Before beginning any major campus security project or even a minor upgrade, I recommend a thorough risk assessment. Most quality, experienced security integrators will provide one free of charge.
A risk assessment should provide the basis for your security plan. It will show the strengths and the weaknesses of the current security set up. An assessment begins from the outside perimeter to include the parking lots, athletic fields, gyms, auditoriums, labs, stairwells, hallways, locker areas, classrooms, and offices.
Every aspect of security will be examined. Here’s what that includes…
I look at the lighting, fencing, and landscaping before ever checking on locks, cameras, and access control systems. I want to know what role everyone on campus plays in a school’s security plan, as well as what human resources, such as district security personnel and/or a school resource officer, are available in an emergency situation.
It’s important to talk to administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and students. Most often it’s the students that know what’s really happening on campus. I’ll also talk with representatives from local first responders such as the police and fire departments.
Armed with all of this information, it’s possible to give a reasonably accurate risk assessment of a campus.
So before adding a new fence, a visitor management system, or hanging a few extra cameras, take the time to get a risk assessment so you can see that you are spending your money as wisely as possible. That’s a smart way to stretch your dollars.
Patrick Fiel is public safety advisor for ADT Security Services and a former executive director of school security for Washington, D.C. Public School System. He also served 22 years in the Army Military Police Corps, where his responsibilities included day-to-day security operations at the West Point Military Academy. During his time with ADT, Fiel has conducted more than 100 television, radio, newspaper, and magazine interviews as a public and school safety expert.
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