Page 72 - Security Today, September/October 2022

Remote Monitoring
How the Village Christian School Solved Campus Safety Risk
Highly effective and cost-efficient remote guarding service secures a leading Los Angeles school campus
Reaching the right balance for campus safety requires the deft mix of addressing parental concerns, letting kids be kids, and protecting people and property through surveillance, information and fast response. Both have to be affordable and available 24/7/365.
This was the challenge for the Village Christian School’s Head of School, Tom Konjoyan. His responsibilities include campus security and life safety for over 1,100 students from K–12 and seventeen buildings nestled in the 25-acre Sun Valley neighborhood of Los Angeles, Calif.
“School safety is paramount, and in the last decade, it has become more and more important to our parents. So, the safety of our students and our teachers is our number-one priority,” said Konjoyan. Finding a risk management and security partner that ensured peace of mind with around-the-clock security seemed impossible. Their security program’s goals included eliminating theft and managing both trespassing and unregistered guests. The school also required reliable video evidence for lower-priority issues such as a lost backpack or identifying two students who had a fight.
With more than 30 years of leadership working with non-profit organizations including schools and relief and development organizations, Konjoyan brings a wealth of expertise and experience to his leadership role. He was named Head of School at Village Christian in 2010. “I have seen what other schools and organizations do to secure their campuses,” he said, “and I think they are all
frustrated with their guard systems because they all have challenges with finding employees. So, a technology-based program with trained people makes a ton of sense.”
Regular reviews resulted in ongoing disappointment with the cost and uneven performance of manned guard programs. That led Village Christian to review other options, including remote guarding companies. Comfortable with the idea of not having a physical presence on campus, the school selected Elite Interactive Solutions as their new partner.
Elite’s remote guarding program brings advanced technology together with skilled security professionals located in its security operations center. The company also collaborates closely with local police departments to ensure immediate response to verified events.
“For schools like ours, the decision comes down to two questions: Are we going to hire people to watch our campus during the day, at night and on weekends? Or, are we going to use technology?” said Konjoyan. “For us, technology was a much better way with Elite to have our campus security 24 hours a day and 7 days a week at a much lower cost.”
Of course, security program expertise and onsite planning are critical for a successful outcome. The Village Christian School and Elite held an in-depth review to develop an effective and efficient program. Elite’s site development team visited the campus and completed a thorough assessment of the school’s current security program. The customized campus security design included studying student traffic flow, vehicles, access points, and response and
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