SAFE AND SECURE SCHOOLS PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES

STAFFING

• AISD currently has Allen Police Department officers assigned as School Resource Officers (SROs) to our schools through an agreement with the City of Allen. SROs are licensed peace officers with the Allen Police Department who are specially trained to work in schools and work full time during the school year. A new agreement with the City of Allen will gradually expand the number of SRO’s in future years.
• The district employs campus security officers who work throughout the district.
• Allen Police Officers provide traffic direction and control at designated campuses based on need. Their presence at the start and end of school is also a deterrent to unwanted visitors.
• Allen ISD provides trained crossing guards at approved intersections at all elementary schools and crossing assistance at the high school.
• Criminal history background checks are conducted on all applicants prior to employment as well as all volunteers. All contractors who work on district property must also undergo a comprehensive criminal history check through FC Background.

TRAINING

• District and Campus Administrators, counselors, nurses and campus security officers are required to complete the National Incident Management System (NIMS) training as recommended by the Department of Education.
• All AISD school buses are equipped with security cameras and all bus drivers undergo safety and security training including emergency evacuation procedures.
• Allen ISD has an extensive Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) that provides general guidance for emergency management activities.
• All campuses must conduct state and district mandated emergency drills within first 10 days of school and one monthly thereafter. Mandated lockdown, lockout and shelter in place drills are held to prepare for severe weather, hazardous materials and medical emergencies.
• The Allen ISD District Safety Committee is comprised of a broad representation of the district from campus administrators of all levels, representatives from the various district leadership and support groups, as well as representatives of the operations leadership group. The City of Allen emergency first responders are also represented. The committee meets regularly to discuss district-wide safety and security issues and make recommendations to the Superintendent’s cabinet for consideration of any improvements or new initiatives.
• All employees are required to view an online training video on the district’s emergency standard response protocols.

MONITORING and ACCESS

• Allen ISD employs a 24/7 security monitoring staff for the 2,300-plus camera digital video surveillance system and other below described security systems.
• Exterior entry doors on campuses and support facilities are equipped with an electronic access control system. All doors can be locked or unlocked from a centralized location, and with proxy cards issued to police officers, providing law enforcement first responders immediate access to any campus in an emergency situation.
• Exterior doors with card access are equipped with electronic door contacts that can be monitored by the access control system. The system sends alerts to the District Security Monitoring Station when a door has been forced open or has been open too long.
• All campuses are equipped with intrusion alarm systems monitored by the district’s Security Monitoring Station. All overnight access is monitored by the Security Monitoring Station.
• Allen ISD campuses are equipped with a video intercom system. Visitors are pre-screened prior to being granted access to security vestibule for further screening.
• All campuses are equipped with security vestibules to further limit access into schools.
• Each elementary school has perimeter fencing on certain child play areas restricting access during school hours.
• Every Allen ISD campus currently utilizes the Hall Pass Visitor Management System. All visitors who enter a campus must have their identification scanned into the system which conducts a sex offender registry check on the individual visitor.
• All AISD staff are required to wear their district issued ID badges while on district property.
• All AISD secondary students are now required to wear their campus issued badges while on campus or while at any sanctioned district events on district property.

 RESOURCES

• The Tip 411 reporting system allows students to anonymously report potential concerns, threats or bullying. Tip 411 also works in conjunction with the Crime Stoppers program. Although users are anonymous, the program in some cases provides some monetary rewards to students who successfully use the system to report suspected criminal activity.
• Allen ISD currently contracts the service of specialized detection canine services to conduct unscheduled drug and weapon sweeps at secondary campuses on a regular basis.
• All campus and district administrators have the ability to monitor current weather conditions via the Pocket Perry App, a smart phone app, and receive location-based real time push notifications of severe weather and lightning detection within pre-determined areas.

We welcome your comments and questions.  Contact the department of Safe and Secure Schools via email:  safeandsecure.services@allenisd.org