Page 10 - Security Today, October 2018

An Eye on the Campus
Campus challenges include monitoring multiple areas of concern BEy Jeanie James
very day, tens of millions of parents entrust schools with their children’s safety and ev- ery day, those parents worry if that trust is misplaced. In ad-
dition to the frequent headlines about school shootings, children deal with other pressing issues at school, whether it’s bullying, drugs or harassment.
Although many faculty and staff members do everything they can to address existing and potential concerns, one of the greatest chal- lenges they face is the daunting task of moni- toring multiple areas of a school at once.
That’s where video surveillance solutions come into play. Video cameras don’t just al- low security teams to dramatically expand their view of the campus, they also increasing- ly offer sophisticated intelligent analytics that can alert security personnel to hidden issues.
Putting a comprehensive video surveil- lance solution in place makes the campus safer and does so in a budget-friendly way that allows schools to deploy their personnel more effectively. Here are a few ways security cameras can help.
Deterring and Addressing Intruders
The problem. Schools frequently deal with unauthorized visitors. Potential trespass- ers have a variety of motives, ranging from benign but inappropriate visits from family members and friends to dangerous intrud- ers such as drug dealers, sexual predators, or even an unstable or abusive parent who is un- authorized to have contact with their child.
The solution. A full-scale surveillance solution eliminates any blind spots on the campus. It’s easy for an intruder to evade security staff in a large facility, especially when they’re busy dealing with other issues. On the other hand, it is extremely difficult for them to evade video surveillance. Rather than relying on multiple staff to patrol the campus, schools can have a relatively small team tasked with monitoring live video that corresponds with every part of the facility. Intelligent analytics don’t need to wait for the operator to notice the intruder in the video, but it can immediately alert the op- erator to behavior that warrants attention, such as a person entering an unauthorized space. Some solutions are even able to in- tegrate facial recognition software that can identify people who are not permitted on school property.
React to Terrorism/ Shootings
The problem. There isn’t a parent, teacher or school administrator in the United States who isn’t keenly aware of the threat of vio- lent incidents in schools. While the major- ity of schools may never endure the horrors that have dominated news headlines in recent years, the reality is that incidents like these can happen anywhere, so it is every school’s duty to be prepared. The issues that lead to attacks extend far beyond a school’s walls, but these tragedies are often made worse because schools struggle to pinpoint and predict the location of such threats. When attacks occur, police are often called to the scene with inadequate information about the exact location of the incident, making it much more difficult for them to neutralize the threat as quickly as possible.
The solution. A top-notch video surveil- lance solution is far more likely to immedi- ately alert the security team to a problem, allowing them to alert students and staff so they can commence lockdown procedures and other emergency measures. This saves time, which ultimately saves lives.
quickly means that the police are contacted right away and can reach the scene of the event within minutes. Moreover, the surveillance team can follow the event as it is happening and keep the police updated on the attacker’s location and movements. With this constant stream of information, the police can address the threat with speed and confidence.
Ideally, police departments can integrate video data from their video surveillance sys- tems with schools in their jurisdiction so that their surveillance teams can immediately ac- cess all relevant video in the event of a crime on school property.
Identify and Address Bullying
The problem. Bullying is a pervasive issue in most schools, and it can have serious and long-lasting consequences on students and faculty alike. However, monitoring bullying incidents can be difficult because they can happen anywhere, at any time. Desperate to put an end to bullying in schools, many school districts struggle to find a solution that can address this issue with immediacy.
The solution. Installing a video surveil- lance system allows school security to quickly
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SURVEILLANCE SOLUTIONS
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