Safe & Secure Schools

Engaged and proactive Safety Officers keep our school family well-protected

The security professionals who serve at every school are integral members of our school family. These women and men don’t just stand between our students and any possible threats. Their familiar faces know the students, staff, and community members, which helps them to recognize irregular behavior. Their relationships with our school family is our greatest tool for identifying threats early and responding quickly to dangers.

People like FHS School Resource Officer Alison Shank are trained to help. In her 13-year career in community policing and law enforcement, Office Shank has received extensive experience and training in conflict resolution. She is certified in linguistic interviewing and behavior changing techniques for persons with a range of special needs: including defiance, hyperactivity, autism, and mood disorders. Resolving conflicts as they arise is the first stop in preventing escalation. Another highly-effective strategy to prevent a threatening event is building and maintaining a substantive security image. A complete security image encompasses all the components of our safety protocols and systems that are visible to potential intruders or offenders. Security image includes our personnel, our structures, and our technology.

A familiar face encourages students to feel comfortable in school environments and to report suspicious behavior to authorities.

Photo by Bill Good

DETERRENCE

Experts advise that reducing the risks of unauthorized entry starts with presenting a positive security image, making it the key feature of our deterrence strategy. If an intruder is faced with adequate monitoring and prevention tools, the likelihood of an incident is reduced dramatically. Ferndale has recently implemented several of these tools at all of our campuses, and would complete this implementation with approved bond dollars.

1. NATURAL SURVEILLANCE

Experts also note that people are less likely to commit crimes if they feel they are being observed. Natural surveillance involves maximizing the visibility of areas that should be observed through architectural design. Some reconstruction would be necessary to improve natural surveillance at identified school locations within the district.

2. ACCESS CONTROL

Limiting and regulating entrances allows for more efficient screening of persons entering a facility and reduces opportunities for crime. Bond funding would support enhancements to several secure vestibules and add a winter sports entrance to FHS.

3. TERRITORIALITY

The clear delineation of space creates a sense of ownership for legitimate users (staff and students) and creates an environment where intruders are more likely to stand-out.

A positive Security Image is a key element of our strategy of Deterrence to prevent threats within our school buildings.

Photo by Bill Good

PREVENTION

Should a threat go undeterred, prevention structures and procedures are recommended to extend reaction time for maximum control of the situation. While we all hope an active shooter situation would never occur in our community, hope is not a strategy. This is why we have people like Officer Shank, who is also certified in Active Shooter Response and A.L.I.C.E (Alert, Lock Down, Inform, Counter, Evacuate). Well-trained personnel with a clear line of sight are aided by secured, multi-step entryways and other systems that slow down and stop threats.

The safety of everyone in our buildings is our first priority, and that is part ot the reason we are seeking additional funding on March 10th, 2020. Approval of the March ballot initiative would fund further improvements and reinforcements to the entire physical security structure in every school building.