BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) There's been a major shift in public opinion when it comes to security in schools.
Jeff Rinaldo, former Buffalo Police Captain, now with Vista Security Group, said in the 18 years that he has been providing security to schools, it used to be a big deal to put someone with a gun inside a school. The backlash came
from parents who said they don't want a gun.
Now, he said attitudes have come full circle.
"If an officer is not at a school in the morning, some parents don't want to
drop their kids off. Today's parents want armed security and they expect it.
They want a security professional on staff at every single school. That person
needs to be in the know and up to date on the latest training, on the latest policies and procedures and be responsible for the overall security of a school."
Following the Nashville mass shooting at a private school on March 27, Vista
Security has received numerous local inquiries about school security.
"We've had at least four additional schools reach out to us in less than a week
to talk about our assessment services or about placing officers in schools," he added.
"It's been a wake up call with these tragedies around the country. A lot of schools have been OK with their security. But now more than ever, parents are getting involved and demanding proper security in schools for their children's safety."
Schools often have very limited budgets for security. Rinaldo said the very first thing they should be doing is having an assessment done. "Know what you don't know. Have someone come in and take a look at your current security plan. You need to understand where your weaknesses are."
Vista often finds good policies and procedures at schools, but a lot of times it becomes lackadaisical. "Doors are not always secured. Some cameras don't work and they haven't gotten around to getting them fixed. It has to be maintained 100% at all times."
Rinaldo said you really can't come up with a one size fits all blueprint for a school and say, here, this is what you need to do because every school is unique.
"Municipal schools with big capital improvement budgets can afford more physical security such as better doors, ballistic glass, secure vestibules. Other schools such as smaller private schools and catholic schools, don't have big budgets like that." Rinaldo said you have to come up with a plan that allows them to use the resources that they have to do the best job they can.