Bolo Stick logo
Menu
Get QuoteShop Now

Before your district buys anything

School Safety Checklist: Five No-Cost Questions

Bill Barna, a retired police officer with 33 years in law enforcement, wrote these for principals, superintendents and safety teams. Print it and mark each answer as you walk the building.

or fill it in below
Bill Barna, retired police officer, speaking in a school classroom

Take it on a walk through the building

Five Questions for Your Safety Team

Mark an answer for each question. Every "No" or "Not sure" is a gap in one of your layers. Fix the most affordable gaps first.

Your answers stay on this page. Nothing is saved or sent, so print the sheet before you close it.

School Safety Checklist

Five no-cost questions from Bill Barna, retired police officer, 33 years in law enforcement

  1. Question 1 of 5

    Are any exterior doors propped open or accessible during the school day, and how are they monitored?

  2. Question 2 of 5

    Can every teacher, including a substitute, lock the classroom door from inside, without stepping into the hall?

    The Sandy Hook Advisory Commission called for exactly this in its 2015 final report.

  3. Question 3 of 5

    Can every staff member signal a lockdown, and is the district actively drilling their response protocols?

  4. Question 4 of 5

    Are police and fire personnel actively familiarizing themselves with each building in their district alongside school administration?

    If not, call them. Ask them to walk the buildings of your district with you.

  5. Question 5 of 5

    Is there a threat assessment team, and do students know how to report a classmate who worries them?

Before you add anything to a door, ask your fire marshal what is allowed. Codes for classroom doors vary by state and by building.

Bill Barna in police uniform

What 33 years in law enforcement taught him

One Locked Door Is Never the Whole Plan

“After three decades of police work, I can tell you that a single locked door can never be the whole security plan. A determined attacker can easily breach a single layer, but multiple layers of safety make it much more difficult and create a better chance for police response.”
Bill Barna, retired police officer, police academy instructor and substitute teacher

“Contact your police and fire departments and ask them to walk the buildings of your district with you. Then fix the most affordable gaps first.”

Talk Through Your Answers With Bill

Bill speaks with school administrators about layered school security. Call him at (330) 240-0422 or email bill@bolostick.net.

or call (330) 240-0422