A competitive RFP process yielded proposals from six national school safety companies to conduct school safety audits for Smithfield. The successful bidder, Safe Havens International, is a renowned safety organization that helps school systems improve crisis preparedness and school safety, identifying opportunities for improvement.
In addition to assessing the security of the school facilities, these safety experts assess perimeter access control, visitor screening procedures, alarm and camera systems, interior access control, student supervision, school climate, bullying abatement strategies, crime prevention, written procedures, training, and emotional security measures.
As opposed to companies that aim to sell products to clients, Safe Havens focuses on no-cost and low-cost ways to improve safety, security and emergency preparedness while helping schools provide more pleasant and effective learning environments.
Safe Havens will begin to assess Smithfield’s written plans in the upcoming months and will have site visits to each of our schools in March. The written report will be available in May. The District Emergency Operations team will use the report to establish goals for improving school safety and inform future renovations at all our schools.
The school safety audits are being paid through a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.