How to Prevent School Shootings With Swissguard’s Guarding Solution

A lot of people think there is no way to prevent school shootings. That is false. Guarding solutions are an effective and affordable way of promoting safety in your school.

But what are they? What are their benefits, and how can you bring a guarding solution into your school? What other steps should you take to prevent school violence?

Answer these questions and you can be part of the solution for school shootings. Here is your quick guide.

The Basics of Guarding Solutions

Guarding solutions are off-site security services. A team of guards sit in a secure facility where they closely monitor surveillance cameras without any interruptions. This guarding solutions is in operation 24/7. Even though the students have gone home for the day, guards will continue to examine feeds and make sure no intruders are in the building.

Guards work 45-minute shifts rotation. This allows a fresh pair of eyes to always be watching over and notice anything that may be amiss. Auditors control the guards, checking in with them and running performance reviews. They can replace guards if someone seems inattentive or needs a break. Auditors have at least five years of experience in law enforcement. Guards and auditors alike receive training so they do know the signs to look for.

If a guard notices a security problem, they will follow a pre-established protocol. As the client, you have the right to decide what protocols you want your guards to follow. In case of any suspicious activity detected, the guard manually raise an alarm and send to the alarm processing center, who can contact you, the police, or a third party to respond to the situation. In addition, a remote guard solution can:

– Help prevent and recognize drug distribution and use by students or staff on campus
– Help prevent and recognize bullying being done by a single student or by multiple students in any area of campus

They can also help you and the law enforcement officers in following the events real-time, providing information about the evolution of the events, and initiate a lockdown or evacuation from the building.

The Benefits of Guarding Solutions

Guarding solutions have several benefits over on-site security services. Many people are uncomfortable with being monitored by physical security guards. You eliminate this discomfort by removing this aspect from the building.

On-site security guards can get distracted or even become a liability. A school shooter can set up a bomb in another part of the building, luring the guard away from the shooter’s target or the officer could try to apprehend the shooter causing more violence from their action. Our guards, on the other hand, can monitor multiple feeds at once and send police officers to multiple locations.

On-site guards can also overreact to situations. They may mistake an umbrella or a phone for a gun, and they may tackle or grab an innocent student. A guard that is monitoring a feed cannot make the same mistake. Having a team of people monitoring camera feeds helps with situations besides school shootings. If a guard notices a burst pipe or a medical emergency, they will contact the authorities.

Best yet, the cost is a fraction of on-site guard! That is why it can provide security solutions for those schools with smaller budgets.

How to Incorporate Guarding Solutions Into Your School

You should talk to other school administrators and faculty members before installing cameras. You should tell them about how guarding solutions work. Feel free to invite a Regional Director to come in and talk about how they keep schools safe.

You may also want to send a message to families about your cameras. Many families have strong feelings about cameras in schools, which may send them signs of mistrust from administrators. Explain why you are installing them and give parents a chance to respond to your decision.

You should find good locations to install your cameras. Libraries and cafeterias are frequent targets for school shooters, so you can place cameras there. You should also install cameras near entrances and inside hallways.

You should avoid placing cameras in or near sensitive areas like bathrooms. Make sure that you respect the privacy of your students, faculty members, and guests.

Your cameras should be visible. People may find it invasive if you conceal cameras inside objects. You can place them on the ceiling or on walls. Some schools install signs indicating that cameras are inside the building. You can place signs near your entrances or your cameras. But you do not have to do this as long as your cameras are visible.

How to Prevent a School Shooting

A guarding solution for school shootings is a great security tool. However, it is recommendable to draft a safety plan and make a guarding solution one main component of it.

A 2020 Secret Service report examined more than 40 school shootings. The report concluded that there is no profile of a school shooter, though the majority of shooters are white men. But the report found that the majority of attackers had mental health problems. They also had interests in violent topics and they experienced stressors including trouble at home or with another student. Almost all shooters dealt with trauma like divorce and domestic abuse.

You should pay attention to your students who may be experiencing mental health problems by ensuring they have support inside the classroom. Having a licensed counselor address mental health awareness so your students know what to do when they run into problems is also advisable.

While you should not punish a student for expressing an interest in a violent activity, you should ask a psychiatrist to speak with them. You should assess where their interest is coming from and whether their interest affects their behavior.

You can run lockdown or active shooter drills, but you should avoid running them frequently as they can traumatize students. Opt for education instead.

If a shooting does happen, you should respond to it right away. You always try to evacuate the facility if possible. If this is not available you should tell students to enter classrooms. Ensure all phones are turned on silent and look for items to barricade the doors. As a last resort you need to find objects to defend off the shooter if needed. Fire extinguishers are a great choice.

How You Can End School Shootings

Guarding solutions will help you prevent school shootings. A team of trained professionals will watch your security camera feeds off-site. When they notice something suspicious, they will contact the authorities on your behalf.

Guarding solutions are non-invasive and avoid false alarms. You can place cameras in important locations, including large spaces like cafeterias. Remember to be diligent with your safety measures. Educate your students and faculty about mental health awareness. Intervene when a student shows an unhealthy interest in violence.

Start keeping your students safe now. Swissguard serves schools across the country. Contact us today.