Between 2019 and 2020, 79% of schools reported at least one crime incident on campus. Before sending your children to school, you need to know whether they will be safe, and whether the school is investing in security solutions to prevent crime on school grounds.
Which security features should you look for to keep your child safe at school?
Keep reading as this guide talks you through the top security features to consider when selecting a school for your child – don’t miss out on this vital information.
Table of Contents
Access Control
If you’re sending your child back to school, you need to know that the premises are out of bounds to unauthorized individuals who have not registered as visitors. Since traditional key and lock systems are outdated, you will need to look for a school employing school door security systems on-site to prevent the possibility of lockpicking.
One of the leading solutions in the access control sphere is cloud-based access control. It eliminates the following issues with an on-premise access control system:
- On-premise systems require in-person maintenance, and door locks can only be operated by traveling to the location.
- On-premise systems require maintenance, and server downtime can cause system downtime and compromise security.
- On-premise systems are more costly to maintain and take up space in the school that could otherwise be allocated to more critical resources.
The school can implement a keycard, fob, or mobile access key-operated system with a cloud-based system. With a cloud-based access control system, the school’s security staff will gain the following benefits for their security strategy:
- More visibility – the school’s security staff can check the status of the school’s door locks from anywhere using their mobile devices, allowing them to have consistent awareness of the school’s perimeter security.
- More agility – the school’s security staff can operate door locks from anywhere using their mobile devices, allowing for a more agile security response. Should an emergency occur, they can easily initiate lockdown and evacuation procedures instantly to provide safety and security at a moment’s notice.
- Easier management – with cloud-based access control, system administrators can perform updates over-the-air, reducing system downtime and service wait times, since a service engineer would not need to visit the site in person to resolve the issue.
In addition to offering these benefits, cloud-based access control also allows schools to implement mobile-led access control. With this system, users can enter the building using digital access keys stored on their mobile devices, allowing them to enter the building more conveniently.
They can simply wave their hand over the access reader to trigger remote communication with their mobile devices – entering without touching buttons or keypads, which could slow down building operations and promote the spread of germs.
Video Surveillance
Using the right security cameras for schools are essential to ensure that all events on school grounds are monitored and recorded for safety. Having evidence of events on school grounds provides the following benefits:
- It allows the school to investigate incidents that occur on site.
- It allows the school to make an insurance claim for any stolen goods or damaged property.
- It deters criminals from attempting to commit a crime on school grounds.
Video surveillance is undoubtedly a top consideration for any school’s security strategy. Cloud-based surveillance offers similar benefits to access control in speeding up security processes.
It allows security personnel to view the security camera feed from anywhere and stay up-to-date on security events while performing other duties. They can also quickly investigate potential security threats immediately without needing to travel back to the control room.
Additionally, cloud-based security offers open API integrations that allow security professionals to integrate security tools – expanding their function. The security team can apply video analytics to their cloud-based surveillance system to ensure the school is secure.
Video analytics software automates the video monitoring process, providing security staff with alerts based on triggers. Object identification spots dangerous items on site, creating alerts for potential weapons so that security staff can respond instantly – without missing a potential threat to student safety.
Visitor Management
In addition to securing the property from intruders, schools must provide security measures that ensure everyone entering the school as a visitor is logged according to regulations. Visitors with the proper certifications may be able to roam school grounds with an escort. To establish effective safeguarding protocols, the school can apply visitor management software to its access control system.
The software tool will automate visitor management, providing users with digital surveys to fill out before entering the school – the fields are customizable, allowing for the proper evidence of certification to be provided. This solution provides accurate and reliable visitor management for more stringent school security.
Summary
Before you decide on a school for your child, you must take the necessary steps to ensure your child will be safe and secure on school grounds. By looking for the security tools listed above, you can ensure that the school is equipped to act quickly to emergencies on site and accurately spot potential security threats. Consider how many of these tools a school is offering before enrolling.