School parking lots can be a source of school security concerns, including safety issues for those driving and walking in the lot, the occurrence of illicit activities in the lot, and the potential of the lot being used as a staging area for an active shooter. For these reasons and many more, security is important in the school parking lot, whether an elementary, middle, or high school.
Five ways to improve security in school parking lots:
- PARKING ANGLE- For better visibility between cars, align parking spaces perpendicular to the school. Someone watching the parking lot from the school should be able to see the front or back of cars, not the side view.
- BARRIERS- Provide bollards or security barriers, such as planters, crash-rated benches, and/or boulders, between the parking lot and the school entrance. These barriers protect the building from vehicle intrusion.
- CAMERA MONITORING- Place cameras on poles or light fixtures in the parking lot. Cameras mounted on the side of the school rarely have effective zoom-to-face faces or objects. Use 360° cameras placed so that the full parking lot is covered (i.e., no “dead spots”). Analytic cameras can send alerts when movement occurs in the parking lot after hours.
- LIGHTING- The parking lot should be lit with LED lights with a luminaire efficiency rating (LER) of at least 65. The placement of lights should enable people to see faces in the parking lot when it is dark. An effort should be made to prevent unwanted glare (light trespassing) on the properties of school neighbors.
- POLICIES- Patrol the parking lot several times a day, especially in the morning before students arrive. Other times to patrol include after classes start, during lunch, arrival and departure, and at the end of the school day. Also, escort students who need to go to vehicles during the school day.