Wall Street Journal Article about Security Window Laminates REBUTTAL

Physical Building Security, Security Window Laminates / January 8, 2025
Security laminate to protect against intruders

I would like to bring your attention to a recent Wall Street Journal Article that was published on December 24th that states “Schools Squander Millions to “Bulletproof’ Windows. It Doesn’t Work.”

While I take issue with the title and a lot of the information contained within the article, I must say that there is value in employing security film to protect against forcible entry into a building, whether it be a school, a business, an industrial facility, or a government building.

Laminate films are designed to delay, deter, or prevent forcible entry into a building. That additional time to keep bad actors on the outside of a building is crucial to enabling law enforcement to respond to a threat. It is highly more preferable to be able to confront an individual on the outside of a building than trying to find them once they get inside.
As long as your organization works with a professional, experienced, reputable, and reliable company to perform the work, the product will do the job that it is expected to do.
There are always unscrupulous vendors looking to make a buck who view this as a money making opportunity, who are not trained to seek out vulnerabilities and make recommendations to resolve them, who misrepresent the performance of the product. A reputable firm engaged in this business will never represent that a film will stop bullets. If anyone tells you that, then you are working with the wrong vendor, or make them prove that with a variety of ammunition on glass that you currently employ within your facilities.
Taking this a step further, a double-sided laminate will hold the glass in a door or window as it shatters due to impact from a projectile providing extra time for law enforcement to confront those seeking to do harm. So, if represented and installed properly, these laminate systems will effectively “harden” a facility without detracting from the architectural integrity of the building. So, those schools and businesses who have invested in security laminates from reputable vendors, have not “Squandered Millions” to protect their staff, students, or faculty!

If you have questions about security laminates, how they work and why a reputable, experienced company can improve your building security, please give me a call at 440-382-2759 or email me at bsaltzman@neoemsllc.com.  I offer a complementary building vulnerability assessment.  I am a security expert who works with his clients to tailor the best physical security solutions based on their priorities, budgets, and needs.