The North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) and regional school officials have come together to ensure safe and secure school environments conducive to learning. 

The mission of School Threat Assessment and Response System's is to prepare, assess, respond, and strive to prevent threats of violence in our schools through a regional program that recognizes the individual uniqueness and integrity of each community. 

This is a multi-tiered assessment and response system and is designed to provide local officials access to specialized resources developed through a collaborative effort. Utilizing the STARS System Protocol, incidents and threats are addressed through response classifications involving varying degrees of consultation, readiness, and intervention. 

Once STARS is initiated, local systems and efforts are augmented by NEMLEC's regionally coordinated resources including access to personnel and experts with specialized skills, planning and training opportunities, communications systems, equipment and advanced technologies, and protocols for program and technique evaluation. 

The STARS program makes certain resources available to member communities. At this time in the program's development these resources include the following:
  

• STARS Response Team
• Bomb Detection Canine
• Equipment and Technology Pilot Testing and Evaluation
• School Facility Floor Plans
• Document Examiner Handwriting Expert Services
• Mobile Incident Command and Communications capabilities
• Local Critical Incident Planning and Preparation Information Technology Systems
• Mental Health Evaluation and Consultation Services
• Computer Crime Forensics Investigation capabilities
• Regional Internet GIS and Information Sharing System