The tragic school shooting on May 24, 2022, at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX, exposed many shortcomings relating to school security. One of the “systematic shortcomings” exposed by a report from the Texas House of Representatives, and more recently in a report by the U.S. Department of Justice, was the lack of law enforcement access.
“Does law enforcement have access when they need it and where they need it?” seems like an easy question. However, the question is not that simple when a school is on lockdown, and you do not know which jurisdiction will be the first to respond. The Knox Company, known for its rapid access solutions for fire and EMS departments for nearly 50 years, also offers rapid access for law enforcement.
Prince William County Public Schools in Virginia is one of many school districts that works with Knox to ensure law enforcement has access in any emergency situation. The district recently implemented the KnoxEntry for Schools system across over 100 schools. The system ensures that law enforcement has access to master external and internal keys, access cards, and floorplans in secure lock boxes. The boxes are accessed by the Knox eKey, which is the only key needed to get into the boxes countywide.
“We liked that the KnoxEntry system provides an audit trail of who used the key and when they used it,” said Bill Miller, Director of Risk, Safety, and Environmental, for the school district. “Another advantage is that no power is needed at the locking point. All the power is in the key, so the program was easy to implement and saved us the expenses of running electricity to the boxes. And we can be assured that the system will work if power is lost or shut down.”
A Customizable and Collaborative Solution
The one-key Knox solution is customizable and can expand for future growth and needs. For example, once law enforcement has their school program up and running, they can expand the access program to include other vulnerable targets throughout their community, such as places of worship, government buildings, movie theaters, etc. Additionally, supplemental boxes can be placed strategically on schools and campuses to provide optimal tactical response, such as next to the school marquee or at the entrance to the parking lot.
Miller added that the Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue is also implementing a countywide program utilizing KnoxEntry to access boxes on commercial buildings, which will serve two needs with one solution.
The KnoxEntry system can also aid law enforcement for access on the perimeter of the school grounds and inside the school itself. The eKey can also be used for door locks when the KnoxLock is retrofitted on Mortise and SFIC locks, padlocks, and gate switches. The fear of lost or stolen keys is also eliminated, as the eKey can be programmed to inactivate after a set period.
Another benefit of the KnoxEntry system is that it eliminates forced entries and costly property damage, reduces potential injuries to law enforcement personnel, and lowers workers’ compensation claims. The maintenance-free system can also reduce the cost of purchasing breaching equipment for all responding officers.
Using a KnoxBox for law enforcement is cited in PASS (Partnership Alliance for School Safety) and NFPA 3000 and recommended as a best practice by the U.S. Department of Justice.
For more information on KnoxEntry for Schools, go to SchoolEntry.com
