Over the past few years, there has been an alarming rise in the amount of violent incidents in schools. And while it may be unsettling to think about, schools must do everything in their power to prevent the "unthinkable" from happening. While the following recommendations are by no means a complete checklist of all school security procedures that should be reviewed, they are an important first step toward this end.
- Ensure that access points are limited and well covered. A variety of items are available to help you cover all of your access points and blind spots. Video is the best method, as cameras can be positioned to provide you a real-time, documented record of all comings and goings. Motion and intrusion detectors can warn of attempted break-ins; consider using electronic access-control systems (cards and readers) on entries dedicated to administration, faculty, and staff.
- You may also look to CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) for guidance. This approach focuses on natural access control and surveillance, territorial reinforcement, and target hardening. Examples include locking all windows, doors and skylights; keeping bushes and trees well trimmed so as to not impede good lines of sight; proper signage and lighting; etc.
- Require all visitors to check in and out at the school office. At lower schools, the office door can remain locked with an intercom and video camera mounted outside, allowing you to confirm visitors' identities before allowing entry. Include a badging system for all visitors (some schools are color-coding their badges to restrict access to necessary areas only.) If all teachers, staff, administrators, and visitors wear identification badges, any adult without one will stand out and be open to challenge.
- Plan for non-school-related programs that occur on campus. Extracurricular activities often take place in late afternoons, at night, or during weekends—times when few, if any, school officials are likely to be on campus. While you should make sure that some qualified school personnel are present at all of these functions, available technology (like the kinds mentioned in the first bulleted item) can play a major role in helping protect a campus when most school employees are gone and help you to cover lapses that may occur in your normal security staffing.
- Account for the time periods when students and staff are arriving and leaving. The hectic activity that surrounds the start and end of each school day (and in between periods) gives students a chance for mischief and for unauthorized people to sneak into the school. Put teachers and administrators in the hallways, at all points of entry and egress, and on the playgrounds, where they can monitor events.
- Safety sweeps can also be conducted before school opens. A few staff can be assigned (on a voluntary and rotating basis) to arrive early to walk around the campus looking for anything "out of place" or dangerous, such as broken windows, open doors, unfamiliar cars parked on or near the campus, etc. The team is NOT to explore and put itself in harm's way, but rather call the appropriate authorities if a security concern of any kind surfaces.
