Tips On Checking Campus Security While Looking At Colleges
By Michelle Durham
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Spring is traditionally a time when parents of high school juniors and seniors venture out to begin exploring colleges, but one local expert says the same amount of emphasis placed on academic offerings should be placed on campus security.
Dennis Tully has 25 years of law enforcement experience with the New Jersey State Police, including stints with SWAT and special operations, before starting his own company Ronin Security Solutions.
He says safety has to be one of the top considerations.
"While we are visiting these campuses, we need to look for certain things there: access controls, staffed gates, secure buildings that only allow admittance to authorized individuals; a visible security presence. We also need to ask questions. We need to ask about crime on campus," Tully explains.
He says colleges and universities are required to share crime statistics and data, and publish a report.
Tully recommends you ask for a copy and consult the local police to see what the overall crime rate is and if they work closely with college officials.
Another question to ask is have they ever drilled on the campus?
For more information visit: ope.ed.gov/security or www.roninsecuritysolutions.org.
