~ New Center within Department of Public Safety will coordinate school safety planning ~

Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the establishment of the Minnesota School Safety Center, which will develop a framework for all-hazard safety planning for schools and will coordinate activities of federal, state and local partners.

The School Safety Center will be housed at the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and will work in partnership with other state agencies. Retiring Brooklyn Park Chief of Police Wade Setter has been named to lead the Center.

“Bringing together all of the partners involved in school safety – law enforcement, schools, emergency response and victim service providers and others – will help us keep Minnesota students safe at school,” Governor Pawlenty said.

“This cooperation will go a long way toward ensuring the safety of our children,” said Public Safety Commissioner Michael Campion. “Wade’s experience as a law enforcement officer, a mentor to young people and his proven leadership in forming partnerships make him the ideal individual to launch this effort.”

“The safety of our children in our schools continues to be a top priority for the Department of Education,” Minnesota Education Commissioner Alice Seagren said. “We look forward to our continued work with the Department of Public Safety to make the new School Safety Center a success.”

The Center is funded by a $300,000 grant from the federal Bureau of Justice and will be a part of the DPS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM). HSEM will work closely with the Minnesota Department of Education to provide all-hazard planning expertise to schools in Minnesota.

Setter will begin work August 1. He has 28 years of police service and served as chair of the Minnesota Gang and Drug Oversight Council. He served as a D.A.R.E. officer and volunteered in leadership positions for the Viking Council Exploring Division of the Boy Scouts of America. Setter holds a B.S. from Mankato State University and is a graduate of the F.B.I. National Academy and the F.B.I. Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar.