Risk Reporter for Educational Facilities
Spring 2016 Vol. 4, Issue 1
Print this Article 
EmailProtection (security teams)
Ramp up protection with security teams
It’s hard to miss reports of crime in the news these days. No one is immune to violence, schools included.
Creating a security team at your school, however, can go a long way toward ensuring the safety of your teachers, students and employees.
Here are tips for creating your security team, putting a plan of action in place and setting standards for its operations.
- A professional security team is highly recommended for schools.
- Identify potential crisis events.
- Establish a written security and violence response plan for your school.
- Train and use your teachers and administrators as a first line of defense to detect potential threats involving suspicious people, packages and vehicles.
- Establish procedures for patrolling exterior and interior areas before, during and after school hours, as well as over the weekend.
- Conduct a security sweep of the entire school building before locking all doors and windows for the day.
- Ask local community groups or Neighborhood Watch programs to keep an eye on the property and report unusual activities to law enforcement.
- Conduct periodic safety surveys of all school buildings and grounds and keep written records of conditions and corrective actions.
- Call police if a suspicious person is on school property and let the police investigate the situation.
- Establish a position on onsite armed protection.
“‘It can’t happen here’ is the biggest and most dangerous myth, as it lulls people into a false sense of security. Disaster takes unexpected forms and strikes when it wants to, not when we are ready for it. That’s why preparedness is so important. Don’t think for a minute it can’t happen to your school.”
— Kevin Jennings
Assistant Deputy Secretary of Education,
Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools
