- Security guards who are well qualified and trained to be ready for action need to be employed. During times of unrest, police officers can also be stationed. Research shows that children feel more protected than panicky in their presence.
- Security cameras are a must in all the regions of the school and student movement needs to be monitored. And a surveillance team should be able to react quickly to suspicious activity involving intruders.
- Maintain a main gate and direct all incoming and outgoing traffic towards the gate. Maintain logs of workers, contractors and servicemen entering the premises. A necessary escorting facility should be made available.
- In preschools and charter schools where the student population is limited, criminal opportunity thrives. Install doors that open only from the inside. Have panic buttons in places known to the teachers. Train the staff to recognize any intrusion and report to security.
- Identify locales that may be vulnerable and implement cheap yet effective monitoring systems like electronic cards for parking lots, visitor passes with social security numbers etc.
- Maintain a properly lit premise to counter thefts.
Have you taken security steps to prevent a school break-in?
September 5, 2014
Owing to rapid growth in the education sector, schools have become commonplace in all nations. Schools today are not just institutions providing learning to your children. There is more to running a school and most of the corporate culture and policies are applicable to them. With growing amounts of vandalism and violence reported in schools, security is one such concern which needs a definite highlighting. The safety of the students becomes a major worry for the parents and a responsibility for the school authorities. Break-ins are the most common crimes occurring in schools in addition to kidnapping, contraband drug possession and illegal weapon possession. Studies say that in recent economically difficult times, school break-ins occur for purposes of theft. Construction commodities or workshop materials left in poorly lit open areas inside the school compounds are also targeted. When we look at these issues, we need to know what steps need to be taken from a security point of view to prevent break-ins. Here are a few tested and researched measures: