Active shooter situations grab the most attention, but there is a long list of other threats facing schools, including bullying, vandalism and emergency medical situations. Broadly speaking, a comprehensive approach to school security should prioritise prevention, preparedness and response to all threats.
Holistic security approach
“Fostering a culture of safety within a school, which involves strong relationships, trust, and communication, is highly effective and does not require significant costs,” says Christin Kinman, End User Sales Consultant with Allegion, a security manufacturer.
“It is crucial to educate stakeholders about the unintended consequences of quick fixes, like barricade devices, to ensure informed decision-making and a holistic security approach. The goal should be to promote safety and security for all, every day, in every situation.”
Integrated and successful security plans
While this might solve a particular challenge, it can also create unintentional conflicts"
"Creating an integrated security plan requires a multi-faceted approach," says Kinman. "Too often, security measures are implemented as a reaction to either an event or a specific vulnerability. While this might solve a particular challenge, it can also create unintentional conflicts," adds Kinman.
“Creating a successful security plan involves a comprehensive approach,” she says. “An effective, systematic approach begins with assessing, identifying, and valuing assets, identifying threats and vulnerabilities, quantifying the impact of a loss, analysis and prioritisation, and finally, development of mitigation measures.”
Safety and security
An effective resource is the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS), which provides a framework to help with school assessments, including identifying and valuing assets, identifying external threats and internal vulnerabilities, assessing the impact of loss, and analysing and prioritising mitigation measures.
Safety and security are words used seemingly interchangeably when it comes to schools, but they mean different things. “How we define these terms influences planning and addressing challenges,” says Kinman. “It is easiest to think of these terms as being either external or internal to the individual.”
Coordinated security
Safety is internal to the individual and relates to the individual’s perception of being free from harm
Security is external to the individual and encompasses the protective physical, emotional, and environmental measures implemented in conjunction with policies, procedures, and training, as well as mental health measures and social and emotional learning.
Safety is internal to the individual and relates to the individual’s perception of being free from harm or danger. Coordinated security measures create an environment of safety.
Four main elements of physical security
Kinman lists four main elements to physical security, often referred to as the 4D’s. These elements are deter, detect, delay, and deny:
- Deter refers to measures implemented to prevent an attack or threat from happening. These are usually visual deterrents that communicate legitimate use.
- Detect refers to measures that can detect the presence of a threat, such as video surveillance and monitoring.
- Delay refers to measures that slow down an attack or increase the level of effort needed for an incident to occur.
- Finally, deny refers to measures that prevent or restrict access to valued assets.
Four layers of ground perimeter
A layered approach to school security creates “layers” that must be defeated for an event to occur, says Kinman. Typically, the four layers are the ground perimeter, the private grounds around the building, the building perimeter, and the building interior.
- The ground perimeter layer demarcates public vs private space, and deterrence is the primary objective.
- The grounds layer allows for identification of legitimate vs illegitimate users and detection is the primary objective.
- The building perimeter layer prevents illicit users’ intent on harm from gaining access. The primary objectives at this layer are delay/deny.
- The building interior protects the most valuable assets, and the denial of an unauthorised individual is the primary objective.
Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety
The second element is impact, also rated on a scale of 1-5 and ranging from negligible to catastrophic
“Quantifying loss and assessing risk is one of the most important steps in creating an integrated security plan,” says Kinman, who explains that the two elements that guide this step are probability and impact. Probability is the likelihood that an event will occur, typically rated on a scale of 1-5 ranging from rare to almost certain. The second element is impact, also rated on a scale of 1-5 and ranging from negligible to catastrophic.
“Probability multiplied by impact equals risk, which has a score ranging from 1-25,” says Kinman. “The higher the score, the higher the risk.” An analysis of vulnerabilities and threats using a matrix yields a systematic approach to prioritise improvements and identify mitigation measures. For statistics on crime and safety in schools, visit the Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022.
Security improvements
“The costs of school security encompass various aspects, including physical measures, personnel, training and policy enforcement,” says Kinman. “While there is no fixed amount, it often involves investments in technology, such as access control and emergency response systems. Many security improvements do not require additional funding, like training staff and students on security protocols and implementing policies to create a culture of safety.”
Generally, funding for public school security is a shared responsibility among federal, state and local governments; communities also contribute. “Striking a balance between shared responsibility and ensuring adequate resources is crucial for effective school security,” says Kinman.
K-12 school security
Community members and parents can donate by being vigilant and noting any suspect activities
Various stakeholders play crucial roles in enhancing K-12 school security in addition to schools and communities. Stakeholders include community members, parents, local government, local law enforcement, first responders and non-profit organisations.
“Engaging these stakeholders fosters a comprehensive approach to school security,” says Kinman. Community members and parents can contribute by being vigilant and reporting any suspicious activities. Local government can support schools with funding and resources, while local law enforcement and first responders can provide expertise, conduct drills, and establish emergency response protocols.
Safe and secure learning environment
In addition, non-profit organisations can offer valuable resources, training, and support programmes to address specific security concerns.
“By involving all these stakeholders, schools can tap into a diverse range of expertise, resources and perspectives, pioneering to a more effective and comprehensive approach to school security,” says Kinman. “Collaboration and communication among these entities are vital to ensure a safe and secure learning environment for students and staff.”
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