The safety and security of our students and staff is - and will continue to be - our highest priority.

Emergency plans, training and drills

• Berkeley County School District uses a comprehensive emergency plan that addresses hazards such as fires, earthquakes, severe weather, chemical spills, bomb threats, intruders, and active shooters. 
• Emergency drills are conducted on a regular basis with our students and staff for situations such as fires, intruders, earthquakes, and tornadoes.
• Large scale drills are conducted which address subjects such as active intruders, severe weather, mass evacuations, and student/parent reunification operations.
• Staff members receive ongoing training and information through online courses, presentations, and video training on safety-related topics such as emergency response protocols and school physical security measures.

Physical security at schools

• BCSD implements a variety of physical security measures to include the use of fences and gates, high-resolution video surveillance, electronic access controls, school lobby vestibules, door locks, and other measures designed to limit access to school campuses. 
• BCSD uses an electronic visitor management system designed to screen visitors prior to school entry and to document all visitors to our campuses. Additionally, BCSD uses a volunteer management system that screens potential volunteers through a national sex offender registry along with other databases. 
• In an effort to promote safe, drug, and weapon-free learning environments, searches can aid the District in being proactive in combating and deterring criminal behavior. These searches shall be conducted in a fair, consistent, systematic, nonselective manner in accordance with the predetermined formula. Random school searches may include classrooms, entryways, lockers, buses, and parking lots. Random searches may also be conducted off school grounds at school-sponsored events.

Detecting, reporting and assessing threats

• BCSD immediately responds (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) to any concerns or threats that could impact school safety and with the assistance of our law enforcement partners, works tirelessly to ensure student safety.
• BCSD utilizes an electronic monitoring system that helps detect threatening messages or content transmitted via a student’s district network account. This system utilizes machine learning technology that flags concerning content and blocks potentially harmful content. This system allows BCSD to identify early warning signs and swiftly respond to incidents concerning student mental health or safety.
• BCSD employs several methods for the reporting of safety concerns, including the BCSD “See Something, Say Something” tip line at 1-855-OK SAY IT (855-657-2948) or the anonymous reporting tool in the BCSD App.
• After-action reviews are conducted after school safety incidents to evaluate and review safety protocols and to address any improvements that can be made to BCSD emergency responses.
• BCSD uses a formal risk assessment format that is used to evaluate students who have communicated threatening messages or engaged in threatening behavior toward oneself or others. The assessment is completed by a team of trained individuals, and the results of the assessment dictate what interventions and potential safety measures to employ.

School Resource Officers and School District Security Personnel

• BCSD partners with 5 law enforcement agencies that provide 38 School Resource Officers (SRO) who work diligently to secure our campuses. SRO’s are assigned to all high schools and middle schools on a full-time basis and to several elementary schools, either full or part-time. 
• BCSD’s Security and Emergency Management Office consists of 4 highly trained and experienced school safety and security officers who assist and provide expertise to 47 schools and other facilities within BCSD.