In 2023, the School Safety Advocacy Council Advisory Board approached leadership with the idea of creating a gathering of those professionals across the nation that serve as either school safety/security directors and/or school district police chiefs.  Our leadership team immediately went to work on creating the very first coalition of these individuals in the nation.   And while we were aware of other attempts to create similar organizations, it was noted that all of the other groups involved the school safety product companies as part of their platform and mission, where or team immediately felt that this coalition should run independently and without influence from the corporations that seek to sell products to the schools/districts the coalition members work for.  The School Safety Advocacy Council was quick to point out that it appreciates and recognizes the important work these companies do, however if we are truly going to take on issues like national school safety standards and/or best practices, it should not be influenced by the business that may sell products that are identified as a best practice.  We additionally reached out to many of these companies and the vast majority agreed with our platform and keeping the two-running independent of one another.