Capital’s schools, colleges: Police launch emergency alert system

Complete security audit of 655 educational institutes.

ISLAMABAD: The police on Saturday completed a security audit of 655 government and private educational institutes of the capital and introduced a Mobile Emergency Alert System which would help protect the various schools and colleges, said a senior police official.

At least 145 people, including 132 students, were killed when terrorists stormed the Army Public School in Peshawar last month. In the wake of the attack, the capital police decided to secure the private and government schools and colleges of the city.

A senior police official requesting anonymity said the security audit of 354 government and 299 private schools have been completed by the police after consecutive meetings of police high-ups with officials of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration and the Capital Administration and Development Division and representatives of private schools.

The official said 32 teams of police officers were constituted to review security arrangements and delivered special lectures to bring further improvement in the safety measures. After completing the security audit, a Mobile Emergency Alert System has been launched. Through the system, a mobile phone (android) will be installed at all schools and colleges, and in case of an emergency, it will be automatically connected with various police units by pressing a single “Panic Button” on the device.

The official, while sharing the details of the system, said the device will be linked with Rescue 15, police control, the relevant SHO and police station.

Before launching the system, police held several sessions with schools representatives and divided them into four zones: Saddar, Industrial, Rural and City. In total, 225 schools fall under the Saddar Zone, 113 under Industrial, 286 under Rural and 84 in City.

Through the system, computers have been installed at Rescue 15 offices and 19 mobile phones have been provided to different police stations for receipt of emergency calls. Additionally, four teams of police have been assigned the task to install the software of alert system in mobile phones of the focal/security person of each government and private institute.

Another senior official of the capital administration, who requested anonymity, told The Express Tribune that it would be difficult to provide security to the 424 public schools which come under the Federal Directorate of Education and over 1,000 private ones which operate under the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority. However, he added, the system would at least help all relevant persons to remain alert in case of any emergency.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2015.