INDUSTRY FOCUS

Wyoming Surveys K-12 Principals

Wyoming State Superintendent Jillian Balow is making an effort to better understand how the state’s 48 school districts’ are protecting their students. I know what you’re thinking. Wyoming is rural and that’s the last place an incident would happen at a school. I know The Cowboy State has a rural atmosphere in some places—I grew up there.

School principals were emailed a survey of 20 questions, including what threat assessment tools they are using; what training they undergo; how the school secures their entrances and other security–related topics.

“The intent of the survey is to take the temperature on what is happening statewide,” Balow said. “We’re reaching to every school to find the sweet spot and establish a policy and set a baseline for campus security. Our goal is to begin a discussion statewide on a threat assessment. Every school has a threat assessment; we just want to see what various schools have in place.

“We understand that there is no silver bullet; our goal is the well-being and safety of every student.”

School districts in Wyoming vary in population and school size, as you might expect, so one district is most certainly not deploying what another district might have in place. The concern at the state level has been a topic of discussion in the state legislation, and the Department of Education. Two mass school shootings in 2018, in Santa Fe, Texas and in Parkland, Florida, have prompted Balow and her staff to move forward, in addition to an incident where a student brought a loaded weapon to a Gillette, Wyoming school.

“The state is very diverse in terms of campus population,” Balow said. “Some schools are small and there may be a cop that stops by once a day, but we have much larger schools where there might be a school resource office in the building. That is why the threat assessment is the entry point of our discussion.

“As a parent, educator and state leader it is important to take control and have these important discussions. We simply can’t just talk about gun control. We have to start with student safety and well-being.”

I applaud Superintendent Balow for her continuing efforts and her press for improved school security. Following the results of her survey, Balow said she will present them publicly, which she said will help inform both her department’s security guidelines and potential future legislation. No doubt, all states are grappling with this issue. Good security measures will offer peace of mind and create a baseline of security protocols. Policymakers must have a clearer idea of what is being offered, and what will help fill their gaps for an effective campus solution.

This article originally appeared in the October 2019 issue of Security Today.

About the Author

Ralph C. Jensen is the Publisher/Editor in chief of Security Today magazine.

Featured

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

  • DHS to End ‘Shoes-Off’ Travel Policy

    Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a new policy today which will allow passengers traveling through domestic airports to keep their shoes on while passing through security screening at TSA checkpoints. Read Now

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.