Systems and methods for initiating immediate data erasure on a device

A method of erasing data on an access control device comprising:

• providing an access control device including a physically actuatable switch, a data storage element configured to store data, and a biometric characteristic scanning element configured to scan a biometric characteristic of a user;
• scanning a triggering biometric characteristic of a secured user by the biometric characteristic scanning element and storing, on the access control device, data characterizing the triggering biometric characteristic of the secured user;
• storing protected data in a protected storage location on the access control device;
• monitoring the biometric characteristic scanning device for detection by the scanning device of a biometric characteristic;
• detecting a biometric characteristic by the biometric characteristic scanning element;
• determining if the detected biometric characteristic corresponds to the triggering biometric characteristic;
• if the detected biometric characteristic corresponds to the triggering biometric characteristic, then erasing data in the protected storage location in response to a determination that the detected biometric characteristic corresponds to the triggering biometric characteristic;
• wherein the erasure of the data in the protected storage location includes overwriting of locations in the protected storage location;
• and
• wherein erasure of data in the protected storage location requires a combination of determining that the detected biometric characteristic corresponds to the triggering biometric characteristic and actuation of the physical switch in temporal proximity to the detecting the biometric characteristic by the biometric characteristic scanning element of the device.