As students and teachers make their way back to classes this week in Parkland, Fla., the community is seeking normalcy and continuity through vigils, community focus groups, and a think tank made up of members from some of the nation’s largest police agencies.

As part of that think tank, the HISD Police Department and Risk Management Team joined with law enforcement officers and safety practitioners from across the country on Monday to discuss school safety issues.

The session was held in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on March 5, and it was hosted by the Miami-Dade Public Schools Police Department.

Interim Police Chief Paul Cordova represented HISD Police. Cordova leads the only public school district police department in the nation that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies — more commonly referred to as CALEA.

HISD Business Logistics and Transportation Officer Alexis Licata also joined the panel to discuss the district’s safety and security plans, as well as procedures that govern associated drills and threat assessments.

The Parkland School District has roughly 10,000 students and 1,400 employees. It currently does not have a school district police department, but administrators are seeking support and guidance as they work to establish a security department that will be ready to respond to future unexpected threats.