The Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP)

In the previous year, I was entrusted with the task of fortifying a robust team to bolster the Human Threat Management Steering Committee, slated to emerge in 2024. Back then, I was in the capacity of Vice Chair of the Community, but have since then secured a promotion to Community Chairman. Currently, our ASIS Subject Matter Community has a membership of 685 individuals as of January 10th. Our main objective is to become the go-to source that supports the worldwide community by disseminating helpful resources and valuable information about pre-and in-employment screening/assessment of personnel. Our goal is to ensure that every employee and trusted individual is proficient, competent, and trustworthy, from a safety and security standpoint vis-à-vis their position. Our endeavors aim to promote a secure and safe work environment, cut down on the risks of litigation, comply with legal requisites, and mitigate potential insider threats. Thus, I embarked on a search for security professionals across the globe who could help us achieve our ASIS Community goals and projects. Via LinkedIn, I came across some remarkable security experts, such as Amanda B. , Joshua Shelton, MS, CTM, CPP , and Matt Talbot PhD, LCSW, CCFC, CFMHE, CTM . I promptly invited them to become members of the Human Threat Management Steering Committee, and to my delight, they accepted. Upon perusing their #LinkedIn profiles, I discovered that they belonged to an association based in America - The Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP). Hungry for more information on this organization, I contacted my peer Matt Talbot and posed a few questions.

AD: In America, ATAP is an up-and-coming association that has been gaining traction. As a Security Consultant, would it be beneficial to also hold membership in ATAP?

MT:?ATAP has been in existence as a non-profit since 1992. The term threat assessment by itself is ambiguous and multi-dimensional. The membership is multidisciplinary, but the core theme is that members are engaging in behaviorally based threat assessment work. Members must demonstrate that their work involves the assessment and management of individuals who may be on the pathway to engaging in targeted violence. For security consultants, membership may indeed be of massive benefit if the above aligns. If your work is limited to physical security, cybersecurity, analytics, or other threats such as fraud, then it may not be the ideal organization to join in the absence of any behaviorally based work, but every applicant is considered and asked to demonstrate their current work in behavioral threat assessment and management. There are some members who may not do BTAM work directly but serve in a supporting role that directly supports the mission (e.g., HR, legal, analysts, associate relations professionals, etc.), and thus, their involvement may be invaluable to the broader membership network. ATAP is not about the size of the membership; it’s about finding the best-fit members who can support one another in this challenging and often daunting work.

AD: Those who are Security Professionals located in places such as ASIS, Africa, or LATAM may also be eligible to join ATAP. How does one go about joining this association?

MT: Many ASIS members are also ATAP members, neither are exclusive, especially valuable as ASIS delves more into acknowledging the relationship of behavioral threat assessment and management in the overall security culture. We have sister associations in Europe (AETAP), Africa (AfATAP), Asia-Pacific Region (APATAP), Canada (CATAP), and an emerging TAP in Latin America (ALATAP). Application processes may vary by TAP and you can be a member of as many as you wish; I am a member of ATAP, CATAP, and have presented for AfATAP. For the US ATAP, membership requires completion of an online application, payment of annual dues, a non-refundable application fee, as well as completed and signed sponsor form. The sponsor form can be completed by any current ATAP member in good standing. If someone does not know anyone in ATAP, they can reach out to the Chapter President in their region (emails are listed on www.atapworldwide.org). There are 14 chapters in the US, and you can belong to any chapter of your preference regardless of location though most choose chapters where they reside or work. My chapter covers Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas for example but we have some members from other states and countries as far away as Australia. When a prospective member reaches out, our chapter’s process is that one of our board members or I will schedule time with them to discuss the benefits of membership and discuss their work to ensure they are actively involved in behavioral threat assessment specifically.

AD: Young Professionals who are striving for more educational prospects, might consider applying for membership to ATAP. Does ATAP open up possibilities for advancement in this regard?

MT:?ATAP and the other TAPS are essentially professional networks for connections and training/education opportunities. Every chapter in the US must host a certain number of meetings per year, almost all of which include a 60-90 min. webinar of sorts. These events are for members, but non-members are allowed to attend 2 events across all 14 chapters before membership is required so they can get a feel for whether the Association is a good fit for them. There are also additional half-day, full-day, or multi-day training events put on by the chapters; some are free, and some are paid events. These events are generally open to members and non-members alike. ATAP also holds 2 main conferences annually, the flagship Threat Management Conference in Anaheim, CA (August) and the Winter Conference in Orlando, FL (February). Both are paid events, are open to members only during the first month of announcement, sell out quickly, and are open to both members and non-members. By being a member and networking with others, additional opportunities often arise as well whether for employment, projects, or volunteer opportunities. For me, I was able to make a connection on our internal communications app that led to me being asked to develop the first certificate program in BTAM at the collegiate level. ?This relationship also connected me to Dr. Diana Concannon and now, more support of ASIS. The list of opportunities I have garnered from being a member is unbelievable, and I attribute so many of my accomplishments to being an ATAP member and the phenomenal, and generous network of professionals.

AD: Additionally, Does ATAP offer Leadership Opportunities for those who aspire to take charge within their respective fields?

MT:?Members can run for positions on chapter boards, for the National Office, or participate on various committees (e.g., communications, certification). I always encourage members in our chapter to let me know if they are looking for such opportunities and we have in fact created ancillary leadership roles to support the elected board. Opportunities vary across chapters based on the individual chapter needs, but such experience may provide great practice in team leadership, project management, and the cultivation of professional networking, all of which can likewise bolster a resume. And again, through connecting with other members, new opportunities are always emerging.

Matt Talbot PhD, LCSW, CCFC, CFMHE, CTM

[email protected]

?Dr. Matt Talbot is the Senior Threat Manager for Kroger, Co., developing and managing a workplace violence and threat management program for more than 450,000 employees across 35 states and growing. By end of 2024, the company is likely to be the fourth or fifth largest globally. He previously served as the workplace violence prevention program coordinator for the South Texas Veterans Health Care System from 2011-2023 where he managed two organizational threat assessment teams and supervised the intimate-partner violence and suicide prevention programs. Matt is a member of the Southwest Texas Fusion Center Public Safety Threat Assessment Group (PSTAG), a Fusion Liaison Officer (FLO), and worked as an SME on the Texas statewide targeted violence prevention strategy lead by DPS.

?Matt is also the current President of the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP) South Central Chapter and serves on the ATAP National Communications Committee. He became an ATAP Certified Threat Manager (CTM) in 2018 and has 20 years’ experience in mental health, crisis intervention, violence risk assessment, and behavioral threat assessment and management. ?

?In 2021, Matt led the development of the first collegiate certificate program in behavioral threat assessment and risk management for Alliant University. ?He is a founding and executive board member of the Global Team Collaborative (GTC), a Canadian-based emerging global non-profit dedicated to support teams working to assess and manage various forms of threats, risks, and hazards. Matt is a member of the ASIS Human Threat Management Steering Committee and Chairs a working group for the Global Summit to Eradicate Hate, developing a professional development pathway for aspiring professionals into the BTAM space. He recently completed his PhD in forensic psychology researching parents’ perceptions of modern-day mass shooters.

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Abraham Desantiago.

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