Page 11 - Campus Security & Life Safety, July/August 2020

Student life. One of the most common cross-discipline uses of security technology in higher education today is the all-in-one student ID card. The card controls access to the dorm. For heightened security it can be linked to a video camera and facial recogni- tion software to verify the identity of the user. That same card can be monetized like a debit card and used to purchase meals, books and supplies. The athletics department can load tickets to sporting events on it. The reg- istrar’s office might link it to a student’s class schedule. Managing all these operations on a single card through a common database shared across departments saves the cost of each department issuing its own solution which significantly lowers the total cost of ownership for the investment.
Risk management. The same surveillance cameras monitoring activity throughout the campus can provide risk managers the video they need to counter fraudulent slip-and-fall claims and mitigate other liability issues.
Stadium concession revenue. Conces- sions, especially at sporting events, can be
real revenue generators for schools. But sales and goodwill are often lost because of long wait times. Managers can turn the situation around by using network cameras enhanced with queue management analytics and cou- pled with network speakers to alert fans to concession stands with shorter lines. That same solution can be employed at the ticket gates to move fans in and out of the stadium more quickly.
Safety management. Intelligent network speakers can be programmed by zone for mass communication in case of inclement weather. They can broadcast a single warning message campus-wide or air different emer- gency evacuation directions by building, floor, room, or other designation. At the same time, on location video cameras equipped with ana- lytics can detect bottlenecks and alert campus safety of problems in real time.
Creating a Matrix of
Overlapping Opportunities
As a security professional your focus tends to be on prevention solutions. Operations professionals, on the other hand, tend to seek solutions that help them work more smarter and more efficiently. With today’s intelligent end-to-end security solutions, those goals can easily converge.
Who might be potential stakeholders in such an endeavor? I would suggest starting with the heads of security, risk management, facilities and grounds, energy management, academics and information technology. Because your intention is to create a scalable multi-purpose solution, you may find other departments asking to join the partnership as word of the project’s benefits spreads.
To get the ball rolling, you need to hone in
on compelling reasons for each stakeholder to invest. Here are a few suggestions.
For security. Talk about how a surveillance solution can provide more than forensic evi- dence of a security transgression. It provides 24/7 visibility across campus, rain or shine, which helps campus police proactively pre- vent problems from occurring and de-escalate events before they can spiral out of control. New imaging technology makes it possible to capture crystal clear images in extreme low light, bright sunlight and shadow, even cap- turing heat signatures in complete darkness. Intelligent analytics can actively alert first responders or trigger other integrated systems like door systems for automatic lockdown, network speakers to broadcast messages or lighting systems to illuminate an area. Video intercoms with two-way audio can be added to door locks to improve visitor screening or to campus-wide blue light call boxes for emer- gency communication.
Equally important, the solution can be configured to transmit health monitoring information to system operators, so failed devices can be quickly identified, repaired or replaced. Furthermore, the entire system can be monitored and controlled from the secu- rity operations center or remotely through mobile devices like smartphones and tablets.
For risk management. Talk about ways that risk managers can use the security sys- tem to limit loss exposure. This could be everything from monitoring whether work- place health and safety protocols being fol- lowed to verifying worker’s compensation claims. For instance, the cameras could be used to detect hazardous conditions like objects blocking emergency exits or wet sur- faces from a leaking pipe that could lead to
By Bruce Canal
Thinking Beyond Security
Adding a business spin to campus intelligent security solutions
JULY/AUGUST 2020 campuslifesecurity.com 11
papi8888/Shutterstock.com