Which incident led to a significant change in tactics used by college police agencies across the U.S.?

The Columbine High School shooting in 1999 was a pivotal moment that significantly changed the tactics employed by college police agencies across the United States. This incident highlighted critical issues regarding response time, coordination between various law enforcement agencies, and the importance of immediately confronting the threat presented by an active shooter.

Prior to Columbine, many agencies followed a "wait and assess" approach, where they would secure the area and gather information before confronting the assailant. The tragic events at Columbine demonstrated that such a delay could have catastrophic consequences, as many victims were unable to escape while law enforcement was not actively engaging the shooters.

In the aftermath, law enforcement agencies began adopting more aggressive strategies focused on immediate intervention, prioritizing the neutralization of threats over containment. This shift in tactics included the implementation of active shooter drills, improved collaboration among law enforcement, and training officers to enter the scene as quickly as possible, even if they were alone, to stop the perpetrator. Over time, these practices have become standard protocol for responding to active shooter incidents in educational environments.