Should you install a security system in your school?

In recent years, with the troubling rise in knife crime amongst young people and a worrying rise in theft, burglary, and robbery in our primary, secondary and further education establishments, it has become more and more obvious that the UK has a problem with school safety.

In 2014 there were over 30,000 crimes linked to schools and in the last 5 years, that number has continued to rise. This is particularly true when it comes to hate crime, which has risen in schools and colleges by up to 62% in a year.

In such a climate, the question shouldn’t be “should my school install a security system?” It should be “why shouldn’t it?” That’s why we’ve decided to reinforce the advantages of having a modern security system installed in your school to help keep both students and faculty members safe.

Access

A connected security system can be controlled and operated by an access control system that will restrict access to the school only to those who are supposed to be there. Not only will this keep out individuals who might be on school grounds for malicious reasons but it will help give students and teachers a sense of belonging to the school. In addition, it will also make them feel that much safer. This might not be a valid option for schools where hundreds of children flow through the doors every day for course, but for smaller private schools and colleges it could be a legitimate option.

Deterrence

If you have security cameras operating in your hallways and classrooms then it will strongly deter students from committing crimes, including bullying and intimidation, which are still notoriously rife in many schools today.

The real crimes that will be mitigated by the installation of CCTV, however, are vandalism and theft, as any rogue student with half a brain is unlikely to seriously consider stepping out of line if they know they are being filmed.

Response

A security system can also be linked up to your fire alarm system and other emergency systems to generate the fastest possible response time from the emergency services in the event of a fire or a medical emergency. Perimeter security can also be activated at the weekends to ensure that trespassers are dealt with quickly and calmly by the relevant authorities.

Observation

Not only are security cameras a remarkable school crime deterrent but they can also have several secondary benefits. For one thing, they won’t only be monitoring the school but its surroundings as well, including the playing field, sports halls and car parks. These are areas where vandalism and loitering are common, particularly during the weekends. Having cameras in place will make sure these areas are free of unwanted activity.

Evidence

When you’re dealing with children, it’s always important to have all sides of the story as they will not always tell the truth (particularly if they think the truth will get them in trouble). There are also often so many legal hoops to jump through and so much red tape that needs to be negotiated around. If you have footage of an event happening, however, it will mean any disputes are settled faster and with greater conviction.

The only thing holding you back could be the worry that a security system could ruin the aesthetic appeal of your school or make it look more ‘intimidating’. But modern systems are subtle enough to work around any architectural hurdles and can be customised to suit even the most unconventional situations.

So, if you want to improve your school’s reputation and its appeal without spending a small fortune, installing a security system could be the best option on the table.