Page 38 - Campus Security & Life Safety, May/June 2019

"Data collected and analyzed should be anonymized to prevent data abuse and the unwarrented targeting
Tof indivuals."
o keep students and faculty safe, we can do far better than electronic passkeys and simple metal detectors. As sophisti- cated technologies like artifi-
cial intelligence are brought to bear in more and more industries, it’s time that we use these and other innovations to promote cam- pus safety.
Officials recognize the vital role advanced technology can play in keeping schools safe, which is why the U.S. Justice Department has issued grants to support technological solu- tions that can thwart threats on campuses and accelerate law enforcement response.
The basic idea behind some of the latest developments in campus security technology is simple yet bold. If smart grocery stores can track our purchases as we place items in our carts, we should be able to create smart cam- puses with the ability to detect when a gun- man or other meaningful threat has entered a campus building.
The technology to support this is not far off in the future. Campus safety innovations designed to stop malicious actors in their tracks are beginning to penetrate the market and will soon become widespread. Schools are rolling out AI-powered camera software that can monitor activity on campus, detect anomalies, and flag potential risks. As the Washington Post noted, these technologies do not necessarily use facial recognition, which has drawn the ire of many privacy advocates, but instead track student move- ment and behavior, using multiple cameras to create situational awareness across the campus and alert administrators to the emergence of a potential threat.
With the capacity to observe thousands of people at once, such solutions are far more efficient and perceptive than the naked human eye or standard security cameras alone. Per the self-reporting of companies in the industry, the algorithms powering these cameras can detect a weapon being pulled with up to 99 percent accuracy, and while human professionals must still exercise ulti- mate responsibility when it comes to decid- ing how to respond to each situation, few would argue with the idea that security pro-
By Brett Whitney and Steven Dwek
Securing Campuses with Innovative Technology
(Without Sacrificing Privacy)
As campuses ramp up measures to safeguard students, they must also take measures to protect the data privacy.
data security
fessionals need more advanced tools, not fewer, to aid them in making decisions that will keep their campuses safe.
Proactive security measures are crucial, but the unfortunate reality is that campus crime will never be eliminated completely. When it does occur, it is of paramount importance to give campus security officers and local law enforcement professionals the tools they need to respond as rapidly as pos- sible. Gunshot detection technology is one such tool. Using advanced sensors to pin- point the location of gunshots, these systems convey location information to security pro- fessionals within a matter of seconds, effec- tively functioning as a 911 call and helping speed response times. In an active shooter situation—in which those in the immediate vicinity of an incident may not be able to safely dial 911—gunshot detection technol- ogy can be literally life-saving.
While campuses will need to make invest- ments in key safety technologies—with the potential ROI being lives saved and crimes averted—they can also empower students themselves to keep safe through a form of technology that to the average user is decid- edly more accessible than, say, artificial intel- ligence software. This cutting-edge technol- ogy? The mobile phone.
As part of their efforts to raise student awareness about campus security issues, col- leges and universities should inform stu- dents of such apps, or perhaps even create their own, provided that these apps are con- nected to campus security and local law enforcement. The digital natives who popu- late today’s campuses do not need to be sold on the notion that technology can make key
services more accessible and convenient. So, when it comes to ensuring their own safety, students would likely avail themselves of these tools.
As campuses ramp up measures to safe- guard the security of students, faculty, and other staff, they must also take measures to protect the data privacy of those they seek to protect. With the world growing more con- nected by the day, the security and privacy of individual data has moved to the forefront of public debate, and campuses should be atten- tive to these issues. Data collected and ana- lyzed through AI-based security camera, for example, must only be accessible to autho- rized personnel, and records on specific people collected through security systems should be anonymized to prevent data abuse and the unwarranted targeting of individu- als. By taking steps to promote data privacy, high schools, colleges and universities can achieve both data security and greater physi- cal security.
In their efforts to drive down crime rates, campus officials should commit to a compre- hensive evaluation of the emerging technolo- gies that can improve campus safety within reasonable budget constraints. From there, officials can leverage the best technologies for their situation to implement emergency response plans. Schools are incubators for pioneering innovations, it’s only fitting that they embrace innovative technologies in their quest for greater safety.
Brett Whitney is the VP of Business Devel- opment at Carbyne.
Steven Dwek is the Director of Enterprise and Campus Solutions at Carbyne.
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campuslifesecurity.com | MAY/JUNE 2019