Key Strategies for Safer Schools
Recently, the need for safer schools is urgent now more than ever. With the proliferation of violence, vandalism, and just unauthorized access to any school facility, there has never been a more glaring issue for districts to swiftly act on to protect our students, teachers, and staff. We are developing a comprehensive school safety plan that will reduce many threats while maintaining a safe, supportive learning environment. School safety has shifted from its simplest form of prevention to an integrated planning effort consisting of best practices and new technologies combined with traditional protocols, to mitigate or eliminate risk, and to build an effective response for an emergency situation.
Implementing School CCTV Systems for Enhanced Surveillance
A very effective way to improve campus safety and security is through school CCTV systems. Surveillance technologies can support monitoring of activities on a school campus as well as deter crime by providing the physical evidence needed in the event of an an incident. Schools can have high definition surveillance cameras in place and installed in hallways, entrances and/or common areas to assist in visibility across a school campus. In addition to having conventional surveillance cameras, AI surveillance technology can be used to detect instances of suspicious behavior, know if visitors are unauthorized, and notify security officials of each suspicious activity in real-time. The AI capabilities and cloud monitoring, can also be built into dedicated monitoring with an appropriately trained team of security officers and/or an administrator, thereby ensuring that monitoring is video recorded of any suspicious activity without being physically present.
Controlling Access Points to Prevent Unauthorized Entry
The other key component of school security is managing access points. Open entry and exit points create vulnerabilities within the building that may make it easy access for an intruder to enter a school. Schools can use a layered approach to security by adding secure perimeter fencing, and locking doors during the school day, then using electronic key card systems. Each of these aspects provides school personnel – only access to the exterior while restricting access to unauthorized individuals from entering. Intercom systems and video doorbells allow personnel to check the identity of potential visitors at the front entry of the schools. This helps to reduce the risks to students and staff while also allowing personnel to verify any claims of entry access form teachers and students.
Utilizing Visitor Management Systems for Better Oversight
One of the elements in a visitor management system is knowing who comes onto the school campus and who leaves the campus. In the past, we allowed visitors to sign in on a paper sign-in sheet for our documentation. Paper sign-in sheets no longer provide enough security documentation for our ever-more security-conscious world. With newer digital visitor management systems, visitors will now present identification, consent to a background check, and be issued a visitor badge; this all takes place in a visitor management software. The digital visitor management systems also maintain a digital visitor record for the school, as well as allowing for an administrator or staff person to access that digital record and review a visitor log if there is an incident, or threat reported in the vicinity of visitors. Schools can add another layer of security, beyond the digital visitor record, simply by tagging the visitor management system with database access for the school. Tags can be used to allow the visitor management system the ability to flag visitors who are already identified as registered offenders or restricted from being on the school property by school personnel.
Building Effective Emergency Response Protocols
Emergency response procedures should be explicitly established and practiced so that schools are prepared for the various threats that face schools, such as natural disasters, medical emergencies, and security incidents. Effective procedures need to be created for lockdown, evacuation, and sheltering in place. Procedures need to be developed and practiced for how teachers and staff will respond in emergencies, including how to communicate quickly and efficiently using their emergency communication system. Providing panic buttons and automatic alarms for notification will allow faculty to notify law enforcement and emergency response agencies without delay and both at the same time when a step-up in emergency response is warranted. Having regularly scheduled drills and security checks will ensure that each person on campus will find, recognize, and has practiced different procedures, which will allow for an appropriate and timely situational response in emergency situations.
Leveraging Modern Technology for Proactive Security Measures
Educational institutions are using advanced technology to elevate safety in schools, by enabling them to recognize and predict the threats. Alarm systems that utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) listen for the sounds of breaking glass, or measure motion while recognizing people or objects, which helps to differentiate if the activity is normal or a risk to the safety of the school community. Smart locks and biometric scanners, (fingerprint scans or facial recognition) provide another layer of security by keeping unauthorized people out. Schools can also utilize mobile security applications that will keep them updated real time on the safety and security of their building, and they can use these apps to report incidents right to their school or district safety staff. These new technologies allow school communities to respond in a more favorable way to current and expected vulnerabilities, while providing a safe place for students and staff to learn.
Conclusion
To enhance physical security in school settings will require a combination of improved technology, planning and training. Schools stand to reduce safety risks by adopting school CCTV systems, controlling access points, creating visitor management systems, and developing strong emergency and response plans. As threats devolve, educational institutions become better at being aware and adaptive. Ultimately, the community’s safety is always the number one priority.