Tips for Securing School Property:

Electronic Devices and Equipment

September 2008Manhattan Integrated Service Center (MISC)

A Guide for Schools

2

Tips for Securing School Property:Electronic Devices and Equipment

This Guide delineates recommended procedures and practices to enable establishment of a school-based program to prevent loss and/or damage to DOE property, including electronic devices and equipment.

Table of Contents:

1. SECURE EQUIPMENT AT ALL TIMES2. MINIMIZE YOUR SCHOOL’S VULNERABILITY3. ADDITIONAL PREVENTATIVE MEASURES4. REPORTING STOLEN EQUIPMENT5. CONTACTS AND RESOURCES

3

1. SECURE EQUIPMENT AT ALL TIMES

DELIVERIES TO SCHOOLS:

> It is recommended that each school have a written policy for deliveries to the building, designed to safeguard items and ensure optimally effective utilization for intended purposes. It should specify procedures and internal controls pertaining to: intake, inventory, storage, deployment and security procedures.

> Consult Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) available at www.schools.nyc.gov/Offices/DFO for all protocols and procedures related to inventory. All DOE property must be labeled/branded according to the inventory procedures.

> Internal controls pertain to such actions as: Designation of personnel responsible for key functions. Clearly defined roles and responsibilities Detailed operating procedures Inventory (in accordance with SOP) Maintenance of signed records Oversight of the entire process by the principal or designee.

4

1. SECURE EQUIPMENT AT ALL TIMES(continued)

DELIVERIES TO SCHOOLS:

> Upon delivery of equipment, there should be two designated persons responsible for signing for receipt, verifying, counting and storing items until the principal (or designee) gives directions as to deployment.

> Retrieve the packing slip, verify the correspondence of the items listed with the contents of the package and cross-check with the original order. Retain the packing slip on file.

> When deliveries are made, secure all boxes immediately. Do not allow delivered goods to be stacked in the halls or corridors for any length of time.

> "Campus" buildings: At campus sites, individual schools housed at the site may be located on different floors. Principals sharing the site should establish mutually acceptable protocols for receiving deliveries, keeping in mind that delivery agents may refuse to climb stairs or travel to multiple locations within the building.

5

1. SECURE EQUIPMENT AT ALL TIMESSTORAGE:

> Institute procedures to securely store equipment in safeguarded locations when not in active use. Equipment is most effectively stored in rooms with secure locks and no windows.

> Double locks or secured reinforced doors are recommended. Discuss options with your custodian to ensure that security devices meet legal and DOE standards.

> If available, use a vault or room that has steel doors and appropriate locks to store expensive items.

> Maintain a record of all persons with access to secure storage areas.

6

1. SECURE EQUIPMENT AT ALL TIMESACCESS:

> The principal should designate a secured location for keys & access codes.

> Limit the number of keys or access codes distributed to no more than three (3) persons (Administrators) with the understanding that keys and locksets may not be duplicated or replaced.

> Instruct school personnel to refrain from storing keys in desk drawers or other non-secure areas. Keys must be safeguarded at all times by carrying on one’s person or placing in a secure location designated by the principal.

> Instruct school personnel to report loss of keys immediately to the principal, so that action can be taken to change locks and keys promptly.

> Keys should be collected at the end of the school year from retiring staff and transferred staff. Access codes should also be changed.

> Make special cleaning and access arrangements with the custodian for areas where any equipment is stored.

7

1. SECURE EQUIPMENT AT ALL TIMESDAILY USAGE:

> Establish a procedure to sign equipment out and in (upon return) for daily or extended use in the building and for any off-site usage.

> Each laptop device should be placed inside a laptop cart or other laptop storage device each night; any school that does not have a laptop storage cart should contact Datamation, the DOE contracted vendor for computer lockdown devices. Laptops can also be secured individually within a lab environment with a cable-type security system.

> You may want to consider changing the location where the carts get charged each night to an inconspicuous area. Confer with your custodian

> Window guards should be routinely inspected by the custodian to insure that they are properly secured.

8

1. SECURE EQUIPMENT AT ALL TIMESINVENTORY:

> Conduct periodic physical inventories to confirm that you can account for all equipment, not only the annual inventory mandated by SOP.

> Maintain a copy of the DOE computer equipment inventory and a school inventory of all other equipment. The inventory should include the DOE asset tag #, manufacturer, model type and serial number. Keep these records in a safe place for reference in the event of theft.

> When counting boxes of equipment, look into all boxes to confirm contents stored.

9

1. SECURE EQUIPMENT AT ALL TIMESSPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:

> Secure equipment during the summer, over weekends and during holidays. Items in secure locations should be inspected before and re-inspected after long holidays and recess periods.

> In the event of an evacuation, it may not be possible to secure laptops and other equipment before leaving the premises. Teachers should ensure all classroom doors are locked and secured.

> Establish a procedure to survey storage areas after rapid dismissals, fire alarms and evacuations.

> Confirm with your custodian that the school’s intrusion alarm is functioning at all times. School Administrators should be aware whenever the system is out of operation for any period of time, and take appropriate precautions.

> Storage procedures should be reassessed when ongoing construction work is being performed, especially when exterior scaffolding is being used; for example, weekend or summer repairs/renovation.

10

2. MINIMIZE YOUR SCHOOL’S VULNERABILITY

INTERNAL SUPPORT> Safety Team: Your Safety Team should meet regularly to re-assess and

suggest improvements to all security measures (i.e., tracking use of computer equipment in a log; end of day lock-up procedures).

> Communication to Staff: Prior to the beginning of each semester, engage school personnel in a review of

the process to use and safely store DOE property. Prior to the beginning of each semester and at regular intervals throughout the

school year, provide staff with written reminders to secure DOE property at all times.

> Custodian: Request reports on regular testing of school alarms, security cameras (if applicable) and other security systems to verify proper operation.

11

2. MINIMIZE YOUR SCHOOL’S VULNERABILITY

EXTERNAL SUPPORT> Your local school police officer liaison and ISC Safety Administrator can

assess storage procedures for your equipment to help determine your school’s vulnerability to theft and vandalism.

> Stay informed about incidents in the community and at area schools so that you can be proactive in making appropriate adjustments to your school’s security measures.

12

3. ADDITIONAL MEASURES

TAGGING AND ETCHING > Contact your ISC Safety Administrators to arrange for the NYPD School Safety

Crime Prevention Team to come in, tag and etch your computers with the DOE logo and ID numbers. Tagging serves as a visual deterrent, as thieves may steal with intentions to sell.

COMPUTRACE> Consider adding Computrace, or a similar feature, to new computers; this is

a software/hardware based computer theft recovery service that tracks, locates and recovers stolen computers.

13

3. ADDITIONAL MEASURES(continued)

COMPUTRACE

How it works:

• The computer will ship with the Laptop Tracking and Recovery software agent and a persistence module embedded in the BIOS. The software agent can survive operating system re-installations, hard drive reformats and even hard drive replacements. • When a lost or stolen computer connects to the Internet, the

software agent contacts the monitoring center to report the computer’s location. • For systems with GPS technology included, Laptop Tracking and

Recovery has the ability to capture and report more detailed location information. It also provides the ability to track your laptops as they change hands or move around the organization. • This service is provided by Dell for Dell Laptops & Equipment.

» 5 year license for $145.50 per device – FAMIS Item # 570000009• Contact your ISC Officer or Representative for assistance.

14

4. REPORTING STOLEN EQUIPMENT

PROCEDURES:

> File  an OORS report, include all details and identification numbers.> Call/contact  the local police precinct to file a report so that there is a

registered file number.> Fax or deliver a copy of the report with the serial numbers of the equipment

stolen to the Borough Technology Manager. (Refer to contact information in next section.)

> Notify: ISC Executive Director, ISC Safety Administrator, SSO Network Leader and Superintendent.

Note: Borough Technology Manager will process a Magic ticket along with police report to have items updated in site inventory to reflect they have been stolen.            

15

5. CONTACTS AND RESOURCES

Manhattan

Manhattan ISC Safety Administrators:

Glenis Pole, GPole@schools.nyc.gov, Office: 212.356.3800

Glen Rasmussen, GRasmus@schools.nyc.gov Office: 917.339.1712

School Safety (NYPD):

North Command: 917.441.3600

  South Command: 646.654.6218

16

5. CONTACTS AND RESOURCES

ManhattanFacilities:

Contact:

• your Custodian; • your Deputy Director of Facilities; or• Manhattan Director of Facilities – Timothy George,

TGeorge@schools.nyc.gov

Office 212. 356.3825

Manhattan Technology Manager:

Angelo Serves, AServes@schools.nyc.gov, Office: 212.356.3861

17

5. CONTACTS AND RESOURCES

Datamation Systems, Inc. –

Matthew J Sperling 201-329-7200 or 212-732-3824

m.sperling@pc-security.com

Datamation Systems, Inc.125 Louis StreetS.Hackensack, NJ 07606201-329-7272 or 212-691-7412(fax)

www.pc-security.comhttp://nycdoe.pc-security.comwww.mailsolutions.info

Budget/Procurement/Internal Controls:

Please contact you ISC Officer or ISC Representative.

18

Prepared in collaboration with:

• Office of School and Youth Development (OSYD)• Division of Instructional & Information Technology (DIIT)• Division of School Facilities (DSF) • NYPD/School Safety