New Innovations in Student Safety & School Security

With recent campus safety issues, more schools have updated their security.

Regardless of the size or location of a campus, safety precautions need to be taken to protect students and faculty. With recent campus safety issues having made national headlines, many campuses are re-evaluating their school security measures and are not only investing in new tactics, but also working to ensure that traditional strategies are being properly executed. Below are several security measures, ideas and new technologies that campuses and students across the country are utilizing to stay safe.

One of the most simple but important ways to keep staff and students safe is to ensure that all personnel are properly trained and educated on standard safety procedures and are aware of the proper steps to take in the case of a campus emergency.

When it comes to safety, many colleges and universities can learn from elementary schools. Elementary schools do a great job of ensuring that every door is properly secured. Universities should be no different. With huge campuses and hundreds of buildings, it‘s easy to forget how important each and every door lock can be to school security. In the event of an emergency, doors that can be locked from the inside are very useful. Electronic locks are also an efficient means of securing doors because they completely diminish the need for physical keys, which as we all know, can easily get lost or end up in the wrong hands.

Maintaining a constant and visible security presence is also an important factor in campus security. Campuses should be constantly patrolled by trained, uniformed security officers. Emergency blue light phones are also a great way to demonstrate a security presence. These phones are direct lines to 911 and campus security. They are convenient, available 24/7, and highly visible, making them an effective crime deterrent.

Students can now also use their favorite mobile devices to keep themselves safe. New technologies now put student safety at their fingertips. Many campuses now contact students about emergencies via text notifications. Since almost all students have cell phones, this is a great way to get information out quickly.

Phone applications such as Guardly and Jacket Guardian have also revolutionized how people protect themselves. Guardly is a security app that gives students easy access to an emergency call button that acts as a direct line to campus security. The app can find a student’s location and allows the student to discreetly use the program so offenders are not aware that they are contacting help.

The Jacket Guardian app has the ability to track your location and uses GPS technology to keep students safe. Students can tell the program the route they will be taking. If they get off route and run into an emergency situation, 911 will be alerted.

Two-way emergency notification systems such as SOS Alert System are also becoming extremely popular on campuses all over the world. They allow users to instantly contact emergency responders, while also giving police the opportunity to instantly send out alerts and instructions for what to do during the emergency situation.

Parents and students should take it upon themselves to check that campuses are utilizing the proper school safety resources and employ the latest advancements in school security measures. If you feel that your campus is not properly secured, do not hesitate to contact the school’s administration. College should be a fun experience, but you must always take the necessary precautions to keep yourself safe.