Parks Associates today released a new whitepaper, Leveraging Tech to Improve Safety and Security in Schools, highlighting insights on how schools can better respond to security threats by utilizing quick-acting access control and emergency response paired with communicated intel.

“Technology has an essential role in school security,” said Elizabeth Parks, President and CMO, Parks Associates.

“The ability for tech to identify suspicious activity, spot dangerous items, recognize patterns, and organize data/evidence is particularly powerful and can enable a more effective response to threats.”

In general, personal safety concerns, especially regarding children, have grown in the US. Parks Associates research shows about nine million US internet households (8%) own a smart tag and 37% of these owners use smart tags because they are concerned about another’s safety, with 32% saying their child always has a smart tag with them. Parents and school educators are seeking new solutions to help protect kids in school.

“Tech cannot guarantee flawless defense against security breaches and threats, but it can help provide a more effective response,” said August Ward, Research Intern, Parks Associates. “This is an important project to help elevate the role of tech in responding to safety and security threats in schools.”

“Technology has brought more and more information to our first responders – security cameras, two-way radios, remote sensors, panic buttons. Mutualink’s mission is to enable these technologies for rapid and effective response by bringing the right information to the right people at the right time,” said Mark Hatten, CEO, Mutualink. “We are grateful that Parks Associates recognized the importance of a rapid, coordinated response to events in schools.”

“It’s extremely important that a more integrated approach to electronic security is taken by schools to create safer environments for our children,” said Kirk MacDowell, President, MacGuard Security Advisors Inc. “Supporting efforts like these, and SIA’s PASS guidelines to inform the education industry about physical security implementation, is necessary to drive change.”

Parks Associates recognizes and thanks the following experts for their contribution to this work:

• Alex Bertelli – Havenlock
• Jennifer Doctor – Johnson Controls
• Peter Giacolone – Giacolone Associates
• Merlin Guilbeau – ESA
• Mark Hatten – Mutualink
• Jennifer Lytle – Chamberlain
• Kirk MacDowell – MacGuard Security Advisors, SIAC, SIA
• Thomas Nakatani – ADT
• Mani Ram – Gadgeon
• Kelly Shumaker – LiftMaster
• Jake Voll – SS&Si Dealer Network