As news breaks that 54 Schools throughout the country are to receive government funding to employ security guards and CCTV cameras, some people feel that it’s a step too far. However others strongly believe that in this day and age of terrorist threats and religious intolerance the benefits far outweigh the negatives.
The decision to invest $18 million into beefing up security in and around schools came after a series of high profile cases including a 2014 bomb evacuation at a Jewish Primary School in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and a Jewish school bus attack later that same year where 8 young men boarded the bus in Bondi and threatened to cut the throats of 25 school children, before being arrested.
Clear and physical presence
One of the obvious benefits of placing security guards in schools is that they have a clear and physical presence. Just the fact that they’re there is often sufficient enough to act as a deterrent for anyone intent on causing damage or harm to so called ‘soft targets’.
Enforcing a drug free environment
Terrorism and religious intolerance aside; another benefit of having security guards in schools is so that they can help to enforce a drug free environment. Many schools nowadays feel the need to take a proactive stance against what is clearly a growing problem. In fact the use of sniffer dogs on college campuses across some parts of the US is a clear indication that a zero tolerance approach is the only way to eradicate the problem. In Australia security guards are often involved in raising awareness of the dangers of drugs and to help safeguard learning.
Preventing violence
According to a recent report carried out by the Australian Education Union, over 1000 acts of violence against other pupils and teachers are carried out every year. Security guards can also help to deal with challenging behaviour and because of their presence, many intent on causing harm or committing acts of violence are more likely to think twice before doing so.
The sight of security guards in schools might seem like a drastic step but it’s one that helps to ensure the safety of both pupils and teachers alike when in a cultured learning environment. For many parents it’s a bitter-sweet decision. On the one hand they’re grateful that their child can learn in a safe environment but on the other hand, many feel sad that Australia has joined the likes of the US who have taken active steps to secure schools in the way that they now do.
If you feel that your school can benefit from security guarding then at MA Services Group, we provide fully trained and fully licensed security guards for a wide number of customers including schools. Get in touch with us today.
