Thanks to recent upgrades, walking into a school within the Lakewood School District is becoming more difficult – especially if you have something to hide.

In this exclusive tour, Director of Lakewood School District Security Rob Desimone showed The Lakewood Scoop what it’s like to enter one of their buildings these days.

Students & Staff

Now, if you’re a student or a staff member, the procedure is quite simple and standard – you show your identification, go through a metal detector, and you’re in. Though, you need to keep your ID on all day – or you won’t even get lunch.

You’ll also need to be using your clear school back-pack. Should you bring a non-clear bag, it will be placed in a bin until the end of the school day.

Visitors

If you’re a visitor, however, you’ll be required to show your driver’s license or another form of ID, which will be inserted into a device that’ll  automatically scan your name for Megan’s Law. If all’s clear, you’ll enter through the metal detector, and if cleared, be issued a temporary pass. The security system will keep track of you for the entire duration of your visit, and clear your name once you exit the premises.

Trying to enter with a visible weapon in an attempt to conduct a crime? Chances are you’ll be shot down within seconds – by a number of highly-trained professionals – so it’s probably best not to try. The armed security personnel are retired and veteran law enforcement members.

Lockdown mode

On the system’s screen (see pictures), there’s a red emergency button – Active Shooter. That button is for, well, an active shooter situation – G-d forbid.

Should a security guard detect an active shooter or other threat on the premises, he immediately activates the Active Shooter button.

Talking about the recent lockdowns, Desimone, a retired Lakewood Police Department Lieutenant, says a recent mandate change at the Department of Education requires the school to immediately go into lockdown mode upon a report of a weapon.

In Wednesday’s lockdown event, Desimone says the lockdown was prompted by a six-year-old student who was overheard telling a fellow student he had a knife. It turned out the child was referring to a knife at home.

During a lockdown, emergency lights will also flash outside the building to alert those on the outside not to enter. All the doors of the building and classrooms, will lock too.

Incidents

In the recent months, there were multiple lockdown incidents within the school district – including here, here, and here.

The most serious of incidents, first by The Lakewood Scoop, was when a child was found with a loaded gun on a bus.