Security for School Perimeter Doors

Every school perimeter door should be locked and secured at all times whenever it is not being directly monitored by a school staff member.

School perimeter doors should either be electronically controlled, requiring an access credential to gain entrance, or electronically alarmed and monitored to identify, by electronic sensors, whether the door has been propped open or the locking mechanism appropriately engaged.

One of these two types of security systems should be functional for every school perimeter door.

School perimeter door electronic security systems must be monitored on a real-time basis whenever a school is occupied. This usually occurs in the school’s administrative office. Whenever a school perimeter door security alarm is activated, it is vitally important that a timely response occurs.

Vision panels, sidelights, or other glazing in close proximity to school perimeter doors should be equipped with forced entry laminate glazing, bullet resistant laminate glazing, or security film.

Primary and secondary school perimeter doors should be electronically access-controlled requiring an access card or credential or biometric feature to gain access and electronically alarmed and monitored to identify if the door has been propped open or the locking mechanism properly engaged.

Door propping and latch engagement alarms should be both locally audible and centrally monitored at the school administrative office.

It is vitally important that school staff in the administrative office are able to real-time monitor door propping and latch engagement alarms and ensure a timely response to their activation. Failure to do so voids the benefit of these perimeter door alarm systems.

All school perimeter doors should be within view of video surveillance cameras.

Electronic access-controlled perimeter doors should have a call-in intercom adjacent to the door exterior.

School perimeter doors should be either aluminum or hollow metal or fiberglass.

School door frames should be ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Grade 3.

Unless they may possibly be designated for “reverse evacuation”, emergency exit doors should have no exterior door hardware or trim for intruder leverage.

School Security Assessment Certification Seminar

Presented Live Virtually

December 18-19, 2023

You can learn more about vital school security issues and additional school security topics in the American Crime Prevention Institute’s upcoming School Security Assessment Certification Seminar to be presented live virtually on December 18-19, 2023.

This unique, unprecedented training program has been developed in collaboration with knowledgeable school architects, experienced and certified school security consultants, and certified crime prevention specialists.

This program will be of unparalleled value to anyone responsible for the conduct of school security assessments or surveys.

To learn more about the School Security Assessment Certification Seminar to be presented live virtually this month, click here.

ACPI is a worldwide leader in enabling law enforcement agencies, businesses, institutions, and security professionals to reduce criminal activity and risk and enhance quality of life through the delivery of practical, unbiased training and certification programs.  Visit our website at acpionline.com to learn about our comprehensive list of both live virtual and self-paced training courses.