Building Trust with Students is Key

But i’ve found that connecting with students really enhances safety on campus. When they trust you as a security guard, they’re more likely to come to you with concerns. It’s all about being approachable; I try to learn their names and engage in quick chats during lunch. Anyone else found relationship-building helpful in their role?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‍​‍​⁠‍​‌‍‌​‌​‍‌‌​​‍‌​⁠​‌‌​​‌⁠​‌‌‍​⁠‌‌​​‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍​⁠‍​‌‍‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I totally get that approachability makes a big difference. One thing I did was set up a weekly ice cream stand during lunch; it gave students a reason to stop and chat without feeling pressured. It helps to break the ice before they come to you with real concerns.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​​​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠⁠‌​‍‍​⁠​⁠‌​⁠​‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‌‍​‌‌​‍‍​‍⁠‌‌​‍‍‌⁠‌​‌​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

But , I’ve noticed the same thing too. Getting to know students really does make them feel safer; I also try to remember their names and even share a laugh or two in passing. It’s just hard sometimes with so many students to connect with, especially during those busy lunch hours.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‌​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‍​‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍​​⁠‌‍‌‍⁠​‌‌‍‌‌⁠‌​‌​​‍‌‍‌​‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‍‍‌‌‍‌‌⁠​⁠​⁠‍​‌​‍‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

Connecting with students is so crucial! I’ve found that having regular, informal check-ins once a week can lead to deeper conversations. It’s like having a coffee break but with a purpose — especially during lunch.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌‌‌​⁠‌‌​‍‍‌‍‌‌‌​⁠‌​⁠‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‌​‍‌‌​‍‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

Engaging students during lunch is a great move. I’ve found that just sharing a quick joke or compliment can break the ice and make them feel more comfortable approaching you. It’s all about building that rapport, like you mentioned — maybe think about rotating your hangout spots to reach different groups, too.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‌​‌‌⁠‌​‌​⁠‍‌​‌​‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌​‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍‌‌​‍‌‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

It’s so true that building rapport makes a difference! I’ve found that just hanging out at lunch isn’t enough sometimes; I try to show up at after-school events too. It gives me a chance to see them in a different light and chat outside of the security context.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‍‌​⁠​​‌⁠​⁠​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌‌⁠‍‌‌​‍⁠‌‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‌​⁠‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​⁠​‌⁠‌⁠‌‍⁠‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​