Page 82 - Security Today, October 2019

A Crucial Collaboration
How police departments and integrators can come together in partnerships for the well-being of their communities
By Kaitlyn DeHaven
security partnership
Leonard Zhukovsky/Shutterstock.com
There are two essential components to effective school safety—security systems and police response. For years, the two have been divided and seen as two sepa- rate entities—the first provided by integrators, and the second provided by the city or state police department. Chief Tom Weitzel, the Riverside, Illinois Police Department’s chief of police, suggests that if the two were blended into a partnership, security measures could become more effective than they are when working autonomously. Weitzel, who oversees security for the River- side school district, said that by bringing the two organizations together, industry leaders and government officials can create a school safety plan with better integration and communication.
Resolving the Tension
While speaking with some individuals from the security industry at a conference last year, Weitzel realized there was an overwhelming ten-
sion between police officials and integrators. After they had been sit- ting discussing security for a time, he began to understand the strain was on their relationships. He quickly came to the realization that the strain came from the reality of police officials who weren’t communi- cating with integrators, even though they offered a multitude of expertise in their areas. He said it felt as if each of the organizations— law enforcement and integrators—had proficiency in certain safety fields, but neither of them wanted to look to the other for help.
“I realized we really couldn’t do our job without their assistance when it comes to school safety, and even safety in general,” Weitzel said. “There was this real disconnect between public law enforcement and the [integrators] that were there.”
Weitzel gave a presentation at the security conference, and after presenting, he sat back down at his table. As soon as he returned, an individual turned to Weitzel and told him that he had just been con- tracted to install the security cameras for Weitzel’s school district.
10 campuslifesecurity.com | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019