Security in Schools

1. Security in Schools Reuben Mills Chuck Puchon Gary Quigley Jonathan Walsh

2. THREAT ASSESSMENT IN SCHOOLS:A GUIDE TO MANAGING THREATENING SITUATIONSAND TO CREATING SAFE SCHOOL CLIMATES(UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 2002) Major Components and Tasks for Creating a Safe/Connected School Climate • Assessment of the school’s emotional climate • Emphasis on the importance of listening in schools • Adoption of a strong, but caring stance against the code of silence • Prevention of, and intervention in, bullying • Involvement of all members of the school community in planning, creating, and sustaining a school culture of safety and respect • Development of trusting relationships between each student and at least one adult at school • Creation of mechanisms for developing and sustaining safe school climates.

3. Foundations of a School Security Plan • “It can’t happen here!” (West Nickel Mine School, Virginia Tech, Columbine) • Michael Chertoff, Director of the Dept. of Homeland Security, “ In a free and open society, we simply cannot protect every person against every risk at every moment and in every place. There is no perfect security.” (Wall Street Journal, 2/14/2006) • Transportation Security Administration is on the forefront of layered security in airports.

4. Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

5. Foundations of a School Security Plan • Five Building Blocks of a Layered School Security Plan • Access Control • Visitor Management • Video Surveillance • Emergency Response Plan • Mass Notification and Alerting

6. Access Control

7. Entry Systems • Doors are among the most critical points of concern for school personnel. • Key goal for exterior door is preventing unauthorized access into a school. • The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (NCEF) safe school checklist: • http://www.ncef.org/checklist/index.cfm

8. Entry Systems • Fire Safety • Doors are for getting out. • “In occupied buildings, egress doors can prevent entry, but they can never prevent exit” (NCEF). • Never chained. • The International Building Code: • http://www.iccsafe.org

9. Entry Systems • Having doors that are easy to open from the inside makes it simple for students to defeat carefully designed exterior door systems. • Need to enhance security features.

10. Enhancing Access Control • Fewer Doors • The more doors the harder for staff to monitor traffic in and out of the building. • Limit entry to one main entrance after classes are in session.

11. Enhancing Access Control • Card Systems • Reader outside the door detects information held on a swipe card to unlock door. • Easier to cancel card then to re-key locks. • Only recognizes information on the card. • Can not tell if appropriate person is using the card.

12. Who is using swipe cards? • School of the Future (Philadelphia H.S.) • Students required to swipe cards at every classroom entrance. • Show discipline records, immunization reports, eligibility for lunch programs. • Prepares for potential terrorist acts. • Provides precise information about students.

13. Enhancing Access Control • Keypads • Authorized personnel enter a passcode on the keypad. • Correct code unlocks door. • Eliminates problems with lost or stolen keys. • System can be compromised if employees provide their code to unauthorized users.

14. Enhancing Access Control • Biometrics • Use measurements of people’s unique body characteristics to grant access. • Most common is scanning of hands, fingers and/or eyes . • Raises privacy concerns about whether schools should be collecting personal identifying information.

15. Who is using biometrics? • Three Plumsted Township Schools in New Egypt, New Jersey. • Received a $293,000 grant from National Institute of Justice (NIJ) • Created its own iris recognition system with NIJ.

16. Did it work? • For the most part….. • The 9,400 plus times iris scanner used there were no false-positives or misidentifications. • Provided accurate identification and opened door 78% of the time. • Failed attempts: • 6% resulted from people using scanner that were not enrolled. • 16% were problems with outdoor lighting and not lining up eye properly for camera.

17. Enhancing Access Control • Lighting • Providing plenty of light around exterior entrance can deter someone from trying to break in. • Alarms • Notify central office or security if door stays open too long.

18. Enhancing Access Control • Intercoms • Administrative employees can determine who is seeking entry before unlocking door. • Used in conjunction with video surveillance. • Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) • Construction strategies to make entrance easily observed.

19. References • Cohn, Jeffrey P. Keeping an Eye on School Security: The Iris Recognition Project In New Jersey Schools. NIJ Journal, July 2006, No. 254. • Guernsey, Lisa. Security; Where’s Johnny? Smart Cards and Satellites Help Keep Track. The New York Times. August 3, 2005. • Kennedy, Michael. Keyless Access: Electronic access control helps schools and universities manage who gets into their facilities. American School and University, April 2009, Vol. 81 Issue 9 p. 32-34. • Kennedy, Michael. Safe Entry, Easy Exit: Bolstering security at campus doors is critical for schools and universities. American School and University, September 2008, Vol. 81 Issue 1, p. 40-42. • Kennedy, Michael. Door/Entry Systems: Properly secured doors make it difficult for unwanted visitors to enter school and university facilities. American School and University, June 2007, Vol. 79 Issue 11 p. 16.

20. Visitor Management

21. Visitor Management

22. Visitor Management

23. Visitor Management Positives: Provides Security checks on all visitors - School can program specific concerns and needs - Messaging system that sends text messages or notifications to security of a positive security scan Negatives: - Confidentiality Issues among school staff - All staff need to be clear on School Policy and State and Federal Laws See a Visitor Management System in Action (North Carolina) http://www.lobbyguard.com/solutions/school_safety.htm

24. CV Schools Take High-Tech Approach to Security •  Wed March 04, 2009 - Silver Spring Twp • ABC 27 News - http://www.whtm.com/news/stories/0309/600620.html • The Cumberland Valley School District is the first in the country to install "school gate guardian" software. • Visitors will be required to show some form of 'state' identification. • Staff will check the 'id' against the registered sex offender database and look for red flags, including protection-from-abuse orders.  • Everyone coming into schools--including staff--will be checked at least once. "We felt it's time to use technology to assist us in attempting to monitor and control and manage visitors as they attempt to gain access to our schools," said Don Brink, the district's Director of Security. • The software will cost about $4,000 for each school. Brink hopes to have it installed district-wide over the next several months.

25. Visitor Management • For More Information • SchoolGate Guardian – http://www.schoolgateguardian.com/default.aspx • Lobby Guard - http://www.lobbyguard.com/ • Touch Mate / School Defender - http://www.touchmateusa.com/index.html • Raptor Software - http://www.raptorware.com/vsoft.html

26. Video Surveillance

27. CCTV • Closed-circuit television • 1 person monitoring a CCTV sees more than 10 people on foot • Price has dropped in last 5 years • Color monitors cheaper than black and white

28. CCTV capabilities • From rooftop, administrator can zoom in and get license plate numbers • Weather-resistant domes • Cameras automatically switch from color monitoring during day to light-sensitive mono-chrome at night • Districts save money by producing clear images w/ low light (do not need to install additional lighting)

29. CCTV is a tapeless system • Display video and record high resolution pictures on a hard drive • Eliminate cost and headaches of VCR taping • Provide instant access to critical recordings • Use simple keystrokes to locate images by alarm, time, date or camera number • Images retrieved on demand • Monitoring can be made to authorized personnel anywhere in the district via their computer

30. School Districts using CCT V • New Britain High School • Connecticut’s largest high school • District has 63 cameras (47 inside) • Pan-tilt cameras capture anywhere that anyone can go on campus • System is tied to 2 police cruisers • High asset rooms (computer lab, nurse, etc.) have cameras fitted w/ motion sensors • If someone enters unauthorized, cameras begin recording • District is saving $200,000 dollars annually in vandalism expenses.

31. School Districts using CCTV • Miami-Dade County Public Schools • 4th largest district in the country • 120 cameras placed around the campus • 34 % drop in the 19 serious incident categories • 62% drop in aggravated assault • 72 % drop in weapon-related incidents

32. Emergency Response Plan

33. Emergency Response Plan • The information provided comes from the Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter High School. • P. E. & T. Charter H.S. is located at 15th and Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia, PA.

34. Emergency Response Plan • Schools have a high-density human population • This concentration of people brings opportunities and possibilities of the unexpected, the difficult, and the unusual • There is no substitute for good judgment, clear thinking, calm and reason.

35. Emergency Response Plan • Schools have plans that address the following situations: • Bomb threats • Dealing with death/suicide • Emergency care of ill or injured groups • Firearms/weapons/dangerous instruments in school • Fire/explosion • Hazardous Materials • Hostage/Terrorist situation • Important telephone numbers • Kidnapping/missing student • Nuclear emergencies • Severe weather • Suspicious persons

36. Responsibilities of Principal • Remain in command center and manage crisis • Direct 911 to be called • Declare a Code Red (respond or no respond) • Direct school bells to be turned off • Brief police, fire and emergency medical personnel

37. Responsibilities of Principal (cont.) • Establish the crisis management team. • The team shall advise the principal and provide a support team to deal with the emotional needs of students, staff and parents. • Hold a debriefing meeting immediately following the end of the crisis situation with everyone involved in the crisis. • Review the facts and evaluate response

38. Responsibilities of Principal (cont.) • Make every effort to communicate with parents as quickly as possible after the conclusion of a crisis situation. • Accurate information is essential.

39. Code Red-General Procedures • A Code Red is declared when a situation exists that threatens the safety of students and staff and requires that they remain in their classrooms. • An announcement will be made in one of two ways: • Code Red – Respond • Code Red – No Response • No one moves. • Check restrooms during crisis. • If class is outside when a Code Red is declared go to the furthest part of the school property.

40. Code Red – General Procedures • Classroom Teachers Responsibilities during Code Red – No Response • Prevent students from leaving their class for any reason and guide students who are in the hallways into the classroom • Students in the hallways shall be instructed to report to the nearest classroom. • Secure the area (Lock Classroom Doors and Windows). Turn off all lights. • Do not close blinds or shades other than the classroom door window. • Move students away from the door where their presence would not be visible from the hallway. • Take attendance and maintain silence at all times

41. Code Red – General Procedures • Classroom teachers responsibilities during Code Red – No Response (cont.) • Disregard all school bells and wait for instructions from the principal/designee or police/fire personal. • If available, turn on the television and turn off the volume. • Await dismissal by the appropriate authority. You may receive instructions to vacate the room by individual class. Take student roll book and/or class list with you. • Do not unlock doors unless directed to do so by the principal/designee or police/fire personnel. • Do not attempt to contact the office unless an emergency arises in your classroom or you have pertinent information concerning the current emergency.

42. Code Red – General Procedures • Classroom teachers responsibilities during Code Red – Respond. • Follow the above procedures except for locking classroom doors and windows, turning off the lights and moving students to the rear of the classroom. • If a television set is available in the classroom, turn it on and turn up the volume so it is audible.

43. Mass Notification and Alerting

44. Mass Notification

45. DESCRIPTION • Mass Notification System • Alerts students, staff, community via strobe light, sounder and digital signage • Panic buttons for immediate help transmitted to school officials

46. Justification • “Some state legislatures have recently passed laws requiring their schools and universities to implement reliable and comprehensive mass notifications systems (MNS).” The Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 requires that post secondary institutions make “timely warnings to the campus community about crimes that pose an ongoing threat to students and employees.” Above and beyond state or federal legislation, we in public safety have a moral and ethical obligation to provide the safest possible environment for our students and employees.” (Corich,September/October 2009)

47. ALERTUS: Localized Emergency Notification Major Components and Tasks for Creating a Safe/Connected School Climate • An affordable product that is easy to use • Program is expandable • Does not rely on cellular or the internet • Has an open system architecture to allow partnerships with other products and software • Interface designed to operate in a graphical web browser without internet connections • System can be installed on premises or hosted in remote locations

48. Facility Notification Appliances • The Alert System can disseminate alerts to the following end points: • Alert Beacons • Voice Public Address • Fire Alarm Audio Systems • Digital Signage • Desktop Alert Software

49. Benefits of Alert Beacon • Cost Effective in comparison to other products • Multimodal enabling • Reliable • ADA Accessible • Flexible • Empowering • Easy • Interoperable

50. Beacon Alerts Vs. Text or Email Notification Beacon Alerts Text or Email notification • Sirens and strobes immediately capture everyone’s attention • Allows receiver to acknowledge receipt or silence alarms • Can fail due to congestion during an emergency • Receiver has to open or read email or text messages • Inoperable during power failure