Every child should feel safe at school – and every parent should feel comfortable sending their child. Security officers are a great way to keep schools safe, but there are other things schools should be doing alongside this option to ensure the safety of children and staff.
For example, CCTV systems can help keep schools safe, monitor who enters the premises and deter crime and bullying. Alongside these physical security systems, there are small changes schools and teachers can make to ensure students feel safe and protected at school.
What security risks do schools face?
Unwanted visitors
The only people entering a school must be people who should be there. Strangers should never be allowed onto school premises, as this could be a considerable risk to children. The only people able to enter a school are staff, students, and visitors with permission. Students from other schools can pose a considerable risk; there is often friction between different schools, resulting in lots of bullying and fighting.
Knife crime
A recent BBC documentary called Knives In The Classroom revealed some shocking events and statistics around crime in schools. In one year, 17,000 10-15-year-olds were carrying knives. This statistic alone shows how crucial the role of security officers in school can be. Bullying can soon get a lot more serious when students are carrying knives, among other weapons.
Data breaches
Schools hold a lot of confidential information relating to students, finances, staff, and more. Because of this, documents must be kept safe. Computer systems should use a password system amongst other safety measures, and any physical documents need to be locked away so that they don’t end up in the wrong hands.
Theft
Schools are at risk of theft at all times, especially when they are empty. This is why security systems are essential 24/7 for school premises. Confidential information is at stake. Schools have lots of expensive computers amongst other electronics, which makes them attractive to thieves.
Benefits of hiring a security officer in a school
Reduced bullying and fighting
Bullying has always been a problem in schools, but with an increase in weapons entering schools, this problem is becoming more serious. The presence of security guards acts as a deterrent; students are less likely to bring weapons and use them if guards are patrolling the school.
Also, if an incident does occur, guards are on duty to step in. Trained security guards are likely to pick up on things that staff in the school could miss, potentially stopping a serious crime from happening.
Teachers feel safer
Going to work can be scary for teachers if there is a high risk of crime at their school. The presence of security guards creates a feeling of safety. Teachers are often victims of threats from students; knowing a security guard is around to look out for risks can make teachers feel a lot more comfortable going to work.
Parents are happy sending children to school
Keeping their children safe is a parents priority. Sending children to a school that has a high crime/bullying rate can be tough for parents. Knowing there are security measures in place to keep their children safe can make a big difference.
Parents know that security guards will be patrolling the school and looking out for any suspicious behaviour, keeping their kids safe when the parents can’t be there to do so themselves.
Prevention of unauthorised access
Security guards can patrol the whole school premises, guard an entrance, or walk around the entire grounds. This makes a huge difference in preventing unauthorised access. Unwanted visitors are a massive risk in schools, from strangers to students from different schools.
Again, a massive benefit of this is acting as a deterrent. A student from another school is far less likely to try a break-in when a security guard walks around the premises.
Other security measures to put in place
Close protection officers
A close protection officer, or bodyguard as they are more commonly known, differs from a security guard because they are hired to protect one particular person. For schools, bodyguards can be used if one person is at high risk of bullying or threat. Close protection officers can be hired to travel to and from school with an individual to keep them out of harm’s way.
Dog handlers
Security dogs can pick up on things a security guard could miss, mainly thanks to their impressive senses. Dogs can be trained to sniff out weapons and drugs. Therefore, they could identify potential risks entering schools before the human eye would spot them. Security dogs also act as a deterrent; humans are not likely to outrun a dog. They can be intimidating to criminals.
CCTV cameras
Although security guards are a significant deterrent, having 24/7 security guards can be pricey. CCTV cameras can constantly be working. For example, this would be beneficial if somebody tried to break into a school on the weekend. A guard might not be there to intervene, but a CCTV camera would catch the criminal in the act and potentially help police identify them.
Controlled access
Access control is a system that only allows authorised people into a specific area. Permission to enter this area is requested by personal identification, usually an ID card or even a fingerprint scanner. This can be highly beneficial in school, for students or staff. If rooms contain confidential information, you can set the system to only allow specific staff in and no students. This can stop data breaches from occurring.
Here at Stok K9 Security Services, we provide a wide range of security measures that can keep your school safe. If you are concerned about the safety of your staff or pupils, please get in touch with us, and we will be there to help every step of the way.