LENSEC supports the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) in promoting their safety and security guidelines for K-12 schools. First established in 2014, the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) brings together expertise from the education, public safety, and industry communities to develop and support a coordinated approach to making effective use of proven security practices specific to K-12 environments, and informed decisions on security investments.
PASS is focused on providing officials responsible for school security with guidelines designed to implement a layered approach to enhancing safety in schools. PASS was established in 2014 and works to bring together educators, law enforcement, and those in the security industry.
The goal is to develop a coordinated approach, using effective and proven security practices on K-12 campuses. PASS is working to provide school administrators with informed decisions on security investments.
The fourth edition of the PASS Safety and Security Guidelines for K-12 Schools is available, and includes new information addressing growing security challenges experienced in K-12 schools today. This resource is available to help educators and security solution providers when they are planning for and designing appropriate and cost-effective projects for school deployments.
The US Federal Bureau of Information indicates schools have been the second most frequent targets in active shooter incidents since 2000. As a result, K-12 school risk management has been redefined due to active shooter incidents, including those at Columbine High School and Sandy Hook Elementary School.
The PASS guidelines indicate, the threat probability of gun violence at school is low, but the high consequence cannot be ignored. It should always be considered within the full picture of K-12 safety and security challenges.
The Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security released a K-12 school shooting database. The database documents verifiable data regarding gun incidents at K-12 campuses in the United States. Here are some surprising findings found in the information presented.
K-12 School Shooting Statistics:
Mark Williams is the Vice Chairman for PASS. He explains the reason PASS exists is to help provide direction for school security. Williams says, “School administrators are experts at providing education. They are not experts in security.
There are a plethora of options out there, and a plethora of solutions out there, they have to navigate through in order to bring a secure schools system together. It’s a road map that the schools can follow, so that they’re not developing haphazard approaches to school security and securing their environments.“
A site survey and risk assessment should take place in the planning stages for any security project. When you are deploying cameras in outdoor areas, you obviously are more open to intrusion due to lack of walls and secure barriers. It’s important to consider layers of security around sensitive zones.
Williams says, “At PASS, we take a layered approach to security. Layers consist of components that are designed to deter, detect, and delay adversarial behaviors. As one layer is bypassed, the next layer picks up additional protection. And, the asset that were protecting is at the center, which are our children.”
These concentric rings of security, building inward towards the sensitive zone, are helpful for evaluating the amount and complexity of the necessary security needed.
PASS has a video featuring Mr. Williams explaining the great need for these guidelines and why they were developed. If you want to learn more, here is a link to the video on the PASS website.
Experts at LENSEC recommend security integrators engage with schools and offer their expertise and help in developing security that is consistent with the PASS guidelines. The guidelines are fundamentally helpful in getting security solution providers and educators on the same page regarding security.
PASS safety and security guidelines and other resources are available on their website. We’ve also provided copies here for school administrators and public safety officials.
