OBEN Schools continue school safety discussion

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The Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., has led many school districts to reconsider their security systems, protocols and procedures.

Security has always been a priority in the Oyster Bay-East Norwich School District. And after Vernon custodian Brian Hulsen made a terrorist threat on Sept. 11, 2015, and was arrested days later, the district’s resolve to beef up security in all of its schools became even stronger.

In December 2015, a special bond referendum, which included $826,000 to fund new security measures, was approved by voters. The district used it to pay for security vestibules, which are now operating in all three schools. The high school’s was completed in January, and Roosevelt’s and Vernon’s during the winter break.

The vestibule includes cameras, a visitor management system, card readers and strategic door openings that were installed to ensure that the welcoming environment of the district’s schools remained.

The management system requires that visitors be buzzed into the lobby. They give their identifications to a security guard who sits behind a window, much like a teller at a bank. IDs are scanned through the district’s database system, and the guard allows entry into the building. Visitors are issued badges, which includes their photos, to be worn while they are in the building. They are escorted to their destinations in the school.

Thirteen in-house security guards with law enforcement background were hired in 2015, shortly after the incident with the custodian, including retired NYPD Lt. Patrick Caffrey, who oversees the unarmed guards as the lead security aide.

There are currently 16 part-time guards who provide security during the school day and at all school events. At the March 6 school board meeting there was much discussion of the district’s safety team recommendations, which included the hiring of three additional security guards to be positioned at the front doors of each of the three schools.

There were other suggestions, too.

The staff will continue to enter and exit from various doors, but the safety team recommended that the district keep the front doors of the high school open only from 7:20 to 7:50 a.m. Visitors or students arriving later would have to use the side entrance at the lower gym lobby facing McCouns Lane, where there is a security system.

The district is also considering requiring staff and high school students to wear identification badges on lanyards around their necks, perhaps in the school colors, with teachers wearing purple and students wearing gold.

There are several community groups that use the school for activities during non-school hours, like PAL and the Girl Scouts. Superinrtendent Dr. Laura Seinfeld suggested that the district research how much it would cost to extend security during those activities. Additionally, she would like for there to be a 9 p.m. curfew for all groups.

Installing metal detectors was also discussed. Caffrey said they are costly and that some are made of radioactive materials that can affect pregnant women. He was uncertain how it would affect a child. It was agreed that the district should do more research on the viability of metal detectors.

Board Vice President Ann Marie Longo asked why the district’s security cameras are not all “360 cameras,” which provide video recordings with a view in every direction simultaneously.

“We paid for 360 cameras after the last incident,” Longo said. “There are dark areas, which we discussed at length and were told it is fixed.”

Caffrey said there are enough effective cameras at the schools, over 100 in all. And although some are older, he said, that does not mean they are ineffective. “Every district wants more cameras,” he said.

“We are ahead of the curve with safety protocols,” Seinfeld added. “And that includes our cameras.”

Caffrey has made changes inside the schools to improve the camera’s effectiveness. He added room numbers above the doors of all classrooms that can be seen from both directions and on the windows. “You can see all of the classroom numbers when you look down the hall now,” he said, adding that he can also see them from the cameras. “And emergency responders will be able to see them, too. I don’t think every district has this.”

The district has tested Rave, introduced by the Nassau County Police Department in August 2017, but it has not implemented it yet. The system utilizes a smartphone app that, when activated, connects the call and links the school’s cameras directly with 911 operators. Caffrey said it works everywhere, even at the high school’s stadium field.

“It would be in addition to calling 911, because if you lose a signal on a cellphone, what happens?” he asked. “We need a call to 911 made from the landline too. Rave augments all the other things we already have in place.”

Years ago, the board considered forbidding anyone from using the outdoor facilities, including the track, during school hours as a safety precaution. The OBEN safety team has recommended the same policy. The board agreed, but did not say when the policy change would go into effect.

Also discussed was a “door ajar system,” which partners software and security cameras to notify administrators that a door is open. The system has been under consideration for some time, even before the incident with the custodian at Vernon. It would cost $155 per door, and $2,500 per building.

“We do have the wiring for it,” Seinfeld said. “But we are vetting it to see if it would be an additional safety protocol to keep everyone safe.”

Standardizing classroom door locks are also being considered, along with a variety of options, including the capability to lock doors from the inside.

Also explored were options to fortify the glass showcases and classroom doors on the first floor of Vernon. Originally created for aesthetic reasons, they have become a security issue. The district is considering installing bullet-resistant glass or safety film.