Standing Tall
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By Glenn R. Rosenberg
Comprehensive security solutions for multi-location campuses.
Safety awareness on campus
Security On Campus, Inc. was formed 20 years ago by Connie and Howard Clery in response to the death of their daughter, Jeanne, who was killed in her college residence hall by a student she did not know. The doors to her hall, which should have been locked, were propped open by fellow students. Jeanne's parents were instrumental in championing the Clery Act, a federal law that requires colleges and universities to disclose information about campus crime and security policies.
The Clery Act requires that certain information about a campus' safety program and major crime statistics are reported annually. A multi-campus institution must maintain daily crime logs and provide separate reports for each campus. An experienced security provider can help a college or university understand and follow the Clery regulations.
If a college or university contracts with a security-services company, the firm needs to be able to conduct comprehensive background screening, including employment history, criminal records and drug tests.
Does the college's contract security firm have a commitment to continual training? Parents and students should expect that campus security professionals and any firm hired by a college are committed to enhancing the technical skills and industry knowledge through comprehensive training programs. Training for security officers is even more crucial in a multi-campus environment where more day-to-day variances are expected. The challenges that face officers on multi-campus facilities range from protecting an off-site research medical facility from drug theft, to walking students to their cars after hours at an off-campus commuter college facility.
Also, administrators responsible for hiring security contractors need to know not only what their safety and security employees are doing to stay current with best practices, but also what a security firm's investment is specific to the issues encountered on a college campus (Clery Act, FERPA, alcohol abuse, etc.).
College administrators and security professionals must take the lead and set the standard for campus safety, but student involvement also is important. Campus crime prevention always starts and ends with an individual student. Every student needs to have the information needed to make safe choices.
Being aware of surroundings, using assertive body language, keeping doors locked, and using the buddy system will help students feel safer and may deter a potential attacker. These life and safety skills should be promoted regularly and shared with students. An experienced security provider can help with those initiatives and provide specific recommendations that students, faculty, staff and community members can follow.
Rosenberg is vice president of AlliedBarton Security Services' Higher Education division, King of Prussia, Pa., a provider of trained security personnel to many industries. He can be reached at glenn.rosenberg@alliedbarton.com.
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