Campus Security: Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance
Proper planning prevents poor performance when designing the scope and outline of security countermeasures. This is the basic rule of the “5P”. However, it is only the beginning. A guide to moving in certain proactive directions. In a school and college campus, this means a multi-tasking approach to productive interaction with the community. People, places, and property interact in a cooperative effort to reduce opportunities for criminal activity. Synergistic connectivity actions promote a greater likelihood of more effective security and protection. However, there is an illusion. It is the simplistic notion that all the people in a given environment will work together. However, do practice “neighborhood watch”, implement defensive tactics, and report suspicious people. Planning involves time, conversation, and tactics. The tools, methodology and techniques implemented are critical to the social infrastructure of the campus environment. However, people suffer from misconceptions about these issues. Resistance to restrictions is not unusual.
Motivating members of the particular environment is a significant organizational challenge. Various cliques, factions and hierarchies permeate the common sense precautions of community safety. Many are naive, foolish, and have illusions about the nature of crime. Others, like young students, are often immature and unable to recognize early warnings of threats to personal safety. Having lived sheltered lives, they are unprepared to deal with the real world of marauders, perpetrators, and predators. However, some people do not take protective measures seriously. They live in the small world so that bad things don’t happen to them. At the same time, others will ignore the safeguards, frequently defying the rules. Rebel contingents oppose the restrictions. Then there are those in the ranks of the “elite egocentrism” of the academy. Sometimes we call them faculty. Although they could represent other community groups. And, to themselves and others, the concept of “security” is seen as a nuisance of the “working class.” Therefore, planning campus protection is a challenging effort to foster productive acquiescence. Public safety and security issues cannot be intimidated by the proud arrogance of privileged groups or individuals. Nor can it be stifled by incompetence, misconceptions, or ignorance.
The situation of each campus is unique. But regardless of how special the school thinks it is, the administrative authority must place full faith, resources, and power in its protective services. And, these staff members must be competent to do the job. Well-trained, effectively funded, equipped and staffed, these staff should ensure, as far as possible, effective crime prevention strategies. Police or security officers need to know that they are supported to carry out active safeguards. Defensive fortifications to “protect and secure” the surroundings involve degrees of flexibility, adaptability, and common sense. In addition, recognizing the needs of attendees requires the development of specific goals and objectives. A safety and security mission plan must be developed. These initialize the security process in collecting relevant data to ensure proper methodology. The approach, evaluation, and initiation of corrective procedures identify specific courses of action, as well as alternative options and solutions. Safety planning is a comprehensive, long-term process. It doesn’t happen overnight and it never ends. The ability to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the site’s security posture invites the need for talented expertise.
To reduce criminal opportunities and maximize the implementation of effective preventive measures, law enforcement services must be a priority. Campus police forces must have full authority to act in the best interest of protecting the school population, the visiting public, and property. It cannot be micromanaged by anxious, nosy, and overbearing managers. Full disclosure of crime statistics, adverse incidents, and inappropriate conduct should be openly available to the public. To this end, proper planning includes allowing law enforcement services to implement a full range of protective measures without bureaucratic obstruction, cover-ups, or concealing embarrassing events. As such, in some cases, it may be necessary to remove the police forces from control of the school. In other words, to ensure a higher level of accountability, reduce academic “politicization” of the police, and increase resources, security services may need to contract with state or local law enforcement agencies. This could amplify appropriate levels of compliance, order keeping needs, as well as early legal intervention in problem areas.
However, for the most part, school, college and university police services work very hard to safeguard the campus environment. In most states, in public institutions, campus surveillance functions similar to any other law enforcement agency. Like their local city or county counterparts, many campus law enforcement agencies strive to enhance professional development. And while national statistics generally show campuses to be fairly safe, a variety of criminal behavior is always highly likely. The potential for violence is regularly present. From substance abuse, robbery and robberies to sexual assault and robbery, school campuses reflect the inclinations of human nature. The campuses are a collection of many personalities that come from many different places. People, places and properties come together in a “melting pot” of ideologies, inclinations and personal needs. Campus communities are made up of people of all backgrounds. The predictability of violent behavior is a nebulous notion without scientific support. Therefore, planning for various contingencies becomes a necessity. Vigilance is essential. Anticipation of threats is vital.
Leadership in police service delivery requires adherence to appropriate professional practices. In place of the claim to academic privilege, constant devotion to competent services remains essential. To this end, we must recognize that no security system is foolproof. Criminals can find a way around our best efforts. But at the same time, the goal is to reduce opportunities for criminal activity. This means increasing the risks of apprehension by “hardening the target”, be it people, places or property. It ensures ever-expanding rings of protective practices around those who must protect themselves. And you eliminate the problems as quickly as possible. The ban must be safe, fast and secure. Disruptive people, dangerous situations, and dangerous conditions must be handled without hesitation, pause, or fear of not being “politically correct.” The early warning signs cannot be ignored. Since criminal behavior is always premeditated, signs and symptoms often arise before an act occurs. These must be anticipated, recognized and responded to as soon as possible. And in the process, once the action plan has begun, nosy staff and faculty have to step back and let the police and criminal justice system do what they are trained to do.
Leadership is critical to effective, efficient, and competent planning processes. Managers are one thing, but leaders are quite another. School administrators must assume leadership responsibility for the safety and security of the campus. Management and leadership are completely different aspects of the individual’s personality. This is especially true in the field of law enforcement. And it is imperative when it comes to safety and security issues. Security breaches, countermeasures failures, and lack of community support often trail to the top of the organizational hierarchy. So in terms of preventative measures, leaders must be able to lead. And in doing so, they must be given the opportunity to be decisive, action-oriented, and allowed to implement a full range of safeguards.
Some people know what they are doing and others don’t. Incompetence pervades every organization, from the classroom to campus operations. We have to allow those with the experience to do their job. And, it goes without saying, you get what you pay for. If you want a professional level of services, you have to finance it. At the same time, while equipment and materials are critical, the right people are critical to any measure of success. Gadgets and gadgets can be a quick and easy solution to any problem. But people, places, and things have to work together. And people are the important ingredient in solving critical safety and security problems. Preventive measures and associated safety strategies involve community partnerships. Interactivity between local, state, and federal agencies is necessary to share proactive planning contingencies. For this process, a security management team must focus on a continuous threat analysis system. Effective campus security relies on a heightened sense of awareness on the part of campus members. The interactivity of campus members should be alert to the early warning signs of potentially threatening behavior. This can include personal safety issues, as well as theft of property or abuse of campus resources.
Proper preparation is not something that depends solely on security services or police operations. From threat assessments to security and police training, protective services should be a school priority. Everyone has a role to play. From where, must flow the need to ensure corrective actions to improve the security profile of the campus environment. Increased patrols, information programs, and facility infrastructure inspections merge into a positive process of likely risk exclusion. In the event of a crisis, management teams must know what to do. And they must do so decisively, without hesitation or anxious inability. Early warning systems must be activated immediately. The protective forces must act quickly with the necessary resources at hand. It all comes down to the fact that when it comes to campus safety, proper planning prevents poor performance in an emergency.
Sources, reference data, additional resources available from the author upon request.