Wren School Security Budget Advisory: Lean Economic Times Don't Justify Jeopardizing Student Safety

ATLANTA, March 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The ongoing recession has public institutions from the post office to state and federal government agencies examining every last dime that affects their bottom line budgets. Schools have become yet one more organizational group forced to make serious decisions out of economic necessity. Regardless of the tough choices schools have to make, Wren, a company dedicated to creating safer learning environments, reminds administrators that this is no time to lighten its focus on much needed security standards in schools.

What is a school to do if it has to choose between investing in a safe school or cutting major programs? According to new best practices offered in Wren's Bird's Eye View educational column, school administrators who examine several key options don't necessarily have to face making a budget crisis a security crisis.  

"The first thing schools have to realize is that even in this economic environment, maintaining security measures should be a top priority, as it is during times like these that crimes rise.  However, focusing on security doesn't have to mean allocating funds toward significant new investments over other critical factors like classroom sizes and staff retention. On the contrary, a few key steps can be taken to keep your school safety programs ongoing and intact in a way that won't break your budget," said Jeff Floreno, director of operations and security strategy, Wren Solutions.

As the column details, those tips include looking at your security's technology infrastructure, like the use of analog versus IP cameras for video surveillance and the cost benefits of upgrading the equipment over replacing it. The article also offers pricing strategies like shopping through cooperatives to save man hours on the RFP process and obtaining the best rates available; examines the benefits of investing in software support up-front; and leveraging a school's in-house technical staff for equipment support instead of costly third-party resources.

According to Wren, schools that take steps to make the right investments, maximize existing resources, eliminate unnecessary expenditures, and boost their buying power can minimize security costs without sacrificing a safe learning environment.  

To read the full column, visit http://budurl.com/u4t2; or to discuss budget issues around security that your school is experiencing one-on-one with peers and for direct advice from Wren experts, post a comment to the Wren Network Video + Education blog here: http://budurl.com/cfl8.

About Wren

Wren specializes in physical security technologies and services for retail, education, hospitality, healthcare and government facilities. The company's solutions, including enterprise-class video management software, access control systems, security assessments,  surveillance cameras and hardware, and professional services, enable organizations to protect people, assets and facilities, while empowering them with operational insights for better performance. Established in 1983 and headquartered in Jefferson City, MO, Wren is a member of the Security Industry Association (SIA), the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), the National Association of School Safety and Law Enforcement Officers (NASSLEO), and the National Retail Federation (NRF). Visit us at our website www.wrensolutions.com.

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SOURCE Wren Solutions