Raptor FAQs
What is the Raptor Visitor Management System?
Raptor is a visitor management system that enhances school safety by reading a visitor’s identification, comparing the information against a sex offender database, alerting district administrators if a match is found or if no match was made. It then prints a visitor badge that includes a photo, name of visitor, and time and date of the visit.
How does Raptor work?
Identification information (drivers’ license or other state-issued photo ID card) is
compared to a database that consists of registered sex offenders from all 50 states. If a
match is found, school administrators and law enforcement personnel can take
appropriate steps to ensure school safety.
Why is the Bordentown Regional School District using Raptor?
The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. Raptor will provide a consistent system to track visitors while better ensuring that only those individuals who should be permitted to be in the vicinity of staff and students are provided a visitors badge. Raptor quickly prints ID badges that include the photo, the name of the visitor, time, and date. These ID badges must be worn at all times in our school buildings.
What other information is the school taking from the identification/license?
Raptor is only scanning the visitor’s name, date of birth, partial license number, and photo for comparison with the national database of registered sex offenders. Only the minimum data needed to accurately identify a visitor is collected (e.g., no address information, social security numbers, or physical characteristics data is collected). No other data is collected from the ID, and no photocopy of the ID is retained.
Do we scan every visitor into the system?
All visitors and guests entering the school building will be scanned into the system.
What if a person refuses to show identification?
The main office will contact the Principal in this case. The Principal will explain the policy and procedure to the individual and then make a determination about the individual’s ability to enter the building. The building administrator and/or the local police will be contacted if an individual attempts building entry without presenting identification and receiving a Raptor badge. No visitor should enter the building, beyond the Main Office, without a Raptor badge.
If a positive match comes back indicating that the person just scanned is a registered sex offender, what happens?
Some sex offenders may be relatives of students. Normal caution will always be followed, and the designated school administrator will always be contacted. School personnel using the Raptor system will know the protocols that are in place and will be trained on how to handle “positive hit” situations.
Will registered sex offenders be given access to our schools?
Generally speaking, unless an individual is wanted by the police, as long as they have a legitimate reason to be on campus (e.g., parent conference or other meeting), entry will be permitted with valid identification. As with all visitors, access will be limited to the intended purpose for the visit and for a limited time. Heightened security measures shall be put in place and will be under the direction of the school administrator.
Will contractors, subcontractors, and vendors be scanned upon arrival at a school building?
Yes, contractors, subcontractors, and vendors must be scanned the same way as any visitor.
Is the data shared with any third parties? If so, which ones and which data?
Raptor does not share any collected data with third parties.
Will the Raptor System be used for after school activities?
No, the system will only be used during normal school hours, Monday through Friday.
What does a visitor do if he/she doesn’t have a government-issued ID?
Visitors without a government-issued ID may be granted entrance to the school, at the school administrators discretion, by providing last name, first name, and date of birth.
Will I be required to complete this process if I am simply dropping off an item in the office for my child?
No, this process is only for visitors needing to enter the building past the main office.
Does Raptor Visitor Management run background checks?
No, Raptor Visitor Management does not perform criminal background checks. The Raptor system uses the visitor’s first name, last name, and date of birth that is captured with the ID scan to check only against the registered sex offender databases in all 50 U.S. states and any alerts from custom databases set up by the school or district containing information including custody orders, dismissed school or district employees, etc.
How can districts handle undocumented persons who visit schools?
In the event that a visitor has a non scan-able form of ID, the Raptor system allows for the manual entry of information (first name, last name, and date of birth) for screening purposes. Only the minimum data needed to accurately identify an entrant is collected (i.e., no address information, no Social Security number, no physical characteristics data—hair color, eye color, weight—is ever captured). No other data is collected from the ID, and a photocopy of the ID is not retained.
Why is a visitor management system important in schools?
- Screen every visitor against sex offender and custom databases, including those with custody orders and banned visitor status
- Sync with your student information system (SIS) to have accurate student and guardian data and ensure you release students to only approved guardians
- Instantly screen anyone attempting to sign out a student against the sex offender registry in all 50 states and any locally-customized databases, including custody databases
- Immediately alert administrative, security, and other appropriate personnel via text and/or email when a visitor is identified as a risk
- Generate district- or school-level detailed reports in real time. Create security-focused reports for analytical and investigative purposes.