Ep 39 School Safety with (Ret.) Chief Tony Pustizzi

The Interrupted Podcast

As children across the nation are preparing to return to school there are many important questions on the topic of school safety beyond the health concerns that parents need to be asking their children, their children's teachers and administrators. There are many questions about mental health and the toll the pandemic has had on children. It is critical that we all prepare now and know the risks that our schools face, not so we will live in a constant state of fear, but that we might be informed to have a greater level of confidence that the appropriate mitigation strategies are implemented to save the most lives should an act of evil come to our communities. "Knowledge diminishes fear," and this conversation with (Ret.) Chief Tony Pustizzi will move us one step closer to equipping ourselves with the information to engage in tough conversations with the local school systems.
Chief Pustizzi was one of the first law enforcement officers on scene at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida on February 14, 2018. He quickly had to assume command of an incredibly chaotic crime scene during the Active Shooter situation at that school. In a matter of 2 hours there were nearly 700 officers on scene and the management of every resource was vital to save the most lives as possible. That terrible day, 17 innocent people were killed and another 17 were injured. Chief Pustizzi shares about the many lessons learned that day and the days that would follow in the wake of this unfathomable act of evil.
Tony Pustizzi Bio:
Tony Pustizzi began his career with the Coral Springs Police Department in 1988. Over his 30-year tenure, he supervised every unit within the agency with a strong emphasis on investigations, including homicide and special victims. Additionally, he served on the SWAT team for 15 years, the last eight of which as team commander. Tony rose through the ranks to ultimately become chief of police in 2012. He also served as the city’s interim city manager and retired in March 2018 as the chief of police/deputy city manager. In January 2019, Tony came out of retirement to serve as the special counsel to the new sheriff of Broward County upon his appointment by the governor of the state of Florida.

He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in criminology and law and received a master’s degree in public administration from Florida Atlantic University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the Southern Police Institute Command Officer’s

Course, FBI’s LEEDA course, Center for Creative Leadership Program and Florida Atlantic University’s Executive Leadership Program.

Tony has served as state president for the Florida chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates, the chair for the National Benchmark Cities Chief’s Association, an executive board member

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