Physical security is a dynamic concept; it’s not a circumstance in which you can switch on some equipment and call it a day. As time goes on and threats change, it needs routine upkeep, supervision and improvements.
Worst-case scenarios tend to dominate the headlines. It’s unfortunate, but it’s true. And when it comes to security—especially campus security—it’s easy to understand. Threats of violence hit close to home when they involve schools, hospitals and other campuses.
It doesn’t matter how desperately the infrastructure may be needed, how carefully designed the facility is (with safety, safe operation and environmental safeguards at the forefront) or the positive economic impact it stands to deliver to the community.
- By Katy Hancock, Tim Foley
Serving as the school district for 10 boroughs and townships in Pennsylvania, the Ligonier Valley School District installed its first district-wide IP video surveillance system in 2021. With remote viewing capabilities, school administrators and the Ligonier Valley Police Department can quickly respond to and prevent dangerous situations from occurring on school grounds.
K–12 districts in Minnesota are reviewing products from SafeWood Designs, which manufactures bullet-resistant products—including doors, wall panels, hardware systems, furniture, and even whiteboards—for schools.
Active Shooter
School administrators, public officials, and law enforcement need to act immediately to prevent the recent tragedy in Uvalde from happening again in our schools.
School districts in North Texas are increasing security after last week’s shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 students and two adults.
A fight at North Forney High School in Forney, Texas, on Monday afternoon sent a teen suspect and an officer to the hospital, local news reports.
It stands to reason that any problem with the word “bad” in its name will not be fun to deal with. However, when the solution for the said problem is a multi-tasker that solves multiple issues, that goes beyond being a good thing—maybe bordering on amazing.
While many in education have the desire to be early adopters of new technologies, budget constraints and path dependency (sticking with the same old technology, or none at all, because it’s too difficult to change) are often obstacles that interfere with deploying the latest advancements.