A highly emotional controversy is spreading across Ohio over classroom door barricades. Advocates are touting these devices as a way to lock out potential school shooters. They are ignoring the very real dangers created if these barricades are used improperly or fall into the wrong hands. Imagine that your daughter is forced into an empty […]
Category Archive: School Security Equipment and Technology
Are schools wasting limited money on questionable security vendor products?
Since the attack at Sandy Hook Elementary School, far too many schools have been looking for the one practice or device that will guarantee school safety. Not surprisingly, many service and product vendors have tried to meet that desire. While few vendors have been successful in meeting that need, a large amount of school safety […]
Why we can’t solve a human public safety issue with a technological quick-fix: The knee-jerk jump to security cameras and other gadgets from Sandy Hook to Ferguson, New York to Cleveland
“Call our financial advisor and move all of our investment money into body camera manufacturers,” I recently told my wife. My comment was made tongue-in-cheek in reflection of the pathetic state of our public policy reaction to a public safety crisis, rather than as a passing joke or disrespectful and glib response to one of […]
Push for laminate window film raises questions on school security priorities, “expert” credibility
Recently I read a news report where a well know national presenter was interviewed as a “school safety expert.” This law enforcement trainer was quoted as saying there are two steps all schools should take for school security: Training and “laminate” film to cover classroom windows. The training recommendation is certainly on-target, although we are […]
Create a realistic focus when using school security cameras
The post-Sandy Hook education community has seen a heavily skewed response to the shootings with millions of dollars being thrown at physical security measures. School security cameras have often been at the top of the list as state legislators dish out grant money or local districts throw up some new cameras in response to parent […]
School safety deja vu: Columbine lessons still apply 15 years later
The shooting deaths at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, sent shockwaves across the nation in December of 2012. This was not the first time that educators and safety officials received a punch in the gut and a major wakeup call to assess school security. But the lessons from the first punch still ring […]
Can your principals and security staff access surveillance camera systems?
Can your principals access the surveillance camera systems they are supposed to be able to access from their desktop computers, laptops, or other monitoring consoles? This may seem like an odd question. After all, who would install camera systems with the capability for principals, security staff, and School Resource Officers (SROs) to access and retrieve […]
Training office staff critical to school entrance access control
Many schools are using various door entry systems to aid in visitor screening. Strong access control and visitor management is one important component of a comprehensive school safety strategy. One weakness we consistently see in our security assessment consultations nationwide is in the training of main office and other staff who use the security technology […]
Sandy Hook skews focus to security equipment, away from human side of school safety
Surveillance cameras and fortified front entranceways with enhanced access control are among the most common security equipment purchases by school districts reacting over the past year to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. Meanwhile, many schools continue to fail to invest the time and resources into the training, planning, exercising of crisis plans, and other […]
Failed police radios at Sandy Hook raises common safety issue
Connecticut State Police two-way radios did not work inside Sandy Hook Elementary School, according to the Sandy Hook Final Report released last week by the Connecticut State’s Attorney. The failure of the radios to fully work does not appear to have been a major issue in resolving this event. However, it illustrates a fairly common issue we […]