One school's answer to intruder protection

[MaggieD]

One of IL's largest school districts will outfit its buildings with new wireless alarm technology as a safeguard against violent intruders.

If a gunman enters one of their thirty schools, the principal will be able to press the electronic pendant she wears -- or an office worker will be able to press a wireless alarm beneath his desk -- and trigger an intruder alert.

A tone would sound throughout the school telling teachers and students to go into "intruder lockdown protocol." Students and teachers would go to their classrooms and lock themselves in...Firedoors would swing shut cutting off an intruder's path, the local police department would be notified.

The system is valued at approximately $180,000 and will be installed at minimal expense to the district in exchange for renewing a five-year $200K contract with their current security vendor.

That right there is a definite step in the right direction.

The only thing I'd add would be that every teacher/employee in the building be wearing that pendant.

Your thoughts?

 

[mike2810]

One of IL's largest school districts will outfit its buildings with new wireless alarm technology as a safeguard against violent intruders.

If a gunman enters one of their thirty schools, the principal will be able to press the electronic pendant she wears -- or an office worker will be able to press a wireless alarm beneath his desk -- and trigger an intruder alert.

A tone would sound throughout the school telling teachers and students to go into "intruder lockdown protocol." Students and teachers would go to their classrooms and lock themselves in...Firedoors would swing shut cutting off an intruder's path, the local police department would be notified.

The system is valued at approximately $180,000 and will be installed at minimal expense to the district in exchange for renewing a five-year $200K contract with their current security vendor.

That right there is a definite step in the right direction.

The only thing I'd add would be that every teacher/employee in the building be wearing that pendant.

Your thoughts?

My first thought is what a world we live in that we have to consider such a system. Bad people aiming to do bad things will continue to try and sometimes succeed.

The lockdown system of trapping the intruder is interesting. Hopefully the "fire doors" are strong enough to withstand multiple rounds.

My concern is by locking an intruder in, may cause the person to go more bonkers than they already are. It also will do no good if the intruder is planning on using bombs.

With that said, the sooner the police can be contacted the better.

 

[Fisher]

I think they probably need a safeguard in place to avoid the SWAT team being called in for false alarms. These things can be tripped by accident. I've seen it happen when I was in Court when the Judge accidentally stepped on the button on the floor below the bench and the Court room became flooded with armed folks running guns drawn and when I worked in DC new interns had a way of, for some unknown reason, always sticking a pen or paper clip into the hole on their desk in which their silent alarm button was located even when they had been told not to do that except in an emergency because it would send security zooming up.

 

[MaggieD]

I think they probably need a safeguard in place to avoid the SWAT team being called in for false alarms. These things can be tripped by accident. I've seen it happen when I was in Court when the Judge accidentally stepped on the button on the floor below the bench and the Court room became flooded with armed folks running guns drawn and when I worked in DC new interns had a way of, for some unknown reason, always sticking a pen or paper clip into the hole on their desk in which their silent alarm button was located even when they had been told not to do that except in an emergency because it would send security zooming up.

One would have no reason to believe there would be more false intruder alarms going off than false fire alarms. It may have to be fine-tuned, but I consider it an excellent first step.

Combined with some drills similar to fire drills, I think it'll keep kids safer in the one-in-a-million chance an armed intruder comes to their school.

 

[Fisher]

One would have no reason to believe there would be more false intruder alarms going off than false fire alarms. It may have to be fine-tuned, but I consider it an excellent first step.

Combined with some drills similar to fire drills, I think it'll keep kids safer in the one-in-a-million chance an armed intruder comes to their school.

Of course, the fire doors swinging shut might be an issue. You may be trapping students in the halls with the intruders so they are fish in a barrel, or even worse, when there is an actual fire. While I am all for experimenting, if we are not careful, we could be making it easier. This is one of those things where you have to play the odds. For instance, if you have windows in classrooms, people can get out in case of fire or shooting. The problem is that if you have windows in the classroom, someone could stand outside the school and slaughter students through the windows and bypass all your gates and reinforced doors. I am pretty sure school systems are not going to spend billions on ballistic glass.

 

[MaggieD]

Of course, the fire doors swinging shut might be an issue. You may be trapping students in the halls with the intruders so they are fish in a barrel, or even worse, when there is an actual fire. While I am all for experimenting, if we are not careful, we could be making it easier. This is one of those things where you have to play the odds. For instance, if you have windows in classrooms, people can get out in case of fire or shooting. The problem is that if you have windows in the classroom, someone could stand outside the school and slaughter students through the windows and bypass all your gates and reinforced doors. I am pretty sure school systems are not going to spend billions on ballistic glass.

Why is it that human beings cannot help themselves?? No wonder we can't get a damned thing done. People always project worst-case scenerios and say, "That won't work." It's a step in the right direction. Jesus.

 

[Fisher]

Why is it that human beings cannot help themselves?? No wonder we can't get a damned thing done. People always project worst-case scenerios and say, "That won't work." It's a step in the right direction. Jesus.

You asked for thoughts and I gave them to you. If you don't want people to express their opinion, then maybe you shouldn't ask for them. Here is an idea--turn schools into max security prisons. They seem to do a good job at keeping guns out.

 

[Cephus]

Why is it that human beings cannot help themselves?? No wonder we can't get a damned thing done. People always project worst-case scenerios and say, "That won't work." It's a step in the right direction. Jesus.

Because the second you do that, people who want to shoot up the school are just going to go in with grenades to take out the fire doors. These people are going to get in no matter what you do, there's a point at which just throwing money at the problem gets to be pointless, especially since we as a society won't address the root cause of the problem in any meaningful way. It's another case of treating the symptom, not finding a cure.

 

[Cephus]

You asked for thoughts and I gave them to you. If you don't want people to express their opinion, then maybe you shouldn't ask for them. Here is an idea--turn schools into max security prisons. They seem to do a good job at keeping guns out.

Actually, guns and other weapons are very common in prisons. You cannot stop an individual who wants to do something and isn't worried about the consequences.

 

[VanceMack]

When I worked with the prison population we had to carry something similar. The problem there was everyone carried them, they werent specifically coded to an individual or location, and sometimes people set them off inadvertanly. When that hapened...the response teams assembled and charged, going from room to room to room to...

Its not a great system. the 'heads up' portion would be fine I suppose. But still.

Oh...the problem part 2. Sandy Hook elementary notified the police and the teachers sheltered in place. Police response came...10 minutes later. If I was a teacher or student I dont know that I would be feeling particularly well cared for just yet.

 

[justabubba]

Because the second you do that, people who want to shoot up the school are just going to go in with grenades to take out the fire doors. These people are going to get in no matter what you do, there's a point at which just throwing money at the problem gets to be pointless, especially since we as a society won't address the root cause of the problem in any meaningful way. It's another case of treating the symptom, not finding a cure.

this, maggie

 

[Spartacus FPV]

One of IL's largest school districts will outfit its buildings with new wireless alarm technology as a safeguard against violent intruders.

If a gunman enters one of their thirty schools, the principal will be able to press the electronic pendant she wears -- or an office worker will be able to press a wireless alarm beneath his desk -- and trigger an intruder alert.

A tone would sound throughout the school telling teachers and students to go into "intruder lockdown protocol." Students and teachers would go to their classrooms and lock themselves in...Firedoors would swing shut cutting off an intruder's path, the local police department would be notified.

The system is valued at approximately $180,000 and will be installed at minimal expense to the district in exchange for renewing a five-year $200K contract with their current security vendor.

That right there is a definite step in the right direction.

The only thing I'd add would be that every teacher/employee in the building be wearing that pendant.

Your thoughts?

I like this idea, I hope it goes national since its so cheap. I also hope they hire guards and run drills sporadically.

Because the second you do that, people who want to shoot up the school are just going to go in with grenades to take out the fire doors. These people are going to get in no matter what you do, there's a point at which just throwing money at the problem gets to be pointless, especially since we as a society won't address the root cause of the problem in any meaningful way. It's another case of treating the symptom, not finding a cure.

IMO given that violent crime rates (and mass shootings) are going down I think we may be addressing some of the root causes, I think there are a few more we can address that might expedite the decline in homicide rates (the war on drugs comes to mind.)

 

[Deuce]

My first thought is what a world we live in that we have to consider such a system. Bad people aiming to do bad things will continue to try and sometimes succeed.

The lockdown system of trapping the intruder is interesting. Hopefully the "fire doors" are strong enough to withstand multiple rounds.

My concern is by locking an intruder in, may cause the person to go more bonkers than they already are. It also will do no good if the intruder is planning on using bombs.

With that said, the sooner the police can be contacted the better.

In real life, bullets are a terrible way to try to open a door.

 

[mike2810]

In real life, bullets are a terrible way to try to open a door.

true. My use of fire doors was a bad example. My point, unless the area the intruder is trapped in is really secure, the action just might lead to greater violance. What if the intruder has a bomb?
But how many school classroom doors have you seen with a glass insert?

 

[Green Balls]

I agree that treating the symptom is not the best way to go. Why focus on what to do when the intruder makes it into the building? Once they are in, it's already too late. We had an effective system when I was in school: parking lot patrolling. We didn't have law enforcement patrols, but we had staff that monitored all vehicle and foot traffic on school property.

Granted, times have changed. If someone really wants to shoot up or blow up a school, or any building, then they are going to go to any length to do it. I think in some of these cases, if adults were outside, watching, and interacting with people who were on the property, then we would have a few less shootings.

 

[Sarcogito]

It's another case of treating the symptom, not finding a cure.

Can't we work on both?

 

[Cephus]

Can't we work on both?

If you solve one, you don't need to worry about the other.

 

[Sarcogito]

If you solve one, you don't need to worry about the other.

Sure, but a cure will take much longer. Just because we are still looking for a cure to the common cold doesn't mean we should stop treating the symptoms.

 

[Baralis]

I think the simplest and most effective solution to curb these atrocities would be media silence. I feel notoriety and media attention is the largest motivator for many of these sickos. Remove that and I think these events would greatly diminish to the point of little concern. No need for expensive new security systems or gun legislation. Just ban major media coverage of these events like they do other information that can cause great risk to others (military placements in war, ect).

 

[Cephus]

Sure, but a cure will take much longer. Just because we are still looking for a cure to the common cold doesn't mean we should stop treating the symptoms.

But that's the problem, we're not even trying for a cure, we don't want a cure, we don't even want to talk about a cure, we just want to pretend that we're dong something to address a problem that is emotionally uncomfortable without actually doing anything to solve the problem. If all you're willing to do is treat the symptoms, the symptoms will just keep changing and you'll always be scrambling to keep up.