10 Questions Parents Need to Ask About School Security

Summer is winding down.  That means school has started, or is about too, depending on where in the country you are.  Amidst the rush to get supplies, school clothes and back to a more hectic pace of life, parents should ask some basic questions about their kids’ school security.  Schools are normally safe havens for our children, but are very vulnerable to becoming a target.  They are generally ‘soft’ targets with little in the way of security staff and attract a lot of attention when things go wrong. 

As a concerned parent, take a few moments to ask some basic questions about the school’s security program and verify that everything reasonable is being done to keep children safe in school.  Just by taking an interest and following up with the school will send the message that safety is important and helps ensure that the best steps will be taken.

1. Who’s in charge?

The first item is to find out who is responsible for security.  Is it listed as a duty in their job description?  It is a good bet that if no one is responsible for security, then security is just an afterthought at the school.

 

2. Access control –

               How many doors are left unlocked during the school day and who locks them up afterwards?  Are all the open doors in a location where they can be supervised by staff?  How are visitors identified?

 

3. Background screening –

               All employees working around kids should be screened during the hiring phase.  Does the screening process look for criminal convictions around the country or just locally?  What is the policy on individuals with criminal histories – at what point are they considered non-hirable?  Is there any screening on long-term employees after they have been hired, such as an annual criminal record check?

 

4. Crime tracking –

               Is there a record of criminal events or suspicious activity that occurs on the property?  How about periodic tracking of data to see if crime is increasing or decreasing around campus?

 

5. Security risk assessment –

               Every year, a security risk assessment should be completed to identify high risks and that information should in turn be the focus of efforts to fix the gaps.  Does the assessment include a review of policies and procedures, crime reports, local crime, as well as building security including lighting and landscape?

 

6. Security drills –

               When was the last security drill?  Were areas for improvement identified and what steps were taken to make those improvements?  Along the same lines, what kind of security awareness training has been provided to faculty?  Has staff been trained to identify suspicious behavior?

 

7. Video surveillance –

               Video surveillance can be a great tool for evidence gathering after an incident, as well as a chance to detect and deter suspicious problems.  Does staff know how to use the existing video surveillance system to search for events, as well as download images or video for law enforcement?  Is the software updated routinely and how often are the cameras cleaned or serviced?

 

8. Threat assessment team –

               Does the school have a team to assess any risky events or threats?  A mix of staff and local law enforcement should be part of the team to evaluate threats or violent behavior and develop an action plan on how to respond.

 

9. Tracking of custody issues –

               This applies to parents with sole or shared custody following a separation.  How does the school track and enforce who is allowed to pick up kids from class?  What steps are taken to prevent parental kidnapping?  Are copies of restraining orders kept on file along with any court-issued custody papers?

 

10. Special events –

               How is security maintained when off campus?  Field trips or even on-campus events may require additional security measures.  What steps are considered and how is protection maintained?

               As a parent, one of the best things that you can do to help keep your children safe at school is to ask these questions and show an interest, and let administration know that security is an important consideration.

 

Eric Smith, CPP is the leading authority on organizational self-defense.  He has extensive experience in law enforcement as well as security management.  Eric is available for staff education and security awareness training as well as business coaching to help organizations provide safe workplaces.  To learn more email eric@businesskarate.com.

The Most Dangerous Time in a Crime

               Violent crime of any kind is a dangerous situation and can turn worse at any moment.  There is no way of knowing what is in the mind of the suspect.  What is the real motive?  During a robbery for example, is the goal to get your money or is it to hurt you?

               In studies of robbery suspects, the goal was usually to get the goods, but most of the suspects were willing to use violence if necessary.  Some crooks may think that they need to kill the victim if they will identify them later.  (For more on surviving a robbery, click here.)

               There are so many types of crimes and criminals it is impossible for a victim to really know what is going on.  Some crooks may not even tell you what they are up to, creating doubt and uncertainty, a useful tool to keep a victim off balance.

               A serial killer or rapist may kidnap a victim and try to keep them cooperative or somewhat calm by assuring them that they will be let go later.  During a robbery, the suspect may say that no one will get hurt if the victim just cooperates without a problem.

               So how do you know when you are truly in danger?  How do you know when the time has come that you must fight back no matter what?

               If an armed suspect is demanding property, then perhaps the safest thing is to give them what they ask quickly to end the situation.  Property can always be replaced.  If you are in danger, though, the time has come to act and respond and to escape.

               A recent crime story in Denver highlights some of these dangers.  A female security officer was coming into work at Cherry Creek Mall, an area usually considered high-end and safe.  A man approached the woman in the parking garage and he forced her at gunpoint to climb into the trunk of her own car after robbing her.  She was able to release the trunk from inside and escaped a few blocks away.  Moreover, she is most certainly alive today because she did escape.  The suspect was later arrested for murdering a 73-year old male just before the kidnapping.  He had a lengthy criminal history with arrests for drug violations, robbery and vehicle theft. 

               He was clearly capable of murder and most likely going to kill the woman once somewhere more private.  He had previously killed one person and he had already robbed her and stolen her car. 

               In the same area a couple of years before, a woman jogging along a bike path was kidnapped as well.  In that case, the suspect brought her back to his mobile home and raped her, keeping her prisoner for several days.  He actually discussed his dilemma with her saying that he was going to have to kill her.  She was able to convince him that he could let her go and she would not report him.  He did let her go after a horrible and terrifying time.  Her presence of mind and being able to keep her cool and persuade him to let her go saved her life.  She was also able to identify where he lived later for the police resulting in his arrest.

               So this brings us back to the point at hand – what is the most dangerous moment during a violent crime?  The moment the suspect tries to move you from the initial crime scene, you should consider yourself in a very dangerous situation.  If the primary motive were just to steal from you or to threaten you then there would be no need to take you somewhere else.  The majority of victims moved from one location to another end up being killed. 

               Are there exceptions?  Naturally.  Kidnappings in some countries are fairly common.  The goal in those types of crimes is to recoup some kind of ransom and most kidnappers know that the victim must be living to get the ransom.  The suspects will need proof of life.  You should know ahead of time the risks when traveling to some of these countries and generally multiple suspects will carry out the kidnapping.

               For this discussion, the type of crime we are talking about is street crime, usually one suspect acting alone.  Faced with an armed suspect, what do you do?  Every situation will be different.  The most important is to keep thinking clearly and not give in to panic.  If you decide that you need to fight back, then wait for, or create, an opportunity to attack and once you start, be aggressive and violent and don’t stop until the suspect is down or you have reached safety.  An example of creating an opportunity during a robbery may be acting afraid and let your wallet or purse fall when handing it to the suspect.  Invariably, their eyes will follow the falling purse, giving you a split second to attack and take advantage of their reaction time.

               However, physical attacks may not always be the best option.  If there is the chance that other people are around and the suspect needs to get away quickly, you may be able to delay them to the point they leave without you.  Acting as if you are going to vomit or pretending to have heart problems may prompt them to give up.  You may be able to pretend that you have a bad knee or sprained ankle and cannot walk.  One word of caution – be careful about pretending to faint.  That could be easy to spot as a fake with some simple threats or painful strikes.

                 As with most reactions, you will be more successful if you have planned in advance how you will respond in a situation like some of these.  Be ready to fight back in any way you can, kicking, biting, gouging and screaming or plan another tactic, such as illness to keep yourself from being taken during a violent crime.  Or maybe simply knowing how to open your own trunk from inside it. 

               For more on self-defense and personal safety, read the post on “Fight, Flight or Freeze – You Decide!”

5 Tips to Becoming Street Smart (and Maybe Even Cool)

               “Street smart.”  What images comes to mind?  What kind of character or person do you imagine?  Would you consider yourself street smart?  What does it take? 

                Each of us will have a different idea about what it means to be street smart.  Probably most of us will picture character from a movie or other fictional character.  When it comes down to it, most of us probably don’t really know someone that we would normally think of us street smart or savvy.  It is a ‘cool’ idea and something that we tend to idolize in fictional action heroes.

               For some people, being street smart may mean knowing street lingo or slang.  That may work in some drug-induced circles or for undercover police officers, but is that all?  For others, street smarts may conjure up images of Oliver Twist, living on the streets, picking pockets and stealing food to survive.  Someone who knows all the ins and outs of how to survive on your own.

               Many may equate street smarts to the school of hard knocks, literally surviving in a rough and tumble world.  A tough guy always defending himself from thugs or gangs and fighting to stay ahead.  Some may even imagine gang members as street smart.

               Each of these meanings do have some similarities.  All involve an understanding about illicit, illegal or unsavory lifestyles and the things people do to support that life, generally not something the average guy or gal are normally exposed to.  At dictionary.com, street savvy is defined as “shrewd awareness of how to survive or succeed in any situation, especially as a result of living or working in a difficult environment […]”. 

               For our purposes, let’s define street savvy as simply being aware of the potential evil, or threats, around us, identifying the warning signs and most important reacting or responding to the menace.  This idea applies not just to physical threats, but also to frauds.  After all, being aware of a con man’s game is the first step to avoid it.

               Even the most innocent or geekiest of action heroes are successful because they do understand what evil lurks about and how criminals think and act.  Geeky and naïve Peter Parker becomes the street savvy Spiderman with a quick custome change.

               There are five rules to follow if you want to be street smart:

1.      Live as if you are hunted.  If you walked about consciously thinking a saber-tooth is about to pounce on you, you would be much more aware of your surroundings.  In our modern world, becoming dinner for a wild animal is not our biggest concern.  However, having a heightened sense of alertness is always a plus with self-defense and personal safety.  Walking about, being wary of hiding spots or potential ‘ambush’ spots for a mugger or street thug will go a long way for staying out of harm’s way. 

2.     Be suspicious.  Note that I didn’t say paranoid, just suspicious; cautious.  Be wary and evaluate the situation.  Look for warning signs that something is not right.  Being street savvy may mean looking out for #1, at least to an extent.  On the “street” there will be plenty of people looking out for themselves at your expense.  This may mean that you have to delay or stall or ask questions even when someone is asking for assistance – it could be a way to distract you or draw you into a trap.  This applies to frauds or physical threats.  Even serial killer Ted Bundy would approach his victims asking for help, often pretending to have an injury to build sympathy.

3.     If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, it is.  Don’t make excuses to justify a situation that is screaming warnings at you – remember rule #1 – you are being hunted – now survive.  When your questions add up to more questions and your suspicions build, don’t ignore those warnings.

4.     Trust your instincts.  If you get a bad feeling about a situation, individual or scenario then trust your gut.  You may have picked up a warning sign on a subconscious level.  Often our minds are working on a level that we do not always understand.  As a police officer, I learned this lesson (sometimes the hard way).  You learn to trust your instinct and realize that you may realize someone’s intentions based on little signs, such micro expressions, posturing, and body language.  An obvious example is someone clenching their fists and pacing is a sure sign that they are escalating towards a violent reaction.

5.     React.  Do not let fear paralyze you.  We’ve head of fight of flight, but it should be fight, flight or freeze and too often people freeze when facing an unfamiliar situation, especially one fraught with fear or danger.  This starts long before any threats are detected and is an ongoing mental exercise.  In your mind, you should constantly play “what if” scenarios.  Imagine your response if that person walking past in the grocery store grabs yours (or your wife’s) purse from the cart.  What will you do?  What if you are followed to your car in a parking lot; how will you react?  Thinking through different situations and deciding how you will react ahead of time is critical to avoid freezing in an unfamiliar or terrifying situation.

You’ve had your crash course in street smarts.  Now get out there and start living those rules.  And keep reading for ways on how to make these a regular part of your lives.