Campus Safety Voices

If you’re in a private organization that has a non-sworn security department, getting your hands on the criminal intelligence that other organizations in your region may have can be challenging. Fortunately, there are fusion centers all around the country that can help all kinds of private organizations get the information they need to keep their campuses safe. For example, Rick Franks , who is se...

After three fellow officers were killed in the span of 30 days, one at the hands of a 17-year-old, St. Petersburg Police Officer Luke Williams knew something needed to be done to both save officers and set youth up for success. We spoke with Williams, who is now police chief at Pinellas County Schools and a 2022 Campus Safety Director of the Year finalist, about Men in the Making , a progressive i...

One of the biggest challenges facing most hospital security departments is funding… funding for their officers, programs, and security technology upgrades. Fortunately, grants from the federal, state, and local governments can be excellent sources of funding. Just ask Joey Hunter, who is Director of Security, Safety and Emergency Preparedness for San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital. He was able to secu...

As a security executive, you never know when the information and training you’ve received over the years might help you save someone’s life. That’s what happened to Kyle Houraney, Orange County Global Medical Center’s director of public safety and emergency management, when he found out that one of his employees tested positive for COVID. Houraney had previously received training as an EMT, so he...

The Charleston County School District's Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) hadn't been updated since 2013, so executive director of security and emergency management Michael Reidenbach collaborated with the first responder community and district leadership to roll out an improved plan. We spoke to Michael, a Campus Safety Director of the Year finalist, about how more than 40 district leader...

Garrett Humphrey, Director of Campus Safety at UMS-Wright Preparatory School (Mobile, Ala.), and a Campus Safety  Director of the Year finalist, talks about First Aid/CPR/AED training required for all staff (2:14). Garrett also shares how a student saved another student's life after taking his "Adulting 101" life safety course (5:00). OTHER TOPICS IN THIS EPISODE: How he saved the s...

When choosing an emergency response system for the Coatesville Area School District, Chief of Police Frank Galbraith, who is also a Campus Safety Director of the Year finalist, made sure it had four very important features. We spoke to Frank about the features he knew he wanted when selecting a vendor, in addition to tips he has for other districts that might be looking to upgrade an existing syst...

Tens of thousands of Afghan refugees have resettled across the U.S. over the past year or so, and many American hospitals, institutions of higher education, and other organizations were tasked with providing medical care, housing, and other services to many of the Afghans fleeing their country. Since then, millions of Ukrainian refugees have been forced to flee their homeland due to the Russian in...

Inspired by her own dog's ability to comfort a struggling student, Central State University Police Department Chief Stephanie Hill established the campus' Therapy K-9 Program. Hill partnered with Brevard County Sheriff's Office Paws and Stripes College, which trains rescue and shelter dogs to become comfort dogs. The cost of the canine, Penny, and training for her and its handler, w...

The COVID pandemic has put a massive strain on everyone, but especially nurses, doctors, and other medical staff working at hospitals. Although practically every industry is currently experiencing labor shortages, the problem is particularly challenging in healthcare and has been an issue since the start of the pandemic.  Reid Health System Chief of Police Randy Kolentus, who is also one of this y...

Putting the customer first and at the center of every decision is always top-of-mind for Anthony Pluretti, executive director of campus safety at Widener University and a 2022 Campus Safety Director of the Year finalist. Pluretti's department's "customers" are the students, and the "goods" they are "selling" are the institution and the department itself. Plu...

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) houses six doctoral-degree-granting colleges and educates 75% of the state’s dentists, 40% of its pharmacists, and 40% of its physicians. UTHSC Campus Police Chief Anthony Berryhill, a 2022 Campus Safety Higher Education Director of the Year finalist, discusses both the benefits and the complexities of policing a campus that houses renowned...

Campus Safety's 2022 Director of the Year K-12 finalist Christopher Ellisor, Director of Safety and Emergency Services for the Lexington School District One in Lexington, S.C., talks about his district's success with adding a texting option to its anonymous tip line, and his recommendations for a district considering a similar undertaking. Ellisor also touches on challenges he overcame w...

When an emergency happens at a school or college campus, the news media -- be they from a local or national TV network, print publication, online publication, or social media -- can be a public safety department’s best friend or biggest foe. It all depends on how the department and campus or district as a whole works with them. No one knows that better than J. Paul Vance, who served for 43 years w...

For many of us, the last two years have been devastating, whether it be financially, mentally, or personally due to loss.  It's undeniable that the pandemic has placed added stress on a lot of people and families. Some are able to push through using learned coping mechanisms or by confiding in loved ones. Others are barely hanging on and don't know where to look for support. Teachers are...

There’s no question that the COVID-19 pandemic we all have been experiencing over the past couple of years has been traumatic and tragic. More than a million Americans have died and millions more have lost loved ones as a result of this dreaded disease.  That said, there have been some positive developments in school safety and security that have resulted.  To tell us about those “silver linings”...

A study of the Chicago Police Department last year found that female law enforcement officers use force 28% less often than their male counterparts. They also make 7% fewer arrests. Although the study didn’t delve into why these differences exist, we do know that unnecessary arrests and unnecessary use of force can damage community relations and lead to lawsuits. It stands to reason, then, that ca...

For years now, schools have been issuing physical photo identification cards to their students, faculty and staff. However, with so many middle school and high school students now owning mobile phones, there is the opportunity for K-12 campuses to put their student, faculty, and staff digital ID credentials right on their phones.  This enables the campus to leverage the technology that most studen...

Last fall, three children’s health groups declared a national state of emergency in child and adolescent mental health, and they cited the pandemic as a driving force behind the growing concerns.  Now that most schools are back to in-person learning, or at least a hybrid model, school staff are navigating student mental health concerns as they also continue to deal with the logistical challenges o...

Human trafficking comes in many shapes and sizes. It doesn't only affect one population and there is more than one type. For many students, college is their first time living away from home, which puts them at increased risk. We spoke to Maraya Lasinsky, chief advisor for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, about human trafficking on college campuses and available resources for both cam...

This school year, thousands of students on both higher education and high school campuses have walked out of their classrooms and into the streets to protest administrators' handling of sexual violence. Campus Safety spoke to Jessica Mertz, executive director of the Clery Center, about the recent protests, actions college administrators must take to address increasing incidents, and how stude...

Campus Safety’s  2021 Video Surveillance Survey found the percentage of respondents who have purchased body-worn cameras has more than doubled since we last conducted the survey two years ago. Nearly a third of all survey participants (30%) say they’ve purchased this type of equipment in the past two years, compared to only 14% in 2019. Since more of our readers are adopting the technology or cons...

To help schools and colleges navigate the new security, public safety and emergency management landscape, Campus Safety spoke with two technology experts from HID Global: K-12 National End User Manager Michael Garcia and Higher Education End-User Business Manager Timothy Nyblom. In this interview, Garcia and Nyblom discuss the lessons colleges and schools have learned over the past two years regar...

Hospital workplace violence has been a growing concern for years and has only been exacerbated by the pandemic. From 2019 to 2020, the assault rate at U.S. hospitals increased by 25%. Campus Safety had the opportunity to speak to Dr. Rhonda Collins, DNP, RN, FAAN, about hospital violence, particularly violence against nurses. Dr. Collins shared her own personal experiences with workplace violence...

Dean Drako of Eagle Eye Networks talks about the applicability of the cloud and artificial intelligence on campus, as well as the need for strong cybersecurity practices. CAMPUS SAFETY SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn YouTube CAMPUS SAFETY SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:  Facebook: https://facebook.com/CampusSafetyMagazine X: https://x.com/CampusSafetyMag Instagram: https://www.instagra...