BEST K-12 SECURITY PRACTICES

 

What can be more important than creating a safe environment for our children?   There are many components that make up a proactive approach to school safety and different levels at which school districts currently find themselves.  If you are a Superintendent or Administrator it is your obligation to assess where your district stands.  The Security Industry Association (SIA) formed an Education Interest Group in 2013 to address school security issues.  The SIA Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) created the following guidelines:

Tier 1 reflects minimal funding and offers basic standards for procedure implementation, identifying improvements and technology Implementation. This is just a start.

Stepping up to Tier 2 requires a security staff. It offers standards for adding barriers, enhancing processes and establishing realistic security goals.

Tier 3 offers procedures and technologies to form an integrated approach to a safer school, requiring yearly spending and plans for continual improvements. It identifies prevention opportunities and works toward a culture change through processes and technologies.

In Tier 4, the highest tier outlined by PASS, security becomes a “way of life” and processes are automatic. It acknowledges that threats still exist but it is set up to continue to improve processes and technologies.

This is not a program solely targeted at active shooters. It will tackle bullying, drugs in schools, trespassers and other school security matters.  Don’t find yourself reacting to a circumstance or request to make your school more secure.  It’s time to be pro-active and review your security master plan today.  Your current technology integrator can be a valuable resource partner.

Information provided by Michelle Pekich with ASCC, Inc.   Michelle is a life safety and security specialist with 25+ years of consultative selling experience.  She can be reached at pekichmm@asccinc.com or by phone (412) 585-1805.