Design 2147 CEO Sisto Martello recently spoke with John Rafferty, President and CEO at WATCH GUARD 24/7, about school security. Here are some of the important takeaways from the conversation.
Q. What are you seeing in relation to security at schools today compared to 10 years ago?
A. Over the last decade, you have seen security become part of the school’s overall budget. When parents are selecting schools, they are not only concerned about the academics of a school anymore, but the safety of their child while attending that institution. It’s important for schools to have a balance of physical security as well as security technology at their institution. Security guards, if used properly, can be a huge deterrent for someone to try to harm a child at the school they are assigned to.
Ten years ago, most schools never had a thought of having security in their school, nor was in a budget item. However, schools today are trying to find a way to add security into their budgets as it is no longer a want but a necessity when operating a school.
Q. Do you provide armed and unarmed security to educational institutions?
A. We do. Some schools have a mix of armed and unarmed security personnel. We understand that when you are hiring armed guards for a school that the cost of this is much higher than only using unarmed security. Therefore, many schools go with unarmed security because they do not have the budget for armed security.
Q. Is there ever a concern that kids see an armed guard in a school?
A. At the schools we service that have armed guards, the security guards are dressed in a suit and tie and are retired law enforcement. The kids never see a firearm displayed within the school. My biggest concern as the owner of a security guard company is that if an armed perpetrator comes to a school, that our team will be able to appropriately respond to the threat and make sure that the lives of the students and staff are protected.
Q. What would be your biggest recommendation for a school that is considering adding or strengthening their security program?
A. Many things can be done to add to or strengthen a security program. It starts with taking a look at the facility. You need to start by looking at windows, doors and the overall operations of a property. Are any doors being propped open or left open for the ease of getting in and out of the building? Review what doors are being utilized during normal business hours. How are the kids moving from one building to another? What security cameras are on the external parts of the property, as well as the internal areas of the building, and who is watching these cameras? What type of security program is in place for the security guard? Are they conducting rounds? Are they positioned at certain areas of the school at specific times? Is the guard going outside during recess? Think about where the guard is positioned during arrivals and dismissals. What is the communication between that guard and the school staff look like? Most importantly, each school has to be looked at as a different entity and proper post orders must be put in place for each particular school.
Q. What is the biggest challenge in securing a school?
A. The biggest challenge in securing a school is ensuring that your security staff is not complacent. The biggest fear is that a guard, principal, and staff think that their schools will never be attacked or targeted. You have to run these programs by making sure that your security guards realize how important their positions are and that anything can happen at any time.
