BLOG

How Electronic Key Control Improves School Security

school securityWith K-12 and higher education institutions across the country still reeling in light of recent events, the need for improved school security policies and procedures has become apparent. Most schools and universities have implemented basic security measures to reduce the risk of crime — for example, installing security cameras or implementing ample lighting across the campus; however, proper key control is one aspect of school security that has been consistently overlooked.

As a school superintendent, administrator, or campus manager you may be considering an upgrade on your current school security policy. With this in mind, here’s how a state-of-the-art key control system can improve school security and help ensure student safety:

Accountability

When a staff member pulls a key from the cabinet, HandyTrac collects pertinent information on the transaction such as: which keys were withdrawn; the purpose for withdrawal; the time at which the cabinet was accessed; and the name of the system user. The resulting data can then be used to identify peculiar transactions and promote staff accountability.

Automated Reporting

HandyTrac’s electronic key control systems make it easy to generate and view real time reports anytime, anywhere. Accessible by any internet-enabled device, school administrators can quickly find out which keys have been check out, to whom, and for what purpose.

Access Restriction Capabilities

Have a location that is off-limits to students and/or certain faculty members? HandyTrac offers access restriction capabilities that prevent unauthorized personnel from pulling certain keys from the cabinet.

Random Key Rotation

A beneficial security feature included with all HandyTrac systems is an automated process called random key rotation. Not only does this feature mask key identification, it prevents people from memorizing the location of specific keys in the cabinet. Instead, the randomized key location is revealed when an authorized user successfully logs into the system.

Mitigated Liability

Monitoring and protecting the use of keys is one of the most important parts of keeping students safe, and also one of the aspects most likely to be targeted for negligence. To reduce legal liability, HandyTrac maintains an audit trail that documents and securely stores complete key activity reports.

Don’t wait for a campus security breach to implement an electronic key control system. Contact us today.

How to Properly Manage University Campus and Student Housing Keys

student housing key controlIn a perfect world, a college or university campus should be a safe space. It’s a place for hungry and curious minds to learn and live peacefully. The reality, however, is when you have large groups of people moving about in a large number of buildings, each with hundreds of rooms, this creates thousands of potential vulnerability points — access points for criminals to steal or otherwise do harm. How do you properly manage university campus keys in a way that minimizes risk and helps keep people, and their belongings, safe?

Restrict Key Access

When you think of every door as an access point, you realize that your campus keys are either your best tool for security or your greatest point of risk. How you manage those keys determines which is which. Keys, whether mechanical or electronic, should always be secured and issued to staff only as needed. Installing a key control system can help this process. This way, only authorized staff can access lock boxes by use of their IDs (or even fingerprints), and keys can be checked out as needed and returned when the staff is finished. For electronic key systems, you can take this a step further by programming the system to allow staff access only to their authorized areas on campus.

Track Your Keys

Every key that gets misplaced becomes a security liability, and with thousands of keys roaming around campus, they are remarkably easy to misplace. Key control systems not only can restrict access to authorized staff — they also create a documented audit trail so can track which keys are checked out to whom, and for how long. The system can also alert you of unusual patterns or behaviors. You’ll know immediately if a key goes missing, and you’ll know who had the key last.

Implement Robust Security Measures for Your Keys

On large campuses, even with strong vetting and background checks in place, sometimes bad guys slip through the cracks. While restricting keys to authorized campus staff, how do you protect against violations from within the ranks? Answer: You create additional security features in your key tracking system, create multi-step security protocols for people accessing keys, keep keys barcoded and placed in randomized positions within the box, and pull reports frequently so you can quickly detect suspicious activity.

If you’re serious about properly managing your campus keys, HandyTrac can provide a secure key control system perfect for your organization’s needs. To learn more, contact us today!