By Sharon Aron Baron
Andrew Pollack is launching School Safety Grant — a new organization that awards security technology solutions in school districts across America, to save response time and lives in an emergency.
Pollack, the father of Meadow, who was killed by a school shooter who took her life and 16 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas on February 14, 2018, has been a school safety advocate since.
He said the School Safety Grant implements technological solutions that accelerate response times in an active shooter situation, providing law enforcement with the actionable intelligence proven to save lives.
“Ever since my daughter was murdered, I’ve been looking for common sense, low-cost school safety solutions. After meeting with countless technology innovators and existing manufacturers, I’ve found what I believe to be the best platform for the expansion of security capabilities and connectivity.”
The organization is administered by a grant selection committee comprised of school shooting survivors from Columbine and Santa Fe, parents of students from Parkland and Sandy Hook, law enforcement officers, and career educators.
The grant program aims to enhance school security and ultimately save lives through advanced software and connectivity technology that directly links law enforcement with facility security systems.
To apply for a grant, schools, police departments, and places of mass gathering can submit their information for evaluation by the School Safety Grant selection committee. Those awarded a grant are provided with full implementation of ALERT, a software app that reduces response times in an active shooter situation or other emergencies while providing law enforcement with actionable intelligence. Implementation through the grant includes installation, training, and perpetual license fees.
The value of each grant, which may range from $20,000 – $40,000 depending on installation needs and the specific software bundled with the ALERT app for each awardee, is based on an independent valuation of the software, implementation, and training provided through each award. Schools and mass gathering establishments then pay a small monthly maintenance fee following deployment, which allows for ALERT to be continuously upgraded and maintained while being offered to law enforcement entities at no charge.
The first grant recipients include Coral Springs Police Department, Coconut Creek Police Department, Chabad of Coral Springs, and a local charter school.
The School Safety Grant program is powered by the ALERT (Active Law Enforcement Response Technology) platform that integrates video surveillance systems, access control systems, and public announcement systems with local police departments. The platform is designed to be used in conjunction with technology from multiple third-party applications.
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