How can I make my school more secure?
Unfortunately, this question remains top of mind for both faculty and families alike, as headlines continue to convey the heartbreaking news of shootings and violence on school grounds countrywide.
As a specialist with more than five decades of experience, we can tell you that the first and best line of defense for all campuses is to create effective layers of security.
Emergencies arise without warning. Your school must collaborate with a reputable contractor who can help you establish layers of safeguards that work in unison. This way, if one system should fail, another can spring into action to protect your students and guests.
The following safeguards are increasingly integral to a safe and secure school environment:
- Comprehensive access control: Protecting your facility’s entry and exit points is imperative. In addition to higher-end defenses, such as door lock and mobile credentials, simple door prop alarms can be programmed to alert authorized personnel whenever a door has been left open longer than a specified timeframe. This significantly reduces the risk of intrusion and can ultimately avert crises before they occur.
- Gun detection: Today’s AI-driven active shooter solutions are integrated with school surveillance cameras to detect firearms on-site, in real-time. With these systems, firearms are identified within fractions of a second, human analysts are notified immediately, and law enforcement officials are swiftly alerted to potential threats. Similarly, gunshot sensors can notify law enforcement when gunfire is detected at or nearby your school, while bullet-resistant windows and other bullet-proofing measures provide yet another layer of defense – not only from firearms but also from attempted break-ins and more.
- Visitor verification: Entry systems allow school personnel to know who is coming and going from your facility at all times. Today’s visitor entry systems implement cutting-edge biometric technology that can be used to permit or decline guests, visitors, students, staff, and more based on their respective authorization levels.
- License plate recognition: Integrated software allows school faculty to accurately identify vehicles entering and exiting school property, giving you a more cohesive view of day-to-day traffic, while allowing you to alert leadership of unauthorized visitors and other suspicious behavior.
- Mass communication solutions: In an emergency, time is critical. Mass communication services allow you to immediately notify staff and students of potential threats while providing actionable information that can save lives.
- State-of-the-art surveillance: Cloud-based surveillance systems allow staff and authorities to access footage on-site or remotely, which expedites campus searches for shooters and other threats. When integrated with other safeguards, such as gun detection software, response time improves, and loss is prevented. Top of Form
It is important to note that alarms and panic buttons should always be installed where they can be easily – and quickly – accessed by faculty members, while security measures should be intuitive. A reputable security vendor can conduct a vulnerability site assessment at your school to pinpoint existing gaps in your security coverage and discuss potential improvements.
Secom offers vulnerability assessments free of charge for schools seeking a comprehensive security approach. Reach out to our team today to learn more.