Raptor is the not-so-secret program which keeps Washburn Rural safe. It is a visitor management program used by the high school to track visitors and print them their ID badges. Raptor scans driver’s licenses and uses that information to make badges, and ensures that visitors are not registered sex or violent offenders.

The Auburn-Washburn School Board requires all visitors to any district building to present a driver’s license in order to gain admittance. If a visitor plans to step outside of the high school reception desk, he or she must gain clearance through Raptor.

Raptor stores your driver’s license, so the next time you visit, you can be searched for by name. When the software scans in your license, your picture on the license is saved and printed onto your paper name tag. 

When scanning in a driver’s license, the only information that is available on the computer screen is your name, date of birth, an ID picture and your driver’s license number. However, a whole copy of your license is saved into a secure Raptor server.

Raptor runs your ID through public sex and violent offender databases. Many people cringe when they realize that the software retains a copy of your driver’s license, but chief of security Sam Ralston said not to worry.

“The software does keep a copy of your driver’s license, but you are required to show your ID anyway each time you check in,” Ralston said. “With this system, we can make sure no offender gains access to the building, and once you are already in the system, you no longer need to show your ID because we can search for you by name.”

Receptionist Mary Dunn also agrees with Ralston.

“I believe this is an amazing system. It keeps the school safe and has worked [by preventing offenders from entering the building] a few times,” Dunn said.

However, Raptor is not a free service. It comes at a cost of $480 per year and is paid for by funds raised from selling parking permits.

“It is not on the school budget; it comes out of the security budget,” Ralston said. “It is a necessary expense and it is far better than any other system we have looked at in the past.”

While a copy of your driver’s license is retained, Raptor is a safe and efficient solution to visitor management.