School Safety & Security Interview Questions for Chief Sturgis March 3, 3016 1. What are the most critical safety procedures to have in place in our schools today? a. Should these be district-wide protocols for consistency? Yes Communication on protocols and procedures Training for all staff Written procedures and protocols Layers of defense in physical set-up of building Staff ID badges Windows and doors to not provide free range access to students 2. When you walk into a building how do you know it is safe? ● Clearly understood that you know how to get where you need to go (proper signage) ● Locked access to where students are during the day ● Can’t just walk into the building - have to be buzzed in ● During common traffic flow times (such as bussing), be sure someone is designated to who is coming in the building and directing them to where they need to be v. total access to building at this time. ● If someone comes in who staff are not familiar with, ID is checked ● Helpful to have a common space for students for bussing that is behind locked access from front door so that visitors need to check in to get to the students. 3. ● ● ● ●
What are indicators of an unsafe space for students? Controlled, assigned person to check visitors in Layer defence (layers of secured entry points) Control access to our critical assets (our students) Traffic patterns - cars entering parking lot and students exiting building
4. What small steps are principals able to take to ensure the safety of the students? ● If you have policies and procedures in place, be sure they are enforced. ● Mindsets that each staff member knows their responsibility within each protocol and adheres. ● Get staff on these procedures so you have commitment so that enforcing is not an issue.
5. In your opinion, how is crisis best handled by istration? ● Go through the “What if” questions so we are prepared to handle as many situations as possible. ● Partner with Police and Fire/Safety to get on crisis procedures as well as common understanding of when to call these partners and what steps will be taken when they respond. 6. How do you feel about locked classroom doors? ● Opposing safety issues ○ Ability for principal to see into classroom and enter ○ Keeping students safe from and unseen by intruders ● Option - pre-cut piece of foam of a particular color that can quickly be inserted in window that staff know is safety from intruder 7. What are some successful community partnerships between schools & local law enforcement you’ve created/experienced? ● Shop with a Cop ● Counteract or DARE ● SRO - School Resource Officer ● Promote only positive messaging with Police Officers ● Special Needs field trip from school to Police Station ● Connecting training for staff so they know: ○ What to do in certain situations ○ Who to call and when 8. From a law enforcement perspective, how would you recommend responding to allegations that a student has a weapon? Drugs? ● Drugs ○ Talk to student, Search (Follow district policy if drugs are found) ● Weapon ○ Are you trained to deal with a kid who has a weapon? Is the weapon in hand? Or alleged to be in a locker, backpack? ○ s can search lockers and student property without a warrant - police cannot ○ Utilize SRO (If building has one) and call the police ○ Stay one step ahead of the student (Know their schedule and where they are headed in the building) 9. How should we as principals respond should we suspect a parent shows up to pick up their child and is under the influence of alcohol/drugs? ● Can call police - let the person go about what they are doing - do not try to stop them. Keep police alerted to the person’s whereabouts. Stall the person as long as possible.
10. What if non-custodial parents attempts to pick up a child and an unknowing staff member releases the student to this parent? ● Call police - refer to record at school to provide context ● Call parent Legal issues will always trump school policies. (i.e. Mandated Reporting)