Thank you to everyone who sent me get-well wishes and healing vibes! I’m still trying to recover and dig out…only 450 emails left in my inbox – I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry. I appreciate your patience.
About a month ago I shared some thoughts on the security industry’s role in school security. Since then, several additional articles have appeared in the media, and I’d love to hear your thoughts while I’m doing my best to catch up on the pile of requests.
For example, this article was published in the Washington Post a couple of weeks ago, and it makes a lot of great points. I have always questioned the need for bullet-resistant backpacks, armored safe-rooms intended to be installed in each classroom, and weapons that are stored in the main office in case of an intruder. I don’t like to rain on anyone’s parade or to be accused of wanting to reserve all of the available funding for locks and access-control systems, but I just can’t get behind most of these security methods.
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But two days after the Washington Post article was published, an article appeared in the University of Maryland’s student newspaper. Grifters? Capitalizing on fear?? Who exactly is the school security industry that this journalist is referring to? While the main theme of this article is a need for gun control, it presents a good chunk of the security industry as profiting from inflating statistics and using fear to sell products.
I am a proud member of the security industry and I know that many of you are too, having spent our careers – often spanning multiple decades, helping to keep building occupants safe and secure. How then, do we separate ourselves, our experience, our expertise, from others who are also considered part of the security industry but who may take a different approach?
How do you demonstrate your expertise and differentiate yourself from the others? How can we help school administrators to focus on proven methods, instead of the latest gadgets?
WWYD?
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It seems that this op/ed is referring to all of these barricade devices that are popping up. I agree with that sentiment. They are capitalizing on fear with a blatant cash grab. What this author doesn’t realize is that there are true security professionals that operate within the established life safety codes, i.e. all of us!
“Private industry is capitalizing on fear of school shootings”?
Some accidental truth from the media? They themselves are stoking these unfounded fears.
Lori,
I agree that there is a misconception about our industry as being opportunistic about active shooter events. Many studies have shown that the only thing that reduces the rate of kill in an active shooter event is a victim initiated mitigation. There is nothing more likely to reduce the rate of kill than a door lock. While industry professionals may differ on what is a safe door lock, one thing is for certain, an effective means of securing a classroom door is a basic security necessity. We happen to agree that there are barricade devices out there which are not as safe or effective as they should be. Those devices are purpose built to do one thing, block an intruder. Unfortunately, most fall far short of taking life safety into account.