Tragically, these last school shootings have highlighted one of the most commonly overlooked facility security risks, access control.Access control is a critical component of keeping schools and building safe from unwanted intruders. Leaving your facility without proper safety and access control procedures increases risk and lowers its ability to resist an attack. Common issues include leaving entrances unmonitored and open, failure of staff to follow locking procedures, not verifying visitor identities, and using inadequate access control hardware.

Luckily, there are a couple of things that you can do to reduce the risk of an attack at your facility.

First, create an access control protocol for your facility. A good access control protocol should determine what entrances will be in use, keep unused entrances and exits secured, have a visitor verification system, and make sure all relevant staff are aware of and are following the protocol. Even the most simple protocols can go a long way in making your facility more secure and resistant to unwanted intruders.

Second, if you have a large amount of glass at your facility, such as glass doors or larger windows, consider having them undergo a ballistic glazing process. This is a material that can be adhered to windows, glass, window frames, and even into the structure of a building that hardens and holds the glass together, stopping small caliber rounds and preventing the glass from shattering. This denies would-be active shooters from turning windows and glass doors into access points and giving more time for law enforcement to respond before the shooter can gain entry.