith to an incident using the knowledge of the FASTER training and act within the parameters of the College FASTER Program, can expect support of SORM in the event of a claim against them.

College FASTER Program Screening Guidelines

College employees who are interested in participating in the College FASTER Program may notify the College President or FASTER Coordinator of their interest. The College FASTER Coordinator will work with the President to determine whether interested College employees are selected to participate in the College FASTER Program.

The President and FASTER Coordinator will consider:

Whether the interested College employee meets the minimum requirements, including whether the employee possesses an active CCW Permit and whether there are any circumstances that would prevent the employee from lawfully possessing or carrying a firearm.
Information in the interested College employee’s employment history, including performance reviews.
The interested College employee’s criminal history, including the results of a fingerprint-based criminal history record check in accordance with SP 3-10a.
The interested College employee’s presentation in an interview with the Panel designed to determine the employee’s character and fitness for potentially responding to a deadly threat on campus.

Revising this Procedure

NJC reserves the right to change any provision or requirements of this procedure at any time and the change shall become effective immediately.

FASTER Employee Acknowledgment

As a College employee participating in the College FASTER Program (FASTER Participant), I understand and acknowledge the following:

My participation in the College FASTER Program is strictly voluntary. I am not entitled to any additional pay (beyond my regular/overtime rate or compensatory time as applicable) or status as a result of my participation in the College FASTER Program.
I am responsible for providing my own firearm, ammunition, and other related equipment, and for maintaining these items in good working order. The College will not provide or maintain any of these items for me.
I am responsible for maintaining and renewing a CCW Permit, and for covering the cost of the CCW permit and renewal.
To remain a participant in the College FASTER Program, I must participate in regular ongoing training as determined by the College FASTER Coordinator, and I must abide by all College FASTER Program rules and guidelines.
I understand that my participation in the College FASTER Program does not grant me any additional authority to carry a weapon, and I understand I must carry and operate my weapon in compliance with all federal, state, and local laws. I specifically understand that my participation in the College FASTER Program does not grant me authority to carry a weapon in a K-12 school.
Responding to an incident involving a deadly threat on campus involves a risk of serious injury, including death. I am responsible for my response to an incident on campus. I understand that I am not obligated to respond to any incident on campus, and I have no lawful obligation to respond.
I understand that FASTER Participants who respond to an incident as a FASTER Participant at the College place of work and who act good faith in accordance with their training and within the expectations of the College FASTER Program, can expect the support of the State Office of Risk Management with regard to liability coverage in the event of a civil claim against me to the extent permitted by law in accordance with the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act and the Risk Management Act. In the event a FASTER Participant is injured while performing activities related to the FASTER Program, coverage under the Colorado Workers’ Compensation Act will be provided if the FASTER Participant is determined to have been in the course and scope of employment at the time of the injury and the injury is determined to have arisen from the employment pursuant to the Colorado Workers’ Compensation Act. All claims are evaluated and accepted based on the individual circumstances of the incident and response.
If I act in a manner inconsistent with my FASTER training, or in a manner that is otherwise willful and wanton, I understand that I will not be entitled to liability coverage from the State Office of Risk Management.
The College and State Office of Risk Management will not provide insurance coverage for potential criminal liability.
The College strongly recommends that I obtain a personal CCW insurance policy that sufficiently covers both civil and criminal defense costs.
The College reserves the right, at any time and in its sole discretion, to remove me from the College FASTER Program.

I, __________________________________ (print name) HAVE CAREFULLY READ, CLEARLY UNDERSTAND, AND VOLUNTARILY SIGN THIS ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

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Participant Signature Date