School Security: How to Build and Strengthen a School Safety Program

It seems that every day there’s a new story about a security lapse, emergency lock-down, or violent act taking place at a school somewhere in the United States. Today it’s simply inexcusable not to have adequate security measures in place—regardless of how safe you think your community may be. In School Security, author Paul Timm, a nationally acclaimed school security expert, explains how to make your institution a safer place to learn with easy-to-follow steps.

Throughout the book, Timm emphasizes a proactive rather than reactive approach to school security. Readers are introduced to basic loss prevention and safety concepts, including how to communicate safety information to students and staff, how to raise security awareness, and how to prepare for emergencies. The book discusses how to positively influence student behavior, lead staff training programs, and write sound security policies. An entire chapter is dedicated to describing what school security resources are available for follow-up reading and further training. School Security isn’t just a book for security professionals: it helps people without formal security training—namely, educators and school administrators—effectively address school risk.

Serves as a comprehensive guide for building an effective security program at little or no cost.Covers fundamental crime prevention concepts, making it suitable for both school security professionals and educators with no formal security training.Addresses the risks commonly facing school administrators today, from access control to social media.Takes a holistic approach to school security rather than focusing on a particular threat or event.

Chapter 1: What Is School Security?

Chapter 2: How Safe Is Your School?

Chapter 3: Developing a Plan

Chapter 4: Securing Your Environment

Chapter 5: Influencing Behavior

Chapter 6: Preparing Your People

Chapter 7: Managing Emergencies

Chapter 8: Tackling Social Media Risks

Chapter 9: School Security Resources and Conclusion