Cost-benefit implementation of school security technology By Michael Dorn and Chris Dorn
In some cases, attackers don’t even need to bring their own weapons. This large butcher knife was found easily accessible in an unlocked teachers’ lounge of an elementary school during one of our assessments. It is not uncommon to find this type of hazard when a school does not undergo a regular physical security assessment. Photographic credit: Chris Dorn.
Planning is essential when deciding what type of security equipment to purchase. It is important to consider facilities issues, cost limitations, integration into district emergency plans (pictured) and the practicality of day-today operation when choosing new equipment. The best security technology on the market is no match for improper installation, a failure to properly integrate equipment into existing procedures and policies, or a lack of staff time to operate and maintain the equipment. Photographic credit: Rachel Wilson.
Pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras, either moving on a timer or controlled by remote, can be helpful if properly placed with an adequate field of coverage and appropriate level of lighting when the camera is in operation. These types of cameras are often able to be controlled remotely from an administrator’s office and some districts even have iPad apps to access camera views anywhere in the building. When using a timer to pan back and forth, the location of the camera and the amount of time it takes to pass the field of view should be considered so there are minimal gaps in coverage when the camera is rotating in another direction. Photographic credit: Rachel Wilson.
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Ops Talk • Fall 2012
A staff member locking an exterior door during a lockdown drill. In addition to basic security features, a school safety, security, climate, culture and emergency preparedness assessment takes into account physical security concerns when evaluating the overall level of emergency preparedness in a school. In this photo, for example, the type of door design increases the time it takes for a staff member to secure a door during a lockdown. One recommendation in an assessment report for this particular facility might be to consider short- and long-term fixes for this issue. A shortterm fix may be keeping doors locked during the day and a long-term fix would be to enhance or replace the locks on this bay of doors during facilities upgrades or renovations. Assessments are helpful in creating a ready-to-go “wish list” for future improvements when budgets come available. Photographic credit: Chris Dorn.
In contrast to what was available just a decade ago, modern school safety and security technology solutions are nothing short of amazing. Unfortunately, as was the case then, there are still many instances of school organizations spending hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars on security technologies that do not deliver the anticipated improvements in school safety. Typically, these gaps in performance have little to do with the quality of the technology, but are instead a result of a failure to fit security technology solutions to needs defined through an effective assessment process. What types of school safety assessments are there? Unfortunately, there is not a definitive and standardized school safety assessment process that is consistently agreed upon by leading school safety experts. While some assessment processes focus solely on physical security, others are much more comprehensive and look at school safety in a more holistic manner. Whether local personnel conduct the assessment or an outside vendor is contracted to perform the work, school officials should carefully define the scope of the assessment before it is started. Broader assessments of this type will prove to be far more effective than those focused mainly on locks, doors, alarms and security cameras in isolation. For example, a basic physical security assessment might last a few hours, whereas a school safety, security, climate, culture and emergency preparedness assessment can encompass several visits and will address physical security as well as other critical areas such as: •T he level of connection between the school and its students and staff •T he effectiveness of student supervision in the school
