HOUSTON — The Harris County Sheriff’s Office gathered school superintendents, district police chiefs, and emergency management leaders from across the region for the inaugural Harris County Active Threat Tabletop, a collaborative training designed to strengthen preparedness and response for school-based emergencies.
Hosted on Jan. 14, 2026, in partnership with the Region 4 Education Service Center Office of Emergency Management and School Safety, the tabletop exercise gave school and public safety leaders a rare opportunity to work through realistic active-threat scenarios, identify gaps, and strengthen coordination before a crisis ever occurs. The exercise is a requirement of the Uvalde Strong Act.
“The goal of the act was to enhance our emergency response, especially when it came to active incidents — and there is always something we can learn and improve on,” said Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
Participants engaged in detailed, scenario-driven discussions that walked agencies through every phase of an active-threat response—from initial notification and on-scene operations to reunification and recovery. The exercise emphasized communication, decision-making, and coordination across jurisdictions and agencies.
As part of the training, participants reviewed footage and timelines from the Uvalde school shooting, using the tragedy as a learning tool to examine response challenges, critical decision points, and opportunities for improvement in future incidents.
“You do not build resilient communities, and you do not build communities ready to respond to incidents — both with staffing and principals — without collaboration,” said Ken Culbreath, Region 4 Director of Emergency Management. Dr. Rodney Watson, Region 4 Education Service Center Executive Director, added, “We always talk about student achievement, but if students are not safe, buildings are not safe. And if communities are not safe, schools cannot be safe.”
The tabletop also highlighted the importance of having life-saving resources available on school campuses, including floor plans, Stop the Bleed kits, ballistic shields, master keys, and access controls, all of which can significantly reduce response time and save lives during an emergency.
The feedback received from participating superintendents on the value of this type of collaboration was overwhelmingly positive. “To be in the room with all the right people — to advise, talk through, listen, and debrief how others are handling situations — is only going to make us stronger,” said Dr. Jennifer Blaine, Spring Branch ISD Superintendent.
Dr. Doug Killian, Cy-Fair ISD Superintendent, added, “It makes us better prepared for whatever may happen — and to take care of our kids.”
Dr. Adriana Tamez, President and CEO of The Tejano Center and Superintendent of Raul Yzaguirre Schools for Success, added, “Being in the same room with law enforcement—having those real conversations—makes a difference when it comes to protecting our students.”
Other school leaders echoed the value of working side-by-side with first responders. “We have plans, but this allows us to pressure-test them in a real-world environment,” said Mark DiBella, CEO of YES Prep Public Schools.
This tabletop marks the beginning of an ongoing Harris County Sheriff’s Office commitment to joint training, planning, and communication across school districts.
“School safety isn’t a one-time meeting,” Sheriff Gonzalez said. “It’s a continuous process of preparation, partnership, and accountability — and Harris County is committed to leading that effort.”
