Prioritizing School Security in Response to Uvalde Tragedy

The nightmare that occurred last week is a tragedy that will permanently mark our history. Students and teachers were lost, and families torn apart, leaving Americans numb as more details are revealed. The communities surrounding any school shooting are immediately impacted and left to figure out what is next? How do we move forward? Is it possible to make school safer? If so, how?

These questions trigger emotionally charged answers, offering opposing views on solutions.

Naturally, there is an immediately lashing out against gun ownership and the laws relating to firearms. Those on the opposing side claim these acts of violence run deeper than gun laws, asking how to address the underlying anger of people in our nation. It doesn’t matter which opinion you favor, but we are united that measures must be taken to provide safer school campuses.

Security Guards Help Others Feel Safe

Although unimaginable what students experience when in an active shooter situation, school boards need to offer students, staff, faculty, and families a sense of security on school campuses nationwide. Uniformed security guards immediately provide comfort and peace of mind because they are highly trained and know how-to, and will not hesitate, to act in an emergency. Providing private security guards for schools may be one of the most significant efforts in bringing students safely back to school campuses in the fall.

School Safety Highest Priority

The benefits of highly trained security guards on school campuses include allowing students a sense of security and establishing that school safety is a high priority. In a safe environment, learning takes place as students are free to learn without worrying and teachers feel comfortable focusing on the material and students.

If students and teachers are afraid, learning will not happen as it should. The last two years of interrupted education caused by COVID-19 will have long-lasting effects on student understanding and learning – some of which we can’t even imagine. Young people have already endured so much with forced isolation and not being able to see others' faces, so proactively finding solutions to ease the burden and remove fear is critical to moving forward.

School Security Guards Supplement Law Enforcement

Schools continue to be targets of violent acts. Sadly, in some cases, the facts are never fully known as to why. Some attacks are attributed to a disgruntled or bullied student, but others seem random with no rhyme or reason. It is time to start planning for school security guards because an act of violence on a school campus requires more than one assigned police officer, especially in a case of an active shooter or other deadly threat.

Security Guards Provide Continuous Monitoring

The skills and training of school security guards on and around campus mean more thorough security coverage. Having continual watch for suspicious behavior is critical to keeping school campuses safe.

Families desperately want to have students back on campus, but as tragedies blast the television and social media outlets, parents hesitate and wonder how safe school campuses are. There are more than 130,000 schools in America, averaging over 2,500 per state. Teachers are spread thin among the schools following COVID-19 school shutdowns. Even after reopening, many choose to educate children at home or in hybrid learning programs. Providing security guards to enforce school policies and ensure student and staff safety may help revive the educational process.

School Security Guards Have First Aid and CPR Training

The best and most qualified school security guards have exceptional First Aid and CPR training for emergencies. Acting without hesitation, these men and women are highly skilled in providing temporary medical treatment until emergency agencies arrive and communicating clearly and effectively with outside sources that need information. The most exceptional guards have completed extensive military training and worked in law enforcement, which not only qualifies these men and women to serve and protect students and staff at schools, but it also means someone with expertise and experience has the confidence and skill to take action if a medical emergency occurs.

Practice Drills Are No Joke

Due to their extensive training and background, highly rated security guards are the best-trained professionals to oversee practice drills for all emergencies. Some students think it is an opportunity to be disruptive and distract other students when it comes to school drills. Events like recent school shootings have shown how critical it is to focus and understand the steps in emergency drills and ensure they are followed. Security guards establish authority during these exercises, leaving no room for students to waste these opportunities. Students must be prepared through emergency drill protocols and know where to go and what to do in different emergencies. Drills are most effective when practiced correctly, and in today's climate of violence against schools, this must be taken seriously.

As schools reflect and decisions are made on the best ways to keep schools safe, it is essential to consider private security guards on school campuses. There are many options for hiring trained security, including whether they are dispatched armed, unarmed, and for short or long-term positions. There are excellent, reputable, and experienced security guard providers who offer a free services quote or a phone consultation with a professional school security coordinator able to walk any school through solutions to keep students on campus safer.