Introduction

This chapter was reviewed by members of the ASIS International Crime Prevention and Loss Prevention Council, the School Safety and Security Council, and approximately 50 individuals who attended an educational session on school security at the 2013 ASIS Seminar and Exhibits in Chicago, IL.

Master planning is a catalyst for defining a vision for security that touches all aspects of service delivery, including technology, IT integration, command and control, and communication with stakeholders and employees. The plan should identify areas where security can be repositioned as a core function, contributing to the bottom line of the school. The master planning process enables schools to gain valuable exposure to tools and techniques that increase the value and integrity of their departments. Comprehensive, proactive protection solutions require collaboration among students, teachers, and administrators. You must explore ways to adapt successful emergency response procedures for your particular educational setting.

Part A. Administrative Procedures

1. Director of Safety and Security

• The school district or campus should have a director of safety and security to oversee the program.

• If utilizing a school resource officer (SRO) on your campus, he/she should be an on-duty, law enforcement officer who is highly visible and required to make random rounds of the property.

• Be aware of the many anonymous tip lines for safety and security concerns on the campus, e.g., Crime Stoppers.

• Implement an anti-bullying policy that is strictly enforced.

• Develop threat assessment teams and have training conducted by a qualified individual.

• When managing your security program and today’s software, anticipate the future needs of the school and campus. Install systems and programs with long-term expansion capabilities to accommodate future security needs and upgrades.

2. Vulnerability Assessment (See Chapter 3)

• Our culture has changed and crimes on school property have changed as well. Needs and deficiencies must be determined in order to have a security program that is effective.

• Vulnerability assessment is a critical on-site examination used to observe security that is currently in place, identify security deficiencies or excesses, determine what level of security is needed, and finally, to make recommendations for improvement to effectively control the identified risks.

• After the vulnerability assessment, you and the assessor together will conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine if the recommendations are affordable, feasible, and practical and if they can be budgeted for as short-term or long-term projects.

• The assessor will gather statistical data from law enforcement, such as the Uniform Crime Reporting system (UCR), National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to examine the frequency of events in your area to determine what can be done to remove or reduce the threat to your campus.

• A vulnerability assessment should be completed annually (or more often, if there are issues or significant changes to the building or campus) by a qualified individual. At this time, a review of all programs, policies, and training will be done to ensure that you are addressing current security issues.

3. Security Program Management (See Chapter 17)

• Establish security policies and procedures that address identified risks and ensure that the security program has the approval and “buy in” of the school district and principal of the school. It is important that policies and procedures are documented and that they address violence prevention and intervention. Security policies and procedures must be supported by school faculty and staff and be consistently enforced.

• The school district, as well as each individual campus, needs to effectively manage its security program using multilevels of communication, policies and procedures, physical security, and training, as well as response plans. There should be an effective implementation process for short-term and long-term projects.

• Involve the parents (PTA and other volunteers) as well as students in the School Safety and Security Program. All parties will assist and help educate students about the policies and procedures.

• Identify and manage your assets by ensuring all prevention, detection, and notification systems (alarms, lighting, video surveillance, intercoms, etc.) are working properly and that high-theft and high-risk areas have the proper coverage.

• Integrate solutions with existing security systems and infrastructure for maximum return on your investment.

• Lock classrooms during classes using properly installed hardware.

4. Background Checks

• Conduct diligent criminal background investigations (preemployment, annual, as needed) and drug testing (preemployment, for cause, random, post accident or incident) for all faculty, staff, volunteers, contractors, and vendors who are on school property.

• Implement fingerprinting for all school faculty, staff, volunteers, contractors, and vendors who are on school property.

Part B. Physical Security (See Part II)

5. Lobby of the Administration Building

• Install an intercom with a door-release button, inside the lobby vestibule.

• Have video surveillance of the area.

• Issue and require all students (in grades 9-12), faculty, and staff to visibly display color-coded, identification badges (or smart cards).

• Implement a visitor management system, including sign-in, photo verification, visitor badge (that must be displayed), and escort, if required. Use a driver’s license scanner for positive visitor identification. Consider a color-coded badge system for access to specific floors or areas.

• Utilize a computer database sign-in system either in the lobby or online when appointments are requested.

• Exterior doors should be locked at the start of school day (others are egress only and monitored) and only one entrance should be utilized, which should be equipped with intercom and a video surveillance system.

• Determine if walk-through metal detectors and/or handheld units are needed.

• Utilize a panic button or duress alarm in the lobby, which transmits a signal to a central station, who in turn will call the police.

• Have a written procedure for the use of panic buttons or duress alarms. Determine if this should include an automatic lockdown of the school.

6. Signage

• Install signage on campus to direct visitors, contractors, and vendors to the office area to be processed for access.

• Doors (interior and exterior) and windows need to be identified by placement of a number or letter (which is approved by police or fire responders) to identify various rooms in the building and on the campus. Obtain information from other schools and your local fire department to meet standards. Some schools currently have 10″- to 12″-high room numbers. Use the same size for numbers on the front door. (Consider using retro-reflective, 3 M Scotchlite™-type material.)

• In a conspicuous location, post emergency escape route-of-travel maps on walls in all buildings and in all rooms.

7. Perimeter of the Campus (See Chapter 4)

• Clearly identify the perimeter of the campus and utilize the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) concept of territorial reinforcement so that the school property is easily identifiable from public property. Install fencing and lighting, as necessary.

• In remote or high-risk areas of the campus, consider the ASIS International standard for fencing: 7′ in height (with three strands of barbed wire placed 6″ apart), if necessary.

• Follow the CPTED concept of maintaining bushes no higher than 3′ and tree branches trimmed to 8′ from the ground.

8. Perimeter of the Building (See Chapter 4)

• Improve, upgrade, and maintain the door hardware on all outside entry doors and install anti-prop alarms.

• Have full perimeter lockdown capability, either manually or automatic, but ensure that it meets local codes.

• Consider the use of bollards to prevent vehicular access to buildings.

• Enforce the policy of no-parking areas and designated drop-off areas. No-standing and no-loitering areas must be addressed and enforced.

• Before planting shrubs or bushes around buildings, consider the growth rate and the maintenance that will be required. Bushes should be no taller than 3′ and set back 1 yard from buildings or walkways, per CPTED concepts.

9. Access Control Systems (See Chapter 23)

• A closed-campus proactive capability, with electronic access control, audit database, and anti-pass-back feature should be utilized.

• Keep access points to a minimum. The general idea is to have one (or few) entrance(s) and many exits.

• Monitor the school parking lot with video surveillance and issue color-coded parking permits with designated parking areas for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.

• Before an incident occurs, ensure first responders will have access to buildings (issue all-access cards or master keys at training exercises).

10. Key Control (See Chapter 19)

• If you don’t have 100% control over your master and grand master keys, then you must rekey.

• Establish a key/card management program and assign someone to manage it.

• Rekey mechanical locks if keys are lost, stolen, not returned at a termination, or otherwise unaccounted for.

• Consider the use of keyless access control systems so that access can immediately be terminated if a card or code is lost, stolen, or if someone is terminated.

11. Lighting (See Chapter 20)

• Install adequate lighting on campus—especially by walkways, around doorways, and in parking areas. A properly illuminated area acts as a psychological and physical deterrent and can reduce criminal opportunity.

• Refer to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for lux and foot-candle lighting-level recommendations. Test illumination annually with a light meter and be cognizant that foliage on trees may obstruct lighting.

• Be aware of light trespass on neighboring properties.

• Consider installing cost-effective LED lighting.

• Have a lighting maintenance plan in place to quickly identify burned-out bulbs or inoperable lights. Assign and display numbers on light poles and fixtures so that those requiring attention can be easily identified. Inoperable fixtures or burned-out bulbs must be repaired or replaced within 24 hours.

• Lighting needs to be uniform and cost effective with correct foot-candles at various locations.

12. Video Surveillance (See Chapter 22)

• Retain 30 days of video surveillance footage, unless otherwise required.

• Consider utilizing digital recorders and cloud-based storage.

• Ensure video surveillance coverage is adequate and utilize video analytics.

• Install Internet protocol (IP) video cameras and determine if you need a fixed camera or a pan, tilt, zoom (PTZ) unit (PTZ cameras work well but are expensive—almost three times the cost of a fixed camera—and need on-site monitoring to be effective). Budget for this type of investment. Determine the purpose of your video surveillance program: monitoring and response, forensic purposes only, or both.

• Exterior lighting should be adequate for video surveillance resolution and color rendition index (CRI).

• Integrate video surveillance with access control, especially visitor management.

• Install video surveillance around the perimeter of the building, with attention to doors and accessible windows.

• There are standard locations established for certain types of cameras and monitoring, for example, at the main entrance, exterior entry points, cafeteria, hallways, high-risk areas, high-theft areas, computer labs, and so forth. Cameras are never installed at any location where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as in a restroom or a locker room. Cameras are also typically not installed in instructional areas such as classrooms. There may be other areas identified by school staff, faculty, or assessment that are identified as “hot spots” where video surveillance would be beneficial.

• Integrate video surveillance with alarm (intrusion detection) systems. For example, if a door is propped open, the camera zooms in to determine the cause and then sends notification that a response is required.

• Establish a partnership with local law enforcement to give them remote access to video surveillance for a critical incident or a crime in progress. If the school has an intrusion detection system and it is activated at night, law enforcement or security can respond remotely and disrupt a crime in progress. In this instance, video surveillance may also be used as evidence for prosecution.

13. Fire Alarm Systems (See Chapter 24)

• Conduct regular fire drills and ensure faculty and staff can quickly determine if all students are accounted for. Your visitor management system will help you determine if all visitors have been evacuated in the event of a fire or other emergency.

• Comply with all applicable state codes

14. Emergency Planning (See Chapter 15)

• Develop an emergency response plan and provide training for the staff.

• Establish emergency procedures with standardized actions and directives for inclement weather (tornado, earthquake, hurricane, flooding, etc.), medical issues, fire, building evacuations, shelter-in-place, lockdown, workplace violence, and active shooter as well as a business continuity plan for after the incident (OSHA, National Fire Protection Association [NFPA], FEMA, etc.)

• Ensure your emergency procedures comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards (physically handicapped, sight-impaired, hearing-impaired, or special needs students, faculty, staff, visitors, etc.). Have designated individuals trained to assist.

• Conduct training for emergency procedures with the local fire and police departments, EMS, and other local officials. Provide floor plans for each building on the campus to each of these departments. Consider supplying building plans and layout of the campus in a digital format for quicker access by more responders.

• Establish a crisis management team, with documentation. Determine who will make the decision to lockdown the school, how notifications will be made, and who will make notifications to faculty, staff, and parents.

• The crisis management team will handle procedures during and after a crisis situation.

• Develop mass notification procedures (see below).

• Provide two-way radios (or another alternative method for communication) for faculty and staff, and establish a designated command center area or location.

• Ensure you are in compliance with all applicable OSHA regulations, life safety codes, and local and state fire codes.

• The NFPA 1600 document is needed for all-hazards planning.

Provide FEMA training for administration and crisis team members. An introductory course on incident command systems (ICS) for schools is offered by FEMA: http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/courseOverview.aspx?code=is-100.sca.

• Conduct fire, evacuation, lockdown, shelter-in-place, and other emergency drills.

• Consider using the Standard Response Protocol of the I Love U Guys Foundation (www.iloveuguys.org).

• Develop crisis kits with all necessary supplies for an emergency situation.

• Collaborate with local law enforcement and other emergency responders to determine if interior door windows are to be covered and/or if shades are to be left open or pulled down in a lockdown situation.

• Develop a mutual aid agreement with other schools and businesses.

• Have well-stocked first aid kits on site (e.g., tourniquets, quick-clot gauze, chest seals, pressure bandages).

15. Mass Notification Procedures (See Chapter 10)

• Develop a mass notification program, which includes e-mails, text messages, social media, and public address system announcements, as well as audible and visual alarms.

• Ensure your mass notification program complies with ADA standards (physically handicapped, visually impaired, hearing-impaired, or special needs students, faculty, staff and visitors, etc.). Have designated individuals trained to assist.

• Ensure that your procedures meet NFPA Standards & Guidelines, which include a communication program, an incident management system, and individuals trained in ICS.

16. Training for Faculty and Staff (See Chapter 27)

• When hired, conduct classroom training on school policies and procedures and repeat annually at in-service training, or as necessary.

• Develop a policy for faculty and staff about when to use a fire extinguisher. Discuss when to fight a fire and when to flee a fire. Train faculty and staff on how to use a fire extinguisher.

• Conduct first aid, CPR/AED, and blood-borne pathogens trainings (29 CFR 1910. 151) and repeat recertification as required.

• Conduct training on how to respond to medical issues, fire, inclement weather, building evacuations, shelter-in-place, lockdown, workplace violence, active shooter, etc. Teachers and staff will train students.

• Ask local, state, and federal agencies to participate in your classroom, tabletop, or incident training.

• Educate students, faculty, and staff about bullying behavior.

• Inform students, faculty, and staff that they should report and/or challenge anyone on the property who is not displaying an identification badge.

• Educate students, faculty, and staff about “If You See Something, Say Something,” and empower them to report suspicious behavior or behaviors of concern.

• Train faculty and staff in all school security policies and procedures and repeat training as needed or when a change is made. Faculty and staff must consistently follow and fairly enforce all security procedures. There must be clear disciplinary action for anyone not following established rules or procedures.