SECURITY SPECIALIST - Atlantic Technical College

POSITION TITLE: Security Specialist

JOB CODE: NN-130

CLASSIFICATION: Non-Exempt

PAY GRADE: N/A

BARGAINING UNIT: FOPE

REPORTS TO: Area Security Manager or Designee

CONTRACT YEAR: 199 Days

POSITION GOAL:

To enhance the safety, security and level of preparedness in the work and learning environments of students, employees and visitors. To protect students, employees and visitors from harm in emergency situations, and to prevent or reduce loss and damage of school property by theft and vandalism.

ESSENTIAL PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Security Specialist shall carry out the performance responsibilities listed below:

• Work with school administrators, school staff, District personnel and public safety officials to help create and maintain a positive, caring, reasonably safe and effective learning environment.

• Advise the School Principal of significant disturbances, hazardous conditions, unsafe procedures and other serious security matters.

• Suggest ways to enhance school safety, security and emergency preparedness.

• Practice situational awareness to help detect students who are in distress as well as identify and address potentially dangerous conditions, situations and individuals.

• Patrol the school's perimeter, grounds and interior areas providing a high degree of visibility in order to help prevent trespassing, criminal activity, potentially dangerous behaviors, substance abuse, acts of self-harm and school violence.

• Communicate with students in age and developmentally appropriate ways.

• Work effectively with students, staff and visitors with special needs.

• Practice positive cultural awareness and demonstrate respect for diversity among students, employees, public safety partners and visitors.

• Help prevent and address bullying, harassment and intimidation of students, staff and visitors.

• Request identification and investigate the presence of individuals who appear to be out-of-place based on the time, location, setting, behaviors and circumstances when it appears safe and appropriate to do so.

• Work with school administrators, faculty and support staff to help create and maintain active and effective student supervision.

• Assist with maintaining proper student conduct, orderliness and security during breakfast and lunch periods when directed by school administrators.

• Help reduce potential physical conflicts among students using proactive and professional attention to student interaction and appropriate intervention strategies.

• Actively supervise bus and automobile parking and pedestrian and vehicle traffic patterns on school property. Help administrators develop and implement ways to improve parking and traffic flow while promoting enhanced safety for pedestrians and vehicle occupants.

• Maintain effective communications with school bus drivers regarding student behavior and safety concerns. Investigate discipline code violations occurring on school buses.

• Participate on the School Improvement Team for matters relating to the school's climate, culture, safety and security.

• Assist with student threat assessments if requested to do so by the School Principal or members of the Threat Management Team.

• Discuss age and developmentally appropriate safety, security and emergency preparedness information with students as requested.

• Maintain open communications with residents and business establishments in the vicinity of the schools' campus to enhance

the safety and security of the school and to foster their willingness to cooperate with school and public safety personnel in maintaining a safer school environment. • Follow District procedures and Florida laws regarding reporting of criminal incidents.

• Serve as an appropriate role model for students while maintaining appropriate boundaries during all interaction with students.

• Maintain appropriate boundaries when interacting with students, refraining from participation in peer-to-peer behavior with students or engaging in conduct that is prohibited by policy, statute or, by its nature, is likely to create alarm or suspicion of potential misconduct by an employee.

• Comply with District policies, procedures and Florida statutes relating to the protection of students from physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

• Comply with District policies and Florida statutes relating to mandatory reporting of boundaries invasion, and any other indications that physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse of students is taking place at or away from school.

• In cooperation with administrators, investigate incidents of negative non-criminal conduct occurring on school property.

• In close coordination with and following the direction of the School Principal, Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) School Police, School Resource Officer, Law Enforcement Departments, City Police Departments and other law enforcement agencies, provide support and assistance in the investigation of criminal acts.

• Record legally required information pertaining to non-criminal and criminal incidents. Obtain statements from witnesses, complete evidence documentation forms, security reports, property loss and other reports, as necessary.

• Take reasonable steps to prevent confidential and protected information from being disclosed in violation of District policy, Safety, Security and Emergency Preparedness Division operating procedures, Florida statutes and federal government guidelines.

• Follow established policies and procedures related to the prevention of cyber security incidents involving life-safety systems and sensitive student and employee information.

• Represent the school and provide testimony in courts of law, as required.

• Proactively communicate the need for emergency protective actions or requests for response by public safety personnel when visual and auditory senses indicate that action must be taken to protect human life. Use appropriate form of communication to inform of emergencies, including verbal warnings, portable radios, fire alarms, or other communications systems or devices.

• Take prompt action, as appropriate, to protect human life in an emergency situation, including the initiation of an emergency code on school campuses, or District sites, as appropriate.

• Work in collaboration with administrators, support staff and public safety officials to help improve the level of emergency preparedness among staff and students.

• Organize and administer school safety, security and emergency preparedness awareness programs, as assigned. Examples include but are not limited to fire drills, lockdown drills, reverse evacuation procedures, emergency evacuation procedures, emergency communications protocols and other emergency protective actions.

• Assist with school safety, security and emergency preparedness assessments as directed by the School Principal and/or Safety, Security and Emergency Preparedness supervisor.

• Report to duty assignments on time, physically and emotionally fit for duty and with any required equipment in proper working order.

• Operate School Board owned vehicles (including golf carts) in a safe manner.

• Complete in-service training, staff development programs, web learning programs, and advanced training as directed by school administrators and Safety, Security and Emergency Preparedness Department supervisory personnel.

• Achieve and demonstrate proficiency in conflict resolution, verbal de-escalation, passive restraint techniques and the use of force as authorized, trained and in compliance with written directives, policies or manuals.

• Perform and promote all activities in compliance with the equal employment and non-discrimination policies of The School Board of Broward County, Florida.

• Participate in the training programs offered to enhance the individual skills and proficiency related to the job responsibilities, including conflict resolution and cultural diversity training.

• Review current developments, literature and technical sources of information related to job responsibilities.

• Ensure adherence to safety rules and procedures.

• Follow federal and state laws, as well as School Board policies.

• Perform other security-related duties as assigned by the School Principal or designated Safety, Security and Emergency Preparedness supervisory personnel.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• An earned high school diploma or satisfactory completion of an approved General Educational Development (GED) Testing Program.

• A minimum of four (4) years, of experience in a field related to the title of the position, including but not limited to, security, law enforcement, the department of juvenile justice, or four (4) years of experience as a School Campus Monitor with successful completion of a District approved security training certification program.

• Must be, at least, twenty-one years of age.

• Effective verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to write reports, interview victims and witnesses, and communicate in an emergency as required for the position.

• Computer skills as required for the position.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• An earned associate’s degree from an accredited institution.

• Prior experience working with students or adolescents.

• Prior military experience.

• Bilingual skills.

SIGNIFICANT CONTACTS – frequency, contact, purpose, and desired end result:

The majority of contact is with students, visitors, parents and guardians of students, public safety personnel and school employees within different departments. This position requires the ability to remain vigilant for extended periods of time and in a dynamic environment. The job incumbent will be required to utilize a variety of verbal and physical skills and techniques to protect self and others from individuals who are non-compliant, aggressive and who may pose a risk to themselves or others. This position requires the ability to use the minimum force necessary to protect self and others and a high degree of judgement in the use of verbal de-escalation and when necessary, the use of passive restraint techniques and other types of physical force.

Security Specialists are prohibited from carrying a firearm on their person or in a personal or District vehicle while on duty or while on school system property. Security Specialists are also prohibited from carrying less-lethal force devices unless they are specifically trained and have been authorized to do so in writing by the District. Examples of less-lethal force devices include but are not limited to Tasers, impact devices, stun guns or pepper, mace, CN or CS irritant sprays.

This position requires personnel who can use tact and courtesy to enhance a pleasant, effective and reasonably safe learning environment. This position also requires the ability to follow guidelines relating to the appropriate boundaries pertaining to the interactions with students. The position requires the ability to give or receive information directly related to school safety, security and emergency preparedness.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force as frequently as needed to move objects.

This job requires the incumbent to communicate via two-way radio, provide verbal instructions and warnings to others in an emergency, prepare written reports, and complete forms in writing. Additionally, the job incumbent will be required to operate a motor vehicle or golf cart, patrol a school campus on foot or bike, climb stairs, or other means of transportation, and scale a six-foot chain link fence. The job incumbent will also be required to utilize appropriate techniques to restrain and, if necessary, subdue physically aggressive individuals, using minimum force as required.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Salary and benefits shall be paid consistent with the District's approved compensation plan. Length of the work year and hours of employment shall be those established by the School Board.

EVALUATION:

Performance will be evaluated in accordance with Board Policy.

Board Approved: 4/20/78

ER80-12 Approved: 10/2/80 &

Revised: 10/15/81

Board Approved: 11/6/90 &

Adopted: 12/4/90

Revised: 8/16/94 &

Adopted: 9/20/94

Board Adopted: 12/16/03

Board Adopted: 2/01/05

Revised: 12/21/06

Board Approved: 11/3/2015

Board Adopted: 12/8/2015

Board Approved: 3/5/2019 &

Adopted: 4/23/2019

Revised: 7/30/2024