With school shootings at record levels in recent years, schools are under increased pressure to take actions that will protect their students and staff from all forms of gun violence. This might mean adding new technology such as AI visual gun detection, hiring more onsite security staff or adding fences around the perimeter of schools. While there are many things that can be done to bolster the safety of a school district, one key item that often gets overlooked is hiring a dedicated school safety director. This person reports directly to the superintendent to ensure direct communication and decision-making capabilities.
ZeroNow recently published a paper titled “Why Every U.S. School District Needs a School Safety Director” and we will highlight some of their key findings in this blog, along with other data helping support the call for this vital role.
No, It’s Not the Same thing as a School Resource Officer
Many schools check the box on school safety when they hire a school resource officer, but a school safety director is so much more. This singular, authoritative role is empowered with the necessary resources to effectively mitigate risks while championing a secure and safe educational environment. With this laser focus and leadership, a school safety director can ensure a cohesive and comprehensive safety strategy, integrating all aspects of school security under one competent and dedicated individual. Only with this role in place, can schools gain access to the specialized and centralized approach to security planning, preparation, response and recovery.
Below are just a few of the responsibilities that a school safety director might take on:
- Risk Assessment and Mitigation to address vulnerabilities in facilities, transportation and digital networks.
- Funding and Grant Access to secure financing for safety programs, enhancing the school's security infrastructure.
- Prevention Programs whereby school safety directors collaborate with mental health professionals and threat assessment teams to support at-risk behaviors and prevent harm.
- Comprehensive Emergency Planning to develop and update emergency plans tailored to specific district needs.
- Safety Training and Education that includes overseeing the education for staff, students and parents on various hazards.
- Crisis Response and Coordination where the school safety director acts as a liaison with first responders, ensuring coordinated emergency responses and crisis management.
- Security Technology Integration to evaluate and manage security technologies to protect district-wide, property and interior spaces. Without this role, schools often deploy technologies that either have the best sales tactics behind them (but are not that effective) or are pushed onto the district from state politicians who are influenced by lobbyists hired by the vendors. In either case, the focus is lost on getting the right technology that best protects the school district.
- Crisis Communication and the development of communication protocols for emergencies, promoting district outreach and responsiveness.
A school safety director is uniquely qualified to perform the responsibilities listed above and can provide safer school environments through comprehensive planning and risk assessment. Without this role, safety initiatives are often not prioritized, and budgets are not used effectively.
Another example of the value this role can bring is seen with the recent widespread adoption of AI visual gun detection. This technology is a game changer for schools with its ability to detect a weapon in seconds and then once verified, initiate a robust response designed to save lives. However, there are several vendors offering versions of this technology and there are adjacent technologies that can be layered along with this capability. It takes the expertise of a dedicated school safety director to properly evaluate each technology on its own merit and determine how effective it will be in the school’s unique infrastructure. Most of these technologies are not “one size fits all” and each school has their own requirements that will only be met with the proper analysis, knowledge and expertise.
Safety Should be our Top Priority
Every district’s top priority should be securing children's well-being and one of the most significant steps they can take is to hire a dedicated school safety director. Not only will schools be better protected, but their presence often boosts confidence among the local community in their district’s commitment to safety. This in turn passes on to students and staff, allowing them to feel protected from threats so they can focus on what they do best - teach and learn.
Learn more about ZeroNow and other resources available for school safety.