
Physical Security Design and The Active Shooter (Pt. 1)
When many people think of physical security, the first ideas that come to mind are things like locks, alarm systems, screening with metal detectors, CCTV,
Since the inception of the CIS Guardian SafeSchool Program®, our consultants have trained school administrators, faculty, and security personnel throughout the nation in security and emergency readiness topics. Following is a survey of the types of programs conducted by our school security experts.
Effective school security and emergency readiness begin with informed leadership. To address this matter, CIS developed the Integrated Security Planning for School Administrators (ISPSA) program in cooperation with John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The ISPSA program presents a comprehensive and integrated approach to school security and emergency readiness specifically designed to address the unique culture, challenges, and operational characteristics of diverse schools.
Since its launch in 2013, hundreds of school leaders have been trained through the ISPSA program including public school officials in the NYC Tri-state area, independent school heads throughout the United States, and administrators affiliated with Diocesan school networks.
In addition to custom faculty training sessions conducted while promulgating new emergency response plans, CIS consultants frequently conduct staff training sessions at the request of independent school groups and public school districts focusing on best practices in threat recognition and reporting, active shooter response, and other specialized topics (e.g., bomb threat response, reunification procedures, etc.).
For schools and districts seeking an advanced level of readiness, CIS instructors also conduct school security training sessions for student groups custom-tailored according to the age of the audience. Following is a video of a special active shooter training session conducted during an Upper School assembly for Shorecrest Preparatory School.
CIS consultants can assist in maximizing the capabilities of on-site security officers and School Resource Officers (SROs) by training and certifying them as Guardian SafeSchool Protection Officers. As opposed to most police SRO programs, the Guardian SafeSchool Protection Officer course places significant emphasis on interpersonal communications and network building within the school community to proactively identify and de-escalate problems and reinforce positive school climate and culture. This distinction is highlighted well in the 2013 peer review report by John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
Some of the topics encompassed in the Guardian SafeSchool Protection Officer course include principles of school security, laws and liabilities unique to schools, youth social dynamics and adolescent psychology, the role of uniformed officers in reinforcing school climate and culture, youth substance abuse, threat assessment and management, physical security, response to school emergencies, active shooter response tactics, and first aid for trauma emergencies.
As of 2020, over 500 security officers and SROs have graduated the Guardian SafeSchool Protection Officer course including the new armed security force adopted by Newtown Public Schools in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting.
When many people think of physical security, the first ideas that come to mind are things like locks, alarm systems, screening with metal detectors, CCTV,
By Craig S. Gundry, PSP, cATO, CHS-III When teaching security planning workshops for school leaders, I find it valuable to begin the presentation with a
The following series of school security training videos is produced as a webinar edition of the one-day Integrated Security Planning for School Administrators (ISPSA) seminar
Effective school security plans begin with a strategy. To most, this sounds like an obvious point. However, some of the most common problems I encounter
By Craig S. Gundry, PSP, cATO, CHS-III Part One of this article surveyed concerns expressed by Critical Intervention Services regarding school ‘target hardening’ measures proposed
By Craig S. Gundry, PSP, cATO, CHS-III On 02 January 2019, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSDHS) Public Safety Commission released its initial report
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