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System Screens For Sex Offenders and Banned People

In the News

This article originally appeared on Hudson Valley Press. To view the original article, click here.

POUGHKEEPSIE – Poughkeepsie City School District recently began installing the Raptor Visitor Management System to increase the safety and security at schools.

This technology-based visitor management system instantly alerts school officials if a visitor is flagged as a security risk. It automatically captures and stores visitor data, enabling schools to create security-focused reports for analytical and investigative purposes.

Once installation is complete, the system will:

  • Screen every visitor against sex offenders and custom databases, including those with custody orders and banned visitor status.
  • Sync with PCSD’s student information system to have accurate student and guardian data and ensure students are released only to approved guardians.
  • Instantly screen anyone attempting to sign out a student against the sex offender registry in all 50 states and any locally-customized databases, including custody databases.
  • Immediately alert administrative, security, and other appropriate personnel via text and/or email when a visitor is identified as a risk.
  • Generate district- or school-level detailed reports in real time. Create security-focused reports for analytical and investigative purposes.

Installation of the system is set to be completed within the coming weeks and updated protocols will be shared with parents and caregivers so that they are aware of the identification they will need to produce when visiting PCSD schools.

Once a visitor’s ID is scanned into the system, they are logged in and a self-sticking visitor badge is printed for them, Alfreda Ghee, greeter at Columbus Administration Building said, adding that it is quicker than the old process of having people manually sign in and then creating a plastic ID badge and putting it into a holder.

“This is good, we needed it,” she said.

Raptor’s system is in place in more than 5,000 U.S. schools and more than 52,000 globally, according to information from the company.

The Raptor Visitor Management System is one of many innovations the district will be bringing to all schools. Under the Capital Improvement Plan, the installation of external and internal doors and the creation of security vestibules in all district buildings are priorities. Additionally, the district’s Safety and Security Plan is set to invest $3 million dollars in weapons detection systems, cameras, access control, public announcement integration systems, and lock-down technology.