Strengthening School Security
Immediately after the school shootings in Columbine, CO, a fear
gripped local communities across the Nation. Like most tragedies an
increased awareness, concern and call to action had local law enforcement,
school administrators, parents and statewide legislators focusing on gun
control, campus security, lockdown protocols and other measures to reduce risk
and enhance student safety. That was eighteen years ago.
Since this dreadful event, the belief that this could happen in
our schools or our communities was pushed to the back of our thoughts. Perhaps due to fear or simply a
rationalization that according to probability and statistics we had a very slim
chance that it will ever happen again, or to that magnitude. Even in our own communities as we moved
forward, heightening security measures and signed agreements with local law
enforcement to strengthen overall security measures, we felt more confident in our
ability to make our schools a safe place for students to learn, play and grow. Then
came Virginia Tech in 2007 and Newtown, CT in 2012, both unimaginable and
horrific. Once again, the focus of
prevention and protection became active in the forms of mandated lockdown
drills, shelter in place, active shooter drills and other strategies and
initiatives including facility design changes such as “man traps”.
With the recent tragedies of Parkland, FL and Santa Fe, TX, we realize
our world has changed and the threat is real, prevalent and everywhere. Since Sandy Hook, a gun has been fired on
school grounds nearly once a week.[i]
According
to Krishnakumar, “There have been more than 180 shootings on school campuses
that resulted in an injury or death in the U.S. since Dec. 14, 2012, when 20
children and 6 adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.”
In Parkland, FL, ABC Affiliate WPLG reported, “that students were
seen running with their hands up as authorities with guns drawn swarmed the
area.” “Other students were seen lined
up one by one, leaving the area in an orderly fashion while other students were
hysterical.” In Santa Fe, TX affiliate
KTRK reported, “a 17 year old carrying a shotgun and a revolver, opened fire at
a Houston-area high school, killing 10 people, most of them students.” “Thirteen people were confirmed to be injured
during the shooting.” Earlier this year,
NBC anchor Lester Holt reported in special broadcast[ii] that aired on February 14th that
there had already been 18 school shooting since the year began on January
1. With the May school shooting in Santa
Fe, that figure climbed to 19.
School shootings in Canada show that the problem is not isolated
to the U.S. and is in fact a global concern.
As a School Business Administrator, nothing concerns me more than the
fact that school shootings are a reality and we must therefore be vigilant and
watchful each day our doors open. The
increase in harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB) training and reporting
is key to understanding potential threats and opportunities to mitigate social
emotional issues with students before they escalate and turn into violent
events. Dr. Allison Paolini, Assistant Professor
of Counselor Education at Kean University in Union, New Jersey, cites the role
of the school counselor in mitigating violence[iii]; recognizing a direct correlation between
social emotional issues and school shootings.
In her research, she points out that bullying accounted for 87% of
school shootings. Drugs factored as 12%.
Countless times, we here law enforcement officials and trained
security experts say, “We cannot eliminate the threat”… so what do we do? How do we better protect those lives
entrusted to us and ensure our communities that we are adopting best practices
and providing the best level of security amidst the backdrop of these
terrifying events that seem to be increasing in frequency as well as severity? It starts with a risk assessment of our
buildings, our practices, our policies and then looking for solutions that go
beyond a safety or emergency management manual.
We need to evoke real solutions that strengthen the physical structures
we occupy. Equally important is the need
to inform, and educate our faculty, staff and students through drills and
procedures that are meaningful, practiced and tested. FEMA as well as all state departments provide
training and assessment tools as well as on-site inspection teams that work to
accomplish this task. In 2012, I
completed the Multi-Hazard Emergency Planning for Schools course at the FEMA
institute in Emmetsburg, MD. Along with
other school officials, I was part of a team sent from the City of Summit that
included our High School Principal, Facilities Director and a representative
from Police, Fire and our City Administrator.
In all our team included individuals from each discipline to work
together in identifying risk and learning from best practices from schools
across the country, but most of all - to work together and ensure alignment
with respect to operations for any crisis.
School Security is not a one-person job nor is it a responsibility
reserved for only the top of the organizational chart. Security is everyone’s responsibility in our
schools from the teachers to the custodians that occupy our schools. It is an accountability measure for everyone
in our employ as it effects everyone on site.
The importance of that accountability is being responsible or liable for
someone or something at the state of the event and or situation.
In an article by Michaael Fickes that appeared in the November,
issue of School Planning and Management the author cites the need for “All
Round School Security” by establishing three perimeters.[iv]
Fickes cites the work of Patrick V. Fiel, Sr., a security consultant and
nationally known expert with more than 35 years of experience managing law
enforcement and security organizations.
According to Fiel, districts should establish first a radius around the
building itself followed by a second circle around the grounds and finally a
third radius of one mile which represents the community in which all activities
effect the operation or pose a potential threat to the school. This is critical in assessing the potential
weakness and or impact of the community and direct responsibility of our
building and grounds. This concept
resonates with me as a former soldier based on my military training when
guarding everything within the limits of my post.
Assessing our building and grounds as campuses strengthens our
protective measures as we move to a holistic approach in maintaining a safe and
secure plan to protect those within our boundaries. It looks beyond the frontage or main
entrances and takes into consideration the blind sides or vulnerable areas of
our property such as hidden access points along side streets or heavy
vegetation that serve as a potential staging areas for an attack. A campus outlook with respect to security
focuses on site plans, coordination with local EMS, cameras, site lighting, bollards,
access systems (Key/Card), physical design, visitor access, and entry challenge
& holding areas. Assessments are key
in identifying weaknesses and planning for improvements. Districts are encouraged to include outside
professionals in completing these assessments to include security experts,
architects, and law enforcement.
Visitor management systems must go beyond just checking the
credentials and purpose of visitors to our buildings in order to control the
flow and access of entry into the schools and location within the school of the
Main Office. It includes technology
integration for keyless entry, buzzers, monitors and vigilance in challenge and
research of credentials.
Working with Eastern Datacom, we added a missing level of
notification devices and communication procedures by installing a lockdown
notification emergency system, LENS. Eastern
Datacom is a local provider of lockdown and notifications systems who specialize
in best-in-class communication solutions for schools, municipalities and
businesses in NJ and NY. During our
analysis of the plan that was right for our school district’s nine buildings,
Paul Jenne, Sales Manager and I developed the “CORE 4 ELEMENTS OF LOCKDOWN and
EVACUATION”:
1. Building Design (Security)
2. Automated Notification (Speed)
3. Communication (During the event); and
4. Reunification (Site suitability and
transportation)
Recently we presented this topic at our state Association of
School Business Officials (NJASBO) annual conference in Atlantic City in June
of this year. This presentation is also
available on the NJASBO website.
One issue that continues to receive a high degree of debate centers
on options in a lockdown event such as fighting back or evacuating versus
simply hiding. Programs like A.L.I.C.E® (Alert,
Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) or RUN. HIDE. FIGHT.® have been adopted by schools across
America. These programs have recognized
the fact that no two situations are identical and once a school finds
themselves in a lockdown situation the threat can change from minute to
minute. These programs understand that
alternatives to passive, traditional ‘lockdown only’ could prove to be counter
measures that hamper the shooter’s mission.
ALICE trainers stress practical techniques for how to better barricade a
room, what to do with mobile and electronic devices and how and when to
communicate with police. The focus of
their training centers on decision making during the lockdown to prepare to use
other strategies (i.e. Counter or Evacuate) should the active shooter gain
entry. Initiating a lockdown and simply hiding could result in greater
casualties by putting more individuals at higher risk. Instead, thought should be given to danger
zones and where and when to deviate from the traditional lockdown. For instance if a situation is happing in one
wing of the school (the Hot Zone – immediate danger) and effectively
communicated throughout the building, those in other hallways or annexes (the
Warm Zone – impeding danger or Cold Zones – safe no danger) could actually
consider evacuation while others in the Hot Zone remain in place within their
rooms.
[i]
Priya Krishnakumar, “Since Sandy Hook, a gun has been fired on school grounds
nearly once a week” Los Angeles Times, May 18, 2018.
[ii] https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/18-shootings-on-u-s-school-campuses-in-2018-1161826371910
[iii] Paolini,
Allison C., PhD. School Shootings and Student Mental Health: Role of the
School Counselor in Mitigating Violence. VISTAS online,
Article 90, 2015.
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