New York District Strengthens Visitor Entry Policy

New York District Strengthens Visitor Entry Policy

Lynbrook public schools are strengthening their security with a new visitor entrance policy.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • May 01, 2019

Lynbrook public schools will soon be strengthening their security by implementing a new visitor entrance policy, Director of Facilities James Saitta announced at a recent Board of Education meeting. According to Saitta, the new policy will be put in place once security vestibules have been installed at every campus, which should be finished by the time students return for the 2019-2020 school year.

As part of the new policy, visitors will have to ring a call button outside of the school entrance to be buzzed into the security vestibule. Once in the vestibule, they will place their drivers’ license or passport into a scanner, which would run their ID against sexual offender databases and send a report to the security guard.

“Assuming everything is all cleared, the security desk would then buzz the person into the school,” Saitta said.

Once a visitor is buzzed inside, they will hand their ID to the security guard, who will then verify that it is the same ID that was scanned. If so, the system will print a sticker with the visitor’s photograph on it for the visitor to wear while in the school. The security guard will keep the visitor’s ID at the security desk while they’re in the building, and once the visitor is done with their business at the school, they’ll trade in their visitor sticker to get their license or passport back.

The system will also be able to pre-approve visitors who are at the campus frequently, like Parent Teacher Association Presidents.

If any issues arise, the school principal will be called in, Saitta said.

The system has several benefits, Saitta said. First, it requires visitors to return to the security desk to retrieve their ID, which enables the security guard to ensure the visitor leaves the campus. It also means that “every visitor who comes in will be logged,” which means that security guards will know wno is in the building.

The district might also require attendees of large-scale events like school concerts or plays to register in advance, but Superintendent Dr. Melissa Burak said the administration hasn’t decided on a system for that yet.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Rethinking Campus Security From the Inside

    For decades, campus security strategies focused on keeping threats outside school walls. But since the tragedy at Columbine High School, data has shown that many attacks begin inside the building, often in classrooms and corridors. This shift has prompted schools to rethink security from the inside and place greater emphasis on interior elements such as classroom doors. This shift is evidenced by a new generation of classroom door systems engineered to delay inside intruders and an ASTM standard that raises the bar on how these systems must be designed to defend against attack. Read Now

  • AI in Security: Advancing Campus Safety and Considerations for Implementing

    Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to capture attention across every sector, and the physical security industry is no exception. Once seen as experimental, AI-enabled analytics now underpin how organizations monitor environments, detect threats, and make decisions. What was once futuristic is now a practical necessity for safety professionals managing growing volumes of data, tighter resources, and increasing expectations for faster, more accurate responses. Read Now

  • How Cloud Security Solutions Are Transforming Campus Safety

    Campus administrators today face a challenging mandate: deliver stronger security across their facilities while working within tighter budget constraints. From school districts focused on student safety to hospitals protecting patients and staff, the question remains the same: how do you build security infrastructure that evolves with your needs without requiring massive capital investments? Read Now

  • 77% of Americans Support Gun Detection Technology in Schools, Workplaces, and Houses of Worship

    More than three-quarters of Americans (77.4%) believe gun detection technology should be deployed in schools, workplaces, and other public spaces, according to new survey data released recently. The national survey shows strong support for incorporating camera-based gun detection into existing video surveillance systems. Read Now

Most   Popular