Page 35 - Campus Security & Life Safety, November/December 2021

"Unfortunately, many colleges and universities fail to conduct a baseline security assessment and instead plug in solutions on-the-fly as security problems arise. "
implications if a campus is not providing security in light of industry best practices. Ultimately evaluating the elements of an effective cam- pus security program comes down to measuring the risk tolerance of your stakeholders and balancing a series of sound investments in your security program. What potential liability could your campus face from cutting security corners?
The ideal campus safety program should include a thoughtful bal- ance of in-house or municipal law enforcement, professional security staff, facility design, crime prevention programs and technology that is in line with the assessment of risk at a specific location. Practical decisions need to be made by colleges that address and answer their individual security assessments.
Why does a college or university outsource contract security and why do they decide to add additional officers? Contracted security officers are not meant to replace specially trained law enforcement officers. They are intended to supplement police by offloading routine security tasks that are necessary to ensure everyone’s peace of mind. While leaving complex law-enforcement situations to qualified and extensively trained campus police, contracted security officers, are trained to effectively handle everyday security tasks on campus. The suite of services and solutions offered by contract security focuses on helping protect people and property. The very presence of security officers also acts as a visual deterrent.
When making a decision to outsource or to expand the program, the college or university should expect that their security partner is highly experienced and is recommending strategies that, when imple- mented, truly multiply the efforts of the in-house team.
Training is critical to ensuring that security officers are prepared to
handle emergency situations. When measuring the value of contract security, it is important to have affirmative answers to the following questions. Have all of the officers completed their required training? Have inspections verified they understand their post orders that out- line their responsibilities to respond to all hazards? Has each officer participated with campus law enforcement and local emergency agencies in exercises to practice their response? Do the security offi- cers understand and respect the campus culture?
Monitoring these tangible measures throughout the delivery pro- cess, along with other measurable key performance indicators, help guarantee compliance, lower the campus’ risk, and provide the school with peace of mind that their contract security force is operating as expected.
Getting reliable information that confirms compliance with con- tractual commitments that is supported by the assurance that the officers understand and follow their orders and responded appropri- ately to a security or safety incident is paramount when building a program dedicated to lowering the overall cost of security operations.
Compliance information that includes complete, accurate and timely reporting of all measures of contract security service (includ- ing complete and accurate incident reports, daily logs, tour complete- ness, payroll accuracy and training compliance) must be at the heart of a contract provider’s program.
Today’s security officers may be the front-line of an academic insti- tution’s brand, interacting with campus community members while serving as the eyes and ears to help keep the campus safe. With new expectations and growing responsibilities, the campus security officer continues to evolve.
Effective campus security finds the right balance between creating an open and free environment and upholding the duty to protect peo- ple. This starts with the acknowledgement that security must be part of the campus’ evolution. The right solution balances expenditures between personnel, technology, facility design and crime prevention education to develop a program that is efficient and affordable.
Craig Matsumoto is vice president at Risk Advisory and Consulting Services at Allied Universal®.
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