Prince William County Public Schools

Ron Crowe, Director of Security and Crisis Readiness at Prince William County Public Schools, leads a large-scale safety program spanning 100+ schools and centers, 90,000 students, and 14,000 staff. He has built a system grounded in standardized protocols, data-driven accountability and continuous training. By combining measurable security frameworks with student engagement initiatives such as SAVE clubs and the Sandy Hook Promise partnership, his approach integrates safety and well-being, earning recognition as the Safety and Security Director of the Year 2026 by Education Insider. 

Building Safety as a System

I oversee security and crisis preparedness for a school division serving over 90,000 students across 100+ schools and centers, supported by about 14,000 staff. At that scale, safety cannot rely on individual programs. It must function as a layered system, something structured, measured and sustained over time. Our work is centered on ensuring the system operates consistently every day. The Security and Crisis Readiness department supports roughly 190 to 200 state-certified School Security Officers, delivers more than 30 hours of in-service training annually and over 60 hours for new hires. We also run a centralized Security Operations Center that manages crisis communication and provides real-time support to schools. Everything we do comes back to four things: clear standards, data to measure them, accountability, and continuous improvement.

From Strong Programs to Measurable Systems

When Superintendent Dr. LaTanya D. McDade joined the school division in 2021, there was a clear shift toward focusing funding and strategic initiatives on data. Security had strong programs in place, but we needed a way to capture and measure what we were actually accomplishing.

We built that by standardizing expectations across all schools, what we call our Security Basics. These are nonnegotiable standards. Every time our teams are in schools, they check and measure those conditions.

That process generates about 50,000 data points each month. Once you have that level of data, you can move beyond assumptions. You can identify where you are doing well and where you still have gaps. The security analytics dashboard we developed allows us to drill into those areas and focus on continuous improvement.

You can see the impact in something as simple as exterior door checks. When we started measuring, about 11 percent of schools had unsecured doors. Today, that figure is about two percent, or less than one percent when factoring in mechanical issues.

Balancing Security with Trust

Any major change to school security must be handled carefully. When we implemented weapons detection systems, we knew that it was a significant shift for the community. We spent time engaging families through meetings, webinars and open discussions, so they understood what we were doing and why. That transparency mattered. The community’s response was overwhelmingly positive.

"After implementing stronger security measures, we saw a 74 percent reduction in discipline incidents involving weapons."

Students adjusted quickly. Within a couple of weeks, it became just another part of their day. The results were clear. After implementing stronger security measures, we saw a 74 percent reduction in discipline incidents involving weapons. Firearms that had been present in prior years dropped to zero after implementation.

Consistency without Compromise

In a district as large and diverse as ours, consistency is not optional. It is essential. Each school must meet the same security expectations, regardless of size or demographics. Flexibility, in this context, can create vulnerability.

We reinforce consistency through accountability and support. Our teams conduct regular evaluations, provide real-time feedback and ensure that staff understand both the standards and the rationale behind them. Programs such as our Connection and Strategy Huddle (CASH) bring our teams directly into schools each month to engage with staff, review key issues and strengthen understanding.

Where flexibility does exist, it is purposeful. It applies primarily to supporting students with specialized needs during crisis situations. Outside of those considerations, the expectation remains uniform: every school must meet the established standards every day.

Security and Student Well-Being

Security is inseparable from student well-being. If students feel safe, they can focus on learning. For our School Security Officers, the most important tools are not equipment. They are rapport and verbal de-escalation. Those are used every day.

We also rely on early intervention. Through our partnership with Sandy Hook Promise, we receive about 1,000 tips annually. Those tips often help us respond before something escalates. Student involvement has been a major part of this. Our Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) clubs have become one of the strongest programs in the country. At Unity Reed High School alone, participation exceeds 200 students. When students take ownership of safety, it changes the culture.

At the same time, PWCS has invested heavily in mental health support. Our staff is trained to recognize when students are in crisis and connect them with the right resources. Security and well-being are tied together.

Coordination across Systems

School safety depends on coordination. Our partnership with the Prince William County Police Department is embedded in daily operations, supported by a dedicated liaison. During incidents, coordination is centralized through the Security Operations Center, ensuring shared communication across schools, law enforcement and leadership.

At the strategic level, the Superintendent’s Safe Schools Advisory Council brings together leadership, law enforcement and community representatives to align decisions and maintain accountability.

Preparing through Practice

Preparation determines response. Virginia requires 15 crisis drills annually, and we approach those drills with a “practice like you play” philosophy. Repetition builds familiarity. Familiarity builds confidence.

Staff and students rehearse their roles in controlled environments, which improves coordination during real events. Our teams also work directly with students to reinforce expectations and answer questions. That engagement reduces uncertainty and strengthens readiness.

Investing in People for Long-Term Impact

Technology and systems provide structure. People sustain it. Over the past four years, our security staff has more than doubled. That growth required a deliberate focus on professional development.

We have created a framework that supports career progression, including mentoring programs, leadership cohorts and partnerships with ASIS International for nationally recognized certifications. The goal is not only to train staff for current roles, but to prepare them for future leadership within the program.

Low turnover reflects the impact of that investment. When staff feel connected to meaningful work and see a path for growth, they remain engaged. Engagement strengthens performance, which strengthens the system.

Looking Ahead: Continuous Improvement

Our focus moving forward remains consistent with the principles that guide our work. The security analytics dashboard will continue to enhance our ability to evaluate performance and target improvements. All schools receive a monthly snapshot of their most important security metrics. New technologies will be evaluated carefully to ensure they add value and can be sustained over time.

At the same time, we will continue investing in our people. Professional development, leadership training and student engagement initiatives will remain central to our strategy. Security is not a fixed endpoint. It is an ongoing process of evaluation and refinement.

“In a district as large and diverse as ours, consistency is not optional. It is essential. Each school must meet the same security expectations, regardless of size or demographics.”

A System Designed for Confidence

If there is one outcome I hope defines this work, it is this: students should not have to think about their safety while they are at school. That absence of concern reflects a system functioning as intended.

As my supervisor, Chief Operating Officer Vernon Bock, explains, “When schools are consistently safe and well-managed, students are present, engaged and able to focus on learning. That stability directly supports stronger academic performance and higher graduation rates.” Staff should feel confident in their ability to respond to any situation. That confidence comes from training, clarity and consistent expectations. The community should trust that the system is designed not only to respond to incidents, but to prevent them.

Safety, at its core, enables education. When students feel secure, they can focus on learning, growth and opportunity. That result is not accidental. It is built through disciplined systems, informed by data and sustained by people who understand their role in protecting it.