School safety is a growing concern for parents, students, and school staff in the United States. Many Americans believe that schools have become less safe since the horrific Columbine shooting in 1999 and have expressed fear and concern over the state of affairs. In the last decade alone, there have been at least 177 school shootings, indicating an alarming rise in the unfortunate incidents’ frequency.

Today, most schools in the US have security guards to help ensure campus safety. What exactly does the role of a school security officer entail? Let’s take a look.

Monitoring Who Enters & Exits School Premises

You’ve probably seen security guards standing at school entrances. This is so they can monitor who’s coming in or leaving the school building during the day. They keep an eye on everyone entering, exiting, and even lingering around the building premises, and watching out for suspicious activities.

School security guards are also often responsible for granting or barring building access. They may use metal-detectors, ID tap-in access systems, or other tools to control who enters and exits the building. They may also have access to certain areas within the building premises that are off-limits to students or school staff.

Patrolling the School Premises

Entrance and exit points aren’t the only places you’ll see school security guards. You’ll also see them patrolling different areas within the school premises.

The purpose of these periodic patrols is to be on the lookout for any suspicious or unusual activity. Them patrolling school hallways or grounds also helps establish a strong presence, giving students and staff a sense of safety. Patrolling also allows them to provide maximum surveillance to prevent crime or theft on school property and ensure that campus policies are being followed. This promotes and protects the overall welfare of students, visitors, and faculty.

Intervening In Emergency Situations

Even on an average school day, there are so many unpleasant or dangerous situations that may arise out of nowhere. Student fights in between classes, arguments between parents and teachers, unwanted visitors popping up unexpectedly; you’ve got to be prepared for everything.

These are precisely the types of unexpected and emergency situations school security guards are equipped to handle. They’re there to intervene before things get out of hand and respond immediately to such situations.

Managing Traffic

Yet another thing school security guards help out with is managing traffic just outside the school. They can help monitor parking regulations and often even have the authority to issue parking tickets if someone parks their vehicle in a reserved parking spot.

Other than that, school security guards may help manage traffic patterns and contribute to keeping the streets nearby free of traffic jams.

Guard Services USA has more than 25 years of experience in providing security staffing solutions to schools, businesses, and multi-location companies in the United States. Get in touch with our team today to hire uniformed security guards for your school and maximize safety at your premises.