Improve School Security by Upgrading to Electronic Door Locks

School door locks are a vital line of defense against security threats on your campus grounds. If an active shooter enters campus, a door lock is one of the security measures standing between a gun and a child’s life.

But in recent years, your standard mechanical locks and keys have become more of a security liability than a security aid. On a large school campus with hundreds of doors, administration wastes a lot of time and money dealing with issues like replacing lost or stolen keys (and the locks they’re attached to) and failing to document key distribution properly.

Electronic door locks offer several advantages over standard locks for your Rio Grande Valley, TX school. Keep reading to learn three primary benefits.

SEE ALSO: Mobile Credentials: The Future of K-12 Access Control Systems

Reduce Security Liabilities

Standard metal keys are easily lost, duplicated, or stolen, necessitating cutting and issuing new keys to staff members as needed — an overhead cost that can quickly add up throughout the school year. Additionally, in many cases, a new lock must be issued to prevent the risk of a break-in using a lost or stolen key.

Keyless locks eliminate these security vulnerabilities. Teachers and staff can enter school rooms using a unique PIN, keycard or fob, mobile credential, or biometric scan. If any of these credentials are compromised (a key fob is misplaced, a student cracks a PIN), the old credential can be deauthorized, and a new, secure credential can be authorized within minutes.

Match Appropriate Access Levels to Staff

Electronic door lock systems allow you to assign different access levels based on individuals, job roles, buildings, or time of day. For example, you can set parameters to control teacher access to classrooms during set time ranges on weekdays. Likewise, you can limit staff access to specific buildings or rooms based on job responsibilities. Defining and deploying regulated access levels helps your administration monitor and manage movement on school grounds.      

Bolster Emergency Responses

How efficient is your lockdown process during an emergency like an active shooter on campus? Standard mechanical locks and keys require a teacher to locate a room key, open the classroom door, lock the door from the outside, then pull the door closed when a lockdown order comes. Not only does this process waste time when every second counts, but it exposes teachers and students to prolonged risk while the door is being locked.

A networked electronic access system with automated control features allows teachers and administrators to initiate lockdown procedures quickly and easily. Teachers don’t need to leave the classroom to lock the door: if the door is already shut, it can’t be opened without the access credential. If the door is open, teachers can pull it closed from the inside to lock it.

And even more critically, school administrators can initiate a schoolwide lockdown remotely or on-site with one button press on a physical panic button, smartphone, laptop or tablet.

ASAP Security Services has experience designing, installing, and integrating access control and door lock solutions for schools in the Rio Grande Valley area and across Texas. To learn more about school security systems, set up a consultation with our team by calling (877) 418-ASAP, filling out our contact form, or starting a live chat with us below.