In many school-shooting cases, such as those at Virginia Tech University and the University of Northern Illinois, culprits have shown warning signs before committing their acts — a trend Iowa universities don’t want to ignore.

The UI’s threat-assessment team is dedicated to exactly that purpose: intervening before a student or employee can become a threat to themselves or the community.

The team, which met Thursday, is led by UI police Lt. Peter Berkson and human-resources consultant Jane Caton and serves as a group for students and faculty to go to after recognizing someone exhibiting bizarre or concerning behavior.

The majority of the team’s cases involve people with suicidal ideations. In these cases, the group works to link the person to community counseling services.

“We want to help them move through their crisis,” Caton said. “At minimum, we can connect them to resources.”

The team formed in December 2008 as part of the state Board of Regents’ Comprehensive Campus Safety and Security Policy, which Gov. Chet Culver asked regents’ institutions to complete in response to the University of Northern Iowa shooting in February of that year.

The threat-assessment team, made of nine officials from various departments, meets once a week.

Since its creation, the team has trained more than 300 faculty and staff members to identify behavioral warning signs, Caton said, and the members would eventually like to train students as well.

As a result, team members have been able to help roughly 160 people across campus. Once notified of a case, Caton and Berkson visit the person at home to discuss her or his circumstances.

Wanting to be less intimidating, the two refer to themselves as a “care team,” and Berkson does not wear his police uniform.

“When we say ‘threat-assessment team,’ it makes people more afraid,” Caton said. “Care team makes us a little more approachable.”

Mayflower Hall coordinator Ben Black said he has found working with Caton and Berkson extremely helpful.

“Especially when you’re not sure what to do with a situation, they are the caring, nonthreatening ones that are easy to work with,” he said.

The University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University also have their own threat-assessment teams, both similar to the UI’s.

ISU police Lt. Carrie Jacobs said the team meets twice a week, once to discuss faculty and staff issues and another devoted to only student concerns.

“We keep communication with the university while ensuring privacy of the cases,” Jacobs said.

UNI Director of Public Safety Dave Zarifis said his university’s size helps the program reach out to those needing services.

“I think we don’t have as much communication barriers as the larger universities,” Zarifis said.

Meanwhile, the UI group is looking to expand their presence on campus, though team member Paula Keeton said they are happy with progress so far.

“Service is becoming highly valued,” she said.