By Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

As threats against religious institutions rise across the country, security is no longer optional—it’s essential. In New York City, small yeshivas and other religious schools are often left vulnerable due to limited funding, despite facing the same risks as larger institutions.

New legislation aims to change that by providing millions in taxpayer funding to help these schools hire professional security guards. And this expansion couldn’t come at a more important time.

Leveling the Playing Field for Safety

Under current laws, only non-public schools with more than 300 students qualify for government-funded security. But many religious schools fall below that threshold. The proposed bill, championed by a Brooklyn councilman, would remove that size restriction, giving smaller institutions access to the same critical safety resources.

“This program has already proven successful—but now it needs to be expanded to protect every student, not just those in larger schools.”

Security Guards Do More Than Stand Watch

At Nexgen Protection Services, we know that effective school security is about more than a uniformed presence. It’s about trained professionals who understand how to de-escalate conflict, respond to emergencies, and create a calming presence for students and staff.

Here’s what our trained school security personnel bring to the table:

Visible deterrence against hate crimes and unauthorized entry
Emergency response coordination in the event of threats or incidents
Controlled access management for safer drop-offs and pick-ups
Ongoing vigilance during school hours, events, and transitions
Trauma-informed interaction with children and educators

All Children Deserve Equal Protection

There’s no question: every child in every school deserves to feel safe—regardless of school size, religious affiliation, or neighborhood. When safety measures are unevenly distributed, we not only put certain communities at greater risk, but we also send the wrong message about who deserves protection.

Security should not be a privilege—it should be a basic right for every student in New York City.

The Role of Professional Protection Services

While funding is a major step forward, the implementation is equally important. Partnering with professional protection providers ensures that taxpayer dollars are being used to deploy trained, licensed, and vetted security personnel who understand the sensitive environments of religious and educational institutions.

At Nexgen, we take pride in supporting schools with custom-tailored protection services that address their specific vulnerabilities—from threat assessments to on-site security staffing.

Let’s protect all our children, not just some of them. Expanding funding is the first step. Partnering with the right security professionals is the next.

#SchoolSafety #ReligiousSchoolSecurity #PrivateSchoolProtection #NYCSecurity #ProtectionServices #SafeSchools #SecurityGuards #EquityInSafety #HateCrimePrevention #NexgenProtection

Source:
Campanile, C. (October 6, 2024).Small NYC yeshivas, other religious schools would receive millions in taxpayer funds for guards under new bill: ‘Grim new reality’ NY Post.