Security in Schools
Reuben Mills
Chuck Puchon
Gary Quigley
Jonathan Walsh
THREAT ASSESSMENT IN SCHOOLS:
A GUIDE TO MANAGING THREATENING SITUATIONS
AND TO CREATING SAFE SCHOOL CLIMATES
(UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION 2002)
Major Components and Tasks for Creating a Safe/Connected
School Climate
• Assessment of the school’s emotional climate
• Emphasis on the importance of listening in schools
• Adoption of a strong, but caring stance against the code of silence
• Prevention of, and intervention in, bullying
• Involvement of all members of the school community in planning, creating,
and sustaining a school culture of safety and respect
• Development of trusting relationships between each student and at least one
adult at school
• Creation of mechanisms for developing and sustaining safe school
climates.
Foundations of a School Security Plan
• “It can’t happen here!” (West Nickel Mine School, Virginia Tech, Columbine)
• Michael Chertoff, Director of the Dept. of
Homeland Security, “ In a free and open society,
we simply cannot protect every person against
every risk at every moment and in every place.
There is no perfect security.” (Wall Street Journal, 2/14/2006)
• Transportation Security Administration is on the
forefront of layered security in airports.
Transportation Security Administration
(TSA)
Foundations of a School Security Plan
• Five Building Blocks of a Layered School
Security Plan
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▫
▫
▫
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Access Control
Visitor Management
Video Surveillance
Emergency Response Plan
Mass Notification and Alerting
Access Control
Visitor Management
Visitor Management
Scanner and
Software
System
Badge image
fades after 24
hours
Performs
several
background
checks
When Visitor
leaves, scans
out creating a
daily log of
Visitors in the
Building
Uses State
Issued ID or
Name and Birth
date
Prints a
Visitor’s Badge
with Picture,
Purpose of
Visit, Date, &
Time
Visitor Management
What Can These Systems Check?
Registered Sex Offenders
Custody Issues
Restraining Orders
Protection From Abuse Orders
Approved Pick-up Lists
Visitor Management
Positives:
-Provides Security checks on all visitors
-- School can program specific concerns
and needs
-- Messaging system that sends text
messages or notifications to security of a
positive security scan
-Negatives:
-- Confidentiality Issues among school
staff
-- All staff need to be clear on School
Policy and State and Federal Laws
-See a Visitor Management System in
Action (North Carolina)
-http://www.lobbyguard.com/solutions
/school_safety.htm
CV Schools Take High-Tech Approach to Security
• Wed March 04, 2009 - Silver Spring Twp
• ABC 27 News http://www.whtm.com/news/stories/0309/600620.html
• The Cumberland Valley School District is the first in the country to install
"school gate guardian" software.
• Visitors will be required to show some form of 'state' identification.
• Staff will check the 'id' against the registered sex offender database and look
for red flags, including protection-from-abuse orders.
• Everyone coming into schools--including staff--will be checked at least
once.
"We felt it's time to use technology to assist us in attempting to monitor and
control and manage visitors as they attempt to gain access to our schools,"
said Don Brink, the district's Director of Security.
• The software will cost about $4,000 for each school. Brink hopes to have it
installed district-wide over the next several months.
Visitor Management
• For More Information
▫ SchoolGate Guardian –
http://www.schoolgateguardian.com/default.aspx
▫ Lobby Guard - http://www.lobbyguard.com/
▫ Touch Mate / School Defender http://www.touchmateusa.com/index.html
▫ Raptor Software http://www.raptorware.com/vsoft.html
Video Surveillance
Emergency Response Plan
Emergency Response Plan
• The information provided comes from the
Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter
High School.
• P. E. & T. Charter H.S. is located at 15th and
Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia, PA.
Emergency Response Plan
• Schools have a high-density human population
• This concentration of people brings
opportunities and possibilities of the
unexpected, the difficult, and the unusual
• There is no substitute for good judgment, clear
thinking, calm and reason.
Emergency Response Plan
• Schools have plans that address the following situations:
▫ Bomb threats
▫ Dealing with death/suicide
▫ Emergency care of ill or injured groups
▫ Firearms/weapons/dangerous instruments in school
▫ Fire/explosion
▫ Hazardous Materials
▫ Hostage/Terrorist situation
▫ Important telephone numbers
▫ Kidnapping/missing student
▫ Nuclear emergencies
▫ Severe weather
▫ Suspicious persons
Responsibilities of Principal
•
•
•
•
•
Remain in command center and manage crisis
Direct 911 to be called
Declare a Code Red (respond or no respond)
Direct school bells to be turned off
Brief police, fire and emergency medical
personnel
Responsibilities of Principal (cont.)
• Establish the crisis management team.
▫ The team shall advise the principal and provide a
support team to deal with the emotional needs of
students, staff and parents.
• Hold a debriefing meeting immediately
following the end of the crisis situation with
everyone involved in the crisis.
▫ Review the facts and evaluate response
Responsibilities of Principal (cont.)
• Make every effort to communicate with parents
as quickly as possible after the conclusion of a
crisis situation.
▫ Accurate information is essential.
Code Red-General Procedures
• A Code Red is declared when a situation exists that
threatens the safety of students and staff and requires
that they remain in their classrooms.
• An announcement will be made in one of two ways:
▫ Code Red – Respond
▫ Code Red – No Response
 No one moves.
• Check restrooms during crisis.
• If class is outside when a Code Red is declared go to the
furthest part of the school property.
Code Red – General Procedures
• Classroom Teachers Responsibilities during Code Red –
No Response
▫ Prevent students from leaving their class for any reason and
guide students who are in the hallways into the classroom
▫ Students in the hallways shall be instructed to report to the
nearest classroom.
▫ Secure the area (Lock Classroom Doors and Windows). Turn off
all lights.
▫ Do not close blinds or shades other than the classroom door
window.
▫ Move students away from the door where their presence would
not be visible from the hallway.
▫ Take attendance and maintain silence at all times
Code Red – General Procedures
• Classroom teachers responsibilities during Code Red –
No Response (cont.)
▫ Disregard all school bells and wait for instructions from the
principal/designee or police/fire personal.
▫ If available, turn on the television and turn off the volume.
▫ Await dismissal by the appropriate authority. You may receive
instructions to vacate the room by individual class. Take student
roll book and/or class list with you.
▫ Do not unlock doors unless directed to do so by the
principal/designee or police/fire personnel.
▫ Do not attempt to contact the office unless an emergency arises in
your classroom or you have pertinent information concerning the
current emergency.
Code Red – General Procedures
• Classroom teachers responsibilities during Code Red –
Respond.
▫ Follow the above procedures except for locking classroom doors
and windows, turning off the lights and moving students to the
rear of the classroom.
▫ If a television set is available in the classroom, turn it on and turn
up the volume so it is audible.
Mass Notification and Alerting