Strengthening school safety and security requires a mix of strategies, including security cameras in schools, mental health resources, and community-involved emergency response plans.
Our children are precious and irreplaceable, and their places of learning should be havens safe from crime and terror.
In recent years, the topic of school safety has become an increasingly central and contentious subject due to all-too-prevalent shootings in schools. When tragedy strikes, parents, community members, and lawmakers are rightly disturbed and desperate for a solution.
It’s imperative that we—as communities, and as society as a whole—find an effective strategy for improving and maintaining security at schools before more innocent lives are lost. Students of all ages deserve to learn in peace and safety, and we've compiled comprehensive and actionable strategies for responding to active shooter situations at schools.
Active shooter incidents have seen an alarming rise in the previous few decades. The tragic attacks at Colorado’s Columbine High School, Connecticut’s Sandy Hook Elementary, and countless other schools at every education level are painful scars in our recent history, as well as reminders that we can and must do better.
The ramifications of school shootings are devastating and far-reaching. Not only is the physical loss astronomical, but the psychological toll these tragedies have on students, their parents, faculty, staff, and communities cannot be overstated. It is absolutely imperative to prevent school shootings and to prepare to respond to potential emergencies swiftly and effectively.
School safety and security are vitally important for many reasons.
The predominant reason to make this a priority is that the physical safety of students, faculty, and staff is of the utmost importance. It’s every school’s legal and moral obligation to ensure this safety. Preventing crisis and tragedy is a worthy—and achievable—goal for lawmakers, leaders, and community members.
When students—as well as their teachers and administrators—are safe at school, they can operate in an environment that is conducive to effective learning and proper socialization. Safe schools are sanctuaries, complete with everything students need to thrive and improve.
If kids are able to socialize and learn in a secure environment, their emotional well-being will be preserved and enhanced. The reduction in anxiety and depression that comes with a threat-free environment can not only help students thrive academically but can also break or prevent the cycle of mental health struggles that can result in further violence and tragedy.
Schools that are kept secure are sure to foster trust from parents and community members. Kids, their families, and local institutions are far more likely to want to get involved with and support a school that keeps safety a top priority.
There are a variety of ways that schools can improve and maintain their security against potential active shooter situations. Things like enhanced locks, entry protocols, and security cameras in schools can work wonders in preventing and responding to violence on campus.
Before deciding which measures to include in your school’s physical security plan, identify any existing protocols and potential gaps in security. Determine what is working well, as well as what could be improved.
Your approach to securing your school should be a comprehensive effort, and several key tactics should be utilized in a way that makes sense for your facility.
A quality surveillance system will allow you to monitor for threats over a large area and multiply your efforts. Modern security systems, such as those pioneered and innovated by LiveView Technologies (LVT), include intuitive software that detects motion and analyzes footage for suspicious activity. They also integrate with other security measures, such as alarms and access control, to ensure that no threat goes undetected. Cameras can also act as powerful deterrents to would-be criminals and attackers.
Adjust and improve school policies and infrastructure to increase security. Certain school features, including doors and barricades, can be improved with locks, technology, and with shooter situations in mind in order to ramp up security. Implement access control solutions, including requiring visitors to check in and limiting unlocked entrances, to keep a finger on the pulse of all who enter and exit the premises.
Last but not least, create an efficient system for alerting law enforcement, parents, and other community members in the event of emergencies.
While physical security seems to be an obvious priority in preventing school shootings, prevention can—and must—begin much earlier than when a gunman approaches the school doors. Mental health crises are often the root of these tragedies and can if left unchecked, catalyze individuals to commit atrocious acts of violence.
Implement mental health resources for students, faculty, and staff members, and make these resources free and accessible. These offerings can include counseling, informational resources, peer support clubs and groups, and more. Empower teachers to spread awareness about these resources, support students, and look for signs that they need special care.
Train teachers and students on crafting a culture of inclusion, support, and kindness. Plan and execute anti-bullying initiatives, and empower teachers to intervene in bullying situations they observe day-to-day.
Create an environment between staff, faculty, students, and school administrators that is not only conducive to but encouraging of reporting warning signs and suspicious behavior. Ensure that all those who submit reports are attended to and taken seriously.
A healthy atmosphere—with a focus on the mental health of students, faculty, and staff—is one of the best ways to shore up your school community against shootings and other violence.
Practice makes perfect, and there’s no better time for a perfect response than an active shooter situation. Consult with local law enforcement on the role they can play in your emergency response, and in crafting your plan for an active shooter scenario.
There are existing frameworks for active shooting response, available from institutions in both the public and private sectors. The unique needs of your school, your area, and the particular challenges you face must factor into the response plan you choose.
Once you’ve ironed out the details of your active shooter response, conduct frequent training for students, faculty, and staff on the protocol for emergency situations. Involve all at the school in realistic, varied drills often, so that emergency procedures remain fresh in their minds. After conducting drills, collect feedback on how they went. Evaluate your findings with all involved, and continue to update and improve your plan. Communicate any changes to all involved parties quickly.
Your efforts to prevent and plan responses to active shooter situations can—and should—involve the community at large. Involve the parents and guardians of students, first and foremost, in active shooter and other emergency response plans. Communicate with them often, and make a firm plan to get alerts to families as quickly as possible in the event of an active shooter situation. Giving parents, students, faculty, and staff a say in emergency response planning can be an effective way to promote a unified response.
Liaise with local law enforcement and officials in the development and maintenance of your school’s emergency response plans. Make an action plan, and establish clear channels of communication, to ensure their quick and comprehensive aid in the case of an active shooter.
Foster a culture of transparency when communicating with your school community about emergency preparedness. When parents and other community members are kept in the loop, they’ll be more confident in the response plans and in school administrators. Involving parents and others can also help to identify potential issues early on: Make parents aware of the warning signs of aggression and mental health crises, and empower them to come to school administrators, faculty, and staff for help.
School shootings are a tragic and terrifying phenomenon, but there is so much that schools can do to both prevent this danger and respond effectively in the event of an emergency. When you take steps to improve physical security measures, provide mental health resources, plan and execute response drills, and involve the community, you will be able to better protect all within the walls of your school from a potential shooter.
LiveView Technologies is dedicated to preventing crime and keeping people safe, and deterring and responding to active shooter situations in schools is a mission we’re proud to espouse. LVT security systems are innovative and advanced and include crucial features that provide comprehensive protection and peace of mind.
LVT Units® are equipped with high-definition cameras that provide detail and clarity so that footage is invaluable in both real-time investigation and after it’s recorded. These intelligent systems can be easily integrated with other security apparatuses, including alarms and access control, for a quicker response and more complete shield of protection. They also include AI video analytics technology, like Avigilon Appearance Search™, which both alerts authorities if a known threat is detected on campus and tracks intruders’ movements in the case of a shooting threat. Each of these advanced capabilities can enable quicker responses in the face of threats.
Connect with us today, and discover how LVT can help safeguard your precious students, faculty, and staff from violence and terror, and can prevent the most devastating of tragedies from coming to your community.
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