As a result of the inconsistencies of paper-based systems, schools have begun implementing a combination of electronic visitor management and access control procedures along with best practices that tighten the reins over who can gain access to the school.
Here are some of the steps schools can take toward implementing a more effective visitor management program:
1. Funnel visitors to one location: Even before visitors reach the sign-in or badging station, schools should funnel visitors to a central location. Older schools are especially vulnerable with multiple entrances and winding hallways that present opportunities for visitors to bypass the main office or visitor center. A clearly marked entrance and access-controls on all other doors, however, will send visitors in the right direction. Once inside, if the main office is far from the primary doorway, there should be a badging station or security personnel near the authorized entrance so visitors can be met and enrolled immediately.
2. Consider pre-enrollment: Another alternative is to pre-enroll parents and frequent visitors, vendors or school district personnel with identification cards so they can have their badges or cards scanned and verified as they enter the building. Some schools may tie this in with access codes on exterior card readers that allow visitors into the school at specific times.
The cost of permanent ID cards can be more expensive than paper badges, but the upside is that they can contain information about the individual and can be “turned off” if a person’s status has changed.
3. Link your system to federal or state-controlled databases: While schools can gather information about visitors and build that into a database, situations do evolve over time. Systems that allow self-registration are vulnerable to misinformation or missing data, and even those that access third-party data maintained by the visitor management supplier may be hampered by old or incomplete information gathered from court records. Typically systems that are linked to a federal or state government-controlled database can offer a wider range of information.
4. Adopt upgraded access control and video surveillance systems: Access control systems joined with video also allow schools to control visitation by identifying people before they enter campus. Through the use of exterior cameras or cameras placed in the main vestibule, someone in the school office can view and identify the visitor and then grant or deny them access.
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In conjunction with this, some schools are also installing lockdown buttons in the main office or classrooms, so if an intruder does gain access, they can quickly lock doors or restrict access.
Visitor management may be viewed as a time-consuming step by those trying to gain access to schools. Informing parents and frequent visitors in advance about the process and enforcing it on a consistent basis will not only make it less of a burden for those involved, but it will ultimately raise the level of protection for students and faculty alike.
Eric Schaeffer is the President of Advantech, a full-service systems integration company based in Dover, Del. Schaeffer is a member of Security-Net. He can be reached at [email protected].
