Graduation season is upon, and droves of people will descend upon educational campuses to celebrate the achievements of their loved ones. While it is a time for celebration, it is also a time that leaves campuses vulnerable to security threats.
Over the years, more and more schools, particularly colleges and universities, have turned to technology to enhance their graduation safety and security plans. While technology, including weapons detection systems, has proven time and again to deter or mitigate violence, it is just one of many considerations when it comes to effectively securing a large campus event.
“You have to think about people, processes and technology — not just the technology. A lot of people are looking for miracles out of the technology,” Peter Evans, CEO of Xtract One Technologies, a weapons detection company, tells Campus Safety. “In our case, it’s been designed to work very, very simply, but if you’ve got the people in the processes wrong, you’re going to fail to get the value out of the systems that you’re looking for and have that exemplary guest experience overall.”
We spoke with Evans about the challenges of securing graduation ceremonies, why campuses are sometimes hesitant to implement weapons detection systems for events, must-haves when it comes to weapons detection policies and procedures, the importance of training staff on how to use these technologies, and unexpected ways these systems have improved campus security.
Read the full article, watch the video on YouTube, or listen on Apple or Spotify.
Amy Rock Editorial, LLC 