Security Director Uses Law Enforcement Expertise to Make Whole Community Safer
CS K-12 Director of the Year Joseph Markham uses skills learned throughout his lengthy law enforcement career to keep Pine Crest School and its surrounding community safe.
Joe Markham (center), Pine Crest School executive director of security and support services, oversees 80 employees and 75 contracted police positions on two campuses.
SECURITY TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS
The emergency communication system, used in conjunction with video surveillance, offers a comprehensive security system for Pine Crest School.
- Oversaw campus-wide rekeying process following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting; converted all door locks and emergency bars to a single manufacturer, reducing the need for multiple inventories.
- Supervised the installation of auxiliary lockdown devices in every student space and many faculty and staff office spaces, allowing constituents to secure a space without keys in an emergency.
- Managed the purchase of 350 portable handheld radios for faculty and staff to rapidly disseminate information; through radio programming with a multi-platform approach, radios can be used both on campus for security issues and off-campus for events such as field trips.
- Oversaw upgrade of fire systems on both campuses to add verbal instructions to audible alarms in order to eliminate potential confusion regarding different alarm tones.
- Upgraded speaker systems to be used as a public address (PA) system, both in specific areas or campus-wide.
OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Pine Crest security staff pitched in to help facilities staff with the massive debris cleanup following Hurricane Irma in 2017.
- Modified the ratio of police officers to students after the Stoneman Douglas incident; instrumental in planning the police officer post locations in a manner that would reduce response time and increase visibility on campus.
- Instrumental in planning for numerous school safety situations, including severe weather, which served well during Hurricane Irma in 2017.
- Saved money by streamlining the transportation department’s school bus fleet.
- Developed separate processes related to transportation of pre-primary students for both campuses due to different reporting requirements in each county.
- Re-marked the fleet of security vehicles owned by Pine Crest for easy recognition and high visibility.
- Credited with providing perimeter security measures without compromising the campuses’ aesthetics.
If you appreciated this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!
About the Author
Amy Rock, Executive Editor
Amy is Campus Safety’s Executive Editor. Prior to joining the editorial team in 2017, she worked in both events and digital marketing.
Amy has many close relatives and friends who are teachers, motivating her to learn and share as much as she can about campus security. She has a minor in education and has worked with children in several capacities, further deepening her passion for keeping students safe.
Related Content
Leading in Turbulent Times: Effective Campus Public Safety Leadership for the 21st Century
This new webcast will discuss how campus public safety leaders can effectively incorporate Clery Act, Title IX, customer service, “helicopter” parents, emergency notification, town-gown relationships, brand management, Greek Life, student recruitment, faculty, and more into their roles and develop the necessary skills to successfully lead their departments. Register today to attend this free webcast!
