School Security SOP's/Plans

Training Training and Tactics
1

Since I can’t yet post in the General Discussion Thread…but would like to hear from some of you professionals in the industry…

My daughter goes to a small private school and I happen to know the Headmaster. He sent out a short email to all the parents this weekend attempting to offer them comfort about the school’s taking time to review their security plans. It was more fluff than substance, but at least he opened the door.

To be blunt, there is no way this or any other school can prevent what happened last week in Connecticut. If someone wants to bad enough and is willing and eager to die for their cause, it’s gonna be neigh impossible. The only hope they’d have is to deter or slow someone down. However, I’m glad to see him give it some thought.

So, I took the opportunty to email him back. Due to the proximity of a military base, and a large population of military and ex-military parents, I told him that he might have a valuable resources in place with those parents who might have SOME experience in these matters (certainly more likely than a bunch of educators). I recommended he poll the parents for those who might have some experience in this area (LEO/Military/Security) and consider a small ‘security study group’ to look at whatever they may currently have in plans (probably nothing other than call 911 and lockdown) and make some recommedations to the school. He seemed to take some interest in that idea.

I’m posting here to ask for any resources that anyone here might have for research and background materials that might elicit some critical thinking about various passive and active measures that could help. I know this is probably amatureish to some of you, but it’s certainly better than what they have now, and the interest is likely to die quickly. Here’s a chance to do something good to help make a positive contribution so thank you in advance.

2

I think that you did an excellent job by taking the initiative and e-mailing him and telling him about a future group to discuss security measure for the school and the children. I personally agree and would love (when I have kids soon hopefully) to work really close to the school where my children would go in regards to security and be able to develop some kind of plan to help prevent future situation such as CT.

I don’t have resources at the moment, but I believe to be able to find some, so If I do I will post here. Nothing makes me more happy than to help a parent to prevent future disaster at their children school.

Good Job Dad.

3

I emailed him the article about the TX School district that had the “guardian plan” who had armed some of their teachers who went thru some training. Not advocating that here (yet) without a LOT of thought, but certainly could be considered an option and got him to thinking about what other schools have done and what’s possible.

4

Excellent, I was just reading that and they stated that they been doing it since 07 and nothing has yet to happen, and is not rocket science to know that the formula is working. Invite him to join us here, so that he can see that we are all (gun owners) willing to help the community, because you know they are portraying us like the bad people.

I think you should keep the conversation flowing with him about it, make him do a parents-teaching-principal meeting and discuss the different POV’s to come to a good conclusion.

5

Similar situation here (small child in small-ish private school), and I just received a similar email from the chair of the board of trustees of the school saying (in part) that there may be an informal security assessment by an LT from the town PD some time in January:

Lieutenant ____ offered to come to our school in early January to assess our security needs and train faculty and staff on the newest school security methods.

She went on to talk about what they are doing:

Please know that the Board … will be reviewing current policies and procedures, as well as devising a plan to address facility modifications, in particular to the front entrance to the building, the need for which has become more pressing in light of recent events.

I’m underwhelmed, to say the least.

Since Friday, however, I have been thinking of going in a somewhat different direction from that of the OP: approaching the local Chief of Police (small town with ~40 full time officers, ~8 “specials” and 3 “reserve”) or county sheriff to inquire about becoming a “reserve” officer or deputy (sworn) at my own expense. The sole purpose of this would be to enable me (and any other like-minded individuals) to volunteer time at the school as an armed-response-to-active shooter resource. As it would effectively be an unpaid, off-duty “detail”, there would be no SRO teaching or other duties - I was thinking of it sort of like a volunteer FAM (federal air marshal) for the school…hopefully low profile/invisible to the students and parents, hopefully NEVER needed, but on site, competent and ready to go nonetheless. Is this a crazy idea?

The reason for going the reserve officer/deputy route was that I was thinking this might be easier for everyone to swallow, particularly if I (and any others) had to undergo the same psych/background/training/whatever as a “regular” officer or deputy, and particularly particularly if the actual firearms qualification standard was (i) substantially harder (e.g., the actual FAM qual, plus harder target ID / shoot-no-shoot) and (ii) administered more frequently.

I’m still in the formative stages of the idea, and I’m well aware of the issues that the CoP and town selectmen might have with respect to handing out another badge, but what does anyone think?

6

You reference to the LE “Reserve Officer” was actually already on my ‘brainstorming’ list…

7

It is great to some great ideas about how to help schools with security. These are well thought ideas not knee jurk reactions.

8

uhhh…nooo he’s not ready for that yet…baby steps…

9

I would bet there are any number of organizations that would do a free security assessment for a school in the current climate. Local law enforcement, maybe even contact your local FBI office to see if they have a resource. I bet even private security companies would be willing to come out and either do an informal assessment, or observe the site and write up a proposal.

The key thing is to get decision makers to focus on the desired outcome: real, physical safety of our kids, not more rules and regulations. Barriers. Armed personnel. etc

The one key thing that seems to be missing from so many of these school shootings is any form of internal security. Seems to me EVERY office and classroom out to have lockable breach-resistant doors and windows that every teacher can lock quickly, ideally electronically with a remote and physically with inside locks. And teachers ought to have communications with the office and each other via intercom broadcast, walkie-talkies, cell phones etc. that have an alert capability.

It may not be practical to totally eliminate the possibility of an armed intruder shooting a couple of people, but they should never be abble to get to any other room in the building or other buildings once the shooting or alert starts.

10

Where’s the Dept of Homeland Security. With the War on Terror, this is a anti terrorist issue. This tragedy could just as well been a Al Queda wannabe attack. DHS could fork over some funds and schools could hire a LEO or Private Security Contractor.

11

Excellent on everything. I only got to do 6 months of school in USA and the rest out of the country. I noticed in that time that every classroom has a phone where they can call or get contacted. I think a new measure is that every personnel should have at least a walkie talkie on them from now on because it is quicker to communicate that going into a classroom if you happen to be outside. There is so many things to take into account where we can definitely improve security. I also believe that having a “Command Center” where there is a personnel there during school hours managing, overseeing the security cameras and be able to control most of the things, hey why not? I have seen these in big corporate companies when I used to do Corporate Security. There’s plenty of them we just need to be able to get the fund at least from DHS

12

At least we have one that started:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/marine-dad-guards-school-article-1.1223381

13

Private armed security here.

If I was asked to stand a post at a school I would jump on that in a heartbeat.

14

I think what you have done as a citizen and as a parent a great idea. Being a Leo in NYC and raised in the city, schools were covered with school safety and always had armed officers mins by. Non the less into highschool most city schools had metal detectors. If things happened in the nature of shooting/stabbing with was always after hours off grounds, as security was to tight getting into the school. Now the school safety in NYC weren’t armed but they def did the job in keeping weapons out. With that being said even if an active shooter came into the building there would still be some kinda presence of security to apprehend the individual , buying time to get an alert out to local authorities.

I think at the NRA press conference, people were missing the big picture, nevermind having someone with a gun but the fact of the matter is to have SOMEONE there! And this is more so for the suburban school which are more prone to these sort of attacks.

I think all schools should instill some kind of security personnel units. I couldn’t agree with this thread anymore !

Sent from my SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

15

The best part of the NRA news conference was their proposal to write a school security plan that schools could tailor to fit their perceived threat level, and how far they were willing to go, up to arming teachers. I will be interersted to see what they come out with and that may help with my quest to get the school to at least THINK about improving their security posture.

Armed officers in the schools, while probably the best solution under the circumstances, is probably not going to outlast the budget cut cycle. Hopefully they will start by focusing on simple, cost efficient measures and go from there. What I realllllly want is the ability to CCW (although I reallize that is fraught with danger, as a CCW is just a ‘license to learn’ and many who CCW do not have the good skills or common sense to take on that task.

16

I am a reserve police officer for the township I live in. I have had all the training a regular officer has to have including ‘active shooter’. I took a couple of days vacation from my full time job before Christmas because I could. I was asked to provide security for the elemetary school in the morning and the afternoon on the days I took off. On the second day before I took my post, the dept. had a 911 call from a school phone. The regular asked me to go with him. We went to the Middle school first because it was the closest. Nothing from there. We then went to the high school and found out the call came from there. The Admin of the school then asked me to patrol the Middle school all day. Just ‘walk’ the halls. So I did.
Ladies and gentlemen, I have never felt so welcome in my life. All of the teachers and students thanked me over and over. I think we may have set a record giving high fives and fist bumps. Too bad I can’t give up my regular job to do this full time.
To anyone thinking about doing the reserve thing, all I can say is give it a shot. I have 14 years between 2 dept’s and have not been sorry yet. Later, Bob

17

Nice to hear this story! Hopefully everybody would be able to develop a nice plan, or, we could see how the NRA’s plan would work since they are offering on their expense.

18

I would be glad, at my own expense, to go thru this training in order to ‘help out’ at my child’s school.

19

Update: Well, whadda know, my recommendation actually turned into ACTION. Today, the schoolmaster sent out the following to all parents:

Dear Parents,

In the aftermath of last month’s tragic school shooting in Connecticut, we have all been praying for the victims and those who love them. We have also been grateful for the safety we enjoy at **************, but mindful that vigilance and preparation are the price of security. We must always do all we can to keep our students and staff safe at all times.

To that end, we are forming a taskforce of volunteers to review our safety procedures and emergency plans, and make recommendations to our administration and Board of Trustees on how we might improve them even further. If you have expertise in the areas or law enforcement, safety, emergency preparedness, medical, or other relevant fields, and you would be willing to serve on this special taskforce, please reply to this message. We have already enlisted the participation of Captain*****of the ******* Police Department, who is the father of two **** alumni.

Working together, we will keep our school safe for everyone.

Blessings,

20

Thanks for signing up and replying bobn911 (great first post by you). I’m looking harder at the reserve officer route, as it seems unlikely that the environment will be right for eliminating disarmed victim free-fire zones any time soon in the northeast. A few questions, if I might (other reserve officers or those with specific knowledge please also chime in):

  • in what state (or region) are you located?
  • you say that, as a reserve, you have had “all the training a regular officer has to have” - did you have to attend and graduate from a full-time academy?
  • what are the broad dimensions of your initial training prior to being sworn in (e.g., total weeks/months, full days vs. evenings/weekends, length of field training post-swearing in but prior to solo assignment)?
  • are the academies state- (or other govt-) operated in your state (I think some states get their recruits from accredited private sector academies)?
  • did the state, county or locality have to pay for part or all of the cost of your initial training?
  • as a reserve, what (if any) are your minimums for service hours per month (or other unit of time)?

In my case, I expressly don’t want to get paid or to add any kind of income stream for myself, and I really, REALLY don’t want to even create the appearance of going after any full-time officer’s paid detail or overtime work, as I’m sure this would just create a lot of anger and resentment.

Thanks.