Jim Richards | |
At Total Security Solutions, we’ve noticed increasing demand for bulletproof podiums, sometimes called “ballistic lecterns” or “security podiums.” I’ll discuss a few of our recent projects for universities, houses of worship, and government bodies, as well as the factors sparking interest in security podiums and the best approach to both ballistic protection level and budgeting for them.
We made our first bullet-resistant podium over a decade ago. At the time, we saw it as a one-time custom project for a university with strong healthcare ties who needed it for a commencement speech. We already did quite a bit of work creating freestanding security booths and secure information desks for corporate lobbies.
A ballistic podium drew on the same capabilities, with a few extra design challenges, so we agreed. At the time, the idea that anyone other than a world leader would regularly need ballistic protection to speak at a university or corporate event seemed far-fetched.
Unfortunately, times have changed. What once seemed like excessive caution has now become routine precaution.
In the last four or five years, bulletproof podiums have gone from a special request we might get once every six or eight months to something we do much more regularly, with some clients placing orders for two or three security podiums at once.
Who Needs a Bullet-Resistant Podium
Universities
This is where we started, creating a podium for a ‘controversial’ commencement speaker. In the years since, as cultural divisions have increased and campus safety precautions have become more urgent, so has demand for security podiums. Some schools now invest in podiums for lecture halls as standard, giving added peace of mind to professors, students, visiting speakers, or anyone using their facilities for a public-facing event.
Government
After repeated attempts on the president’s life during public speaking engagements, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the federal government is buying ballistic lecterns. Unfortunately, we live in a time when someone is just as likely to bring weapons to a zoning commission meeting or routine court date as they are to bring them to a campaign rally. City council chambers, courthouses, and press rooms also need to keep officials safe without hindering public access and engagement. We are seeing increased interest in this kind of security at every level of government, from state and local agencies seeking to protect mayors and governors while speaking at public events.
Houses of Worship
According to the FBI’s most recent data, religiously motivated hate crimes are on the rise across North America, as is violence at houses of worship. There is no doubt that the person at the front of the room leading the service is especially exposed to any violence that may target those communities.
It upsets me that we have to do any work at all for churches, synagogues, or mosques, but that is the reality we live in. Many people are understandably hesitant to add a highly visible security presence in their house of worship. That often includes the faith leaders themselves who, as the public face of their congregation, are also the most at risk. A reinforced lectern can be a great compromise that satisfies congregants and improves safety without drawing attention to itself.
Corporate
Executive protection has increased significantly over the past two years. We’re fielding more requests from larger corporations, especially those household names most likely to attract controversy. Forty-two percent of chief security officers (CSOs) report rising threats against their executives, with 66 percent adding that they expect their physical security budgets to increase in the next year, according to the latest Allied Universal World Security Report.
Overall, 82 percent of CSOs say physical security should be a higher strategic priority than it currently is, an opinion that is shared by more than 90 percent of all institutional investors.
A lot of that investment is in early detection of potential threats and highly visible on-site deterrence through security personnel. But there are also many ‘invisible’ security measures for executive protection being integrated into buildings, including ballistic podiums, ballistic glass windows on conference rooms, reinforced doors, and saferooms within offices.
How Do Bulletproof Podiums Protect People?
Each podium we build is custom, but the fundamentals remain the same. A standard structural frame is first surrounded with several layers of ballistic fiberglass, then veneered to match your venue’s existing furniture and finishes. For the highest level of protection, we can include integrated bullet-resistant glazing that extends up from the podium, giving the speaker complete ballistic protection.
Our podiums are tested against the UL 752 Standard for Bullet-Resistant Equipment, the gold standard for ballistic materials used in construction. Broadly speaking, UL Levels 1 through 3 are rated to stop three-shot clusters from common handguns, while UL Levels 4 through 8 are rated to stop one to five shots from various rifles and submachine guns. Most ballistic podiums are either Level 3 or Level 4.
We always design for function as well as protection. Your podium might need to be a safe haven on one terrible day, but it needs to be a usable podium every other day. In the beginning, clients often wanted a podium with a great deal of interior space, allowing the speaker to take shelter inside the podium in an emergency. We can still build that.
But today, most people prefer something more fully functional as a podium, with full-size drawers, cabinets, adjustable ledges and laptop shelves, mounting points for AV equipment, anchor points for lamps or paper trays, and accommodations for cable runs and microphones.
We regularly build all of these into podiums.
Recent Bulletproof Podium Projects
The security podiums we’ve delivered over the past several months offer a fair cross-section of the most common ballistic lecterns we make. Here are some of our latest projects:
Church and University Podiums
These aren’t just to protect speakers at houses of worship or universities, but those two groups tend to want the same sorts of highly custom podiums, where aesthetics are a big part of the conversation. In recent months, these orders have usually been for a Level 3 podium with custom countertops, trim, and wood veneer all specified to match the rest of the auditorium.
These podiums weigh about 300 to 400 pounds, so we make a point of integrating heavy-duty casters so they can more easily be moved to accommodate the different configurations needed for different types of events.
Government Podiums
We recently delivered a batch of four ballistic podiums as part of our work with a federal agency. These offered Level 4 protection (implying concerns about high-powered rifles, like the kind used in the 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pa.), and included bullet-resistant glass shields extending up from the top of the podium to give the speaker full frontal ballistic shielding protection. In general, orders like this aren’t for one specific event, but part of a long-term plan for strategic and tactical upgrades.
Podiums for Law Enforcement
This was an interesting job that expanded the idea of the podium as ‘functional furniture.’ We built a Level 4 bullet-resistant podium for a law enforcement agency with very specific custom dimensions. They intended to outfit the built-in cabinet with a locker that could accommodate a police-issue long gun. That podium combined the stopping power of a Level 4 barrier with the ability to return fire if needed.
Choosing the Right Protection Level and Budget
As you consider your options for ballistic podiums, start by taking an honest look at your threat profile and existing security measures. A bullet-resistant podium is part of a broader security plan that includes access control and training. It’s an excellent last line of defense, not a one-size-fits-all device that solves all your problems.
That said, the most common types of podiums are tested to UL 752 Level 3 or Level 4. If you are primarily worried about concealable handguns (for example, during public meetings or events where there is already a fair bit of perimeter security), then you’ll likely be satisfied with a Level 3 ballistic podium. If you have a higher profile target, such as outdoor events where it’s harder to control all possible sightlines, or other reasons to believe a well-prepared attacker could breach the security perimeter entirely, a Level 4 podium (potentially with a ballistic glass face shield) might be the best choice.
Next, consider practical functionality. We can customize a ballistic podium with just about anything you can imagine, from standard equipment like laptop shelves and mounting points for mics and cable clips and cup holders to gun lockers and shelter spaces. Remember that ballistic materials are always at least twice as heavy as conventional building materials.
These podiums usually weigh 300 to 400 pounds, so unless you plan for it to be affixed to the floors, it’s best to specify a caster-mounted model.
Finally, budget appropriately. There can be quite a cost range for a bullet-resistant podium because they’re all custom. Depending on the finishes, which can include Corian counters, specific woods, custom cabinets, and ballistic glass face shields, a small podium can run between $5,000 and $10,000.
As you move into larger or more complex podiums, which can be more akin to a lobby security checkpoint, the price range climbs accordingly.
Those in the non-profit sector, like colleges, universities, private schools, and religious organizations, as well as government agencies, can pay for a custom bullet-resistant podium using NSGP or SHSGP grant money.
Frequently Asked Questions About Security Podiums
Do TSS security podiums offer NIJ Level IIIA, III, or IV protection?
Our bullet-resistant podiums offer UL Level 3 protection (“handgun protection”) or UL Level 4 protection (“high-powered rifle protection”). This performance is under lab protection. In the field, our Level 3 barriers frequently perform well above the tested minimums. In practical terms, UL Level 3 is roughly equivalent to NIJ Level IIIA, while UL Level 4 materials perform like NIJ Level III and IV materials.
The NIJ 0108.01 standard is published by the National Institute of Justice, and mostly applies to armor and protective materials (like bulletproof vests). The UL 752 Standard for Bullet-Resistant Equipment is the gold standard for ballistic materials used in construction because it includes detailed procedures for testing bullet-resistant building materials and completed components that the NIJ standard does not.
NIJ standards include Levels IIA, II, IIIA, III, and IV. NIJ Level IIIA stops most handgun threats, while Levels III and IV protect against high-powered rifles. Specifically, NIJ Level III protects against 7.62×51mm NATO rounds, while NIJ Level IV protection stops armor-piercing rounds like .30-06 M2 AP.
UL 752 uses levels 1 through 10 for ballistic materials, but Level 9 and 10 materials are almost exclusively used in military and high-level government projects.
What are the dimensions of your security podiums?
Most of our ballistic podiums are built to mimic standard podiums, which are 32” x 24” x 72”. Our security podiums are customized according to your needs, including the interior and exterior dimensions. We can up-size a podium so that it can also function as a desk or workstation.
Can you customize podiums to match existing decor and aesthetics?
Yes! Customization has always been our strength. We build each podium as a custom solution with wood veneer or plastic laminate finishes to match your stage, auditorium, office decor, or existing furniture.
We can build podiums with cutouts, cable routing, and shelving to accommodate microphones, laptops, and AV equipment (including USB charging and monitors), in addition to full-extension drawers and adjustable shelves for storage.
Our podiums can be outfitted with locks for the cabinets, allowing you to keep documents or other equipment secure. We often add heavy-duty locking swivel casters so it’s easy to move these podiums between rooms or venues and then lock them in place for events. Your ballistic podium can also be built for installation as a stationary fixture.
How do ballistic podiums fit into our security plan?
A podium protects one fixed point during a public appearance. It works alongside the rest of your security plans and safety measures, acting as a last line of defense for speakers.
TSS is Your Partner in Public-Facing Security
For more than 20 years, TSS has partnered with corporate, non-profit, and government organizations to provide custom security solutions that keep people safe and meet their aesthetic and functional needs. Nobody wants their school, office, or house of worship to feel like a fortress. Our goal is to provide you with the security you need while maintaining a welcoming atmosphere.
Every security decision should begin with a comprehensive assessment of your organization’s needs and threat levels.
TSS has secured more than 30,000 buildings nationwide. We have the expertise and experience to help you with all your security needs. If you have questions or are ready to schedule a consultation for your project, we’re happy to talk.
