Ask a School Insurance Underwriting Expert: Today’s Basics in Campus Security

Question: We are currently reviewing our campus security protocols to enhance both the actual and perceived safety of our students. What is a good first step?

Your school should review its current security plan to ensure its components cover common threats and those unique to your own campus. Trained security personnel, the placement of cameras at strategic locations, good lighting, and buildings with secure access controls are all within the immediate control of your institution. When these measures are combined to include the regular, visible patrol of security personnel, the sense of security felt by students, parents, visitors, and staff can all be positively impacted. But these elements must be placed into a comprehensive security plan that contemplates these particulars and much more.

Question: What are the essential components of a comprehensive security plan?

Question: In addition to physical security measures and coordination of campus and community resources, what are some tools that enhance safety, response time, and after-incident support?

Communication is key. Your security plan should provide simple, clear, and actionable instructions for the entire campus community on what to do during an emergency. This includes procedures for evacuation, shelter-in-place, and lockdown scenarios. 

Personal Safety Programs on Campus Can Include:

• Mobile safety apps: Many universities provide mobile apps, such as Arizona State University’s LiveSafe app, that offer interactive maps, emergency contacts, and GPS tracking features.
• Escort services: Safe-ride or safety-escort services are offered for students traveling on campus, especially at night.
• Safety devices: Some universities offer free personal safety alarms and window/door alarms to students.
• Education: The plan includes educational initiatives on topics like bystander intervention, situational awareness, and alcohol and drug abuse. 
• Emergency call stations (often “blue light” phones) are placed strategically around campus to provide immediate, visible access to campus police.

Training and Drills:

• Regular training: Faculty and staff should receive regular training on emergency procedures. This includes how to respond to active threats, provide basic first aid, and effectively use safety-focused technology.
• Emergency drills: Your plan should mandate regular, scheduled drills for fire, lockdown, and severe weather to ensure the campus community knows how to react instinctively in an emergency.
• Online resources: Training modules and informational materials are often made available online and through social media to reinforce safety protocols for all students and employees. Enlist the assistance of student-run publications and forums to raise awareness of these resources and why they are important.

Emergency Operations and Incident Response:

• Take an all-hazards approach: Plans are created to address a wide range of incidents, including active threats, severe weather, fires, and medical emergencies.
• Coordination framework: It establishes a clear chain of command and assigns roles and responsibilities to campus emergency response teams.
• Crisis communication: The plan details methods for quickly notifying the campus community during a crisis, such as text alerts, sirens, and email. Many colleges and universities automatically enroll students to receive security text alerts, but allow them to opt out. Other schools prefer email as the primary communication method with their students and may choose an opt-in for texts. Under the Clery Act, all colleges and universities must have some kind of emergency notification system in place.