Page 22 - Campus Security & Life Safety, July/August 2023

Video Surveillance
"You don’t have to go it alone. It’s also important to realize that millions of dollars of grant money for security infrastructure improvements is left on the table each year unclaimed."
campuses of all sizes. This type of analytic considers a scene in its entirety and catalogs what it normally looks like. If something in the scene changes and remains changed after a preset time limit, the analytic will then detect the anomaly and send out a notification. For example, a school might have a room with an outer door that is normally closed. While it’s not a problem if the door is opened occasionally, if the door is left open continuously for over 10 minutes, that might be cause for a notification to be sent to security. The possibilities are endless, and this represents the next evolution of intelligent edge-based analytics in security cameras that further extends the reach of a campus security team.
To Cloud or Not to Cloud
Cloud-based security systems have become very popular as a way to save money on on-premises hardware and infrastructure. For certain installations, cloud-based systems are hard to beat as there’s less worry about hardware becoming obsolete or requiring lots of maintenance. However, not all cloud systems are the same. When an intruder enters a school building, having real-time access to recorded video from any/all cameras enables school security to see not only where they were two minutes ago, but how they got onto the campus, where they entered the building, what path they’ve taken through the school, and what their trajectory is so security can anticipate and intervene. Any delay in analytics processing and bringing video down is unacceptable for real-time responses. So, it’s important to pay attention to any latencies inherent in such a cloud-based system. Using a hybrid approach that uses an efficient combination of both
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on-premises and cloud infrastructure is a popular way to mitigate latencies.
What If My School Doesn’t Have the Budget
for a Security System Upgrade?
Additional funding for a school’s critical security needs might be out there, but finding it and acquiring it requires a special kind of expertise. Schools traditionally receive their budget allocations through a state legislature, via local funding, or from local school boards where they go through an approval process based on the calendar year. Unfortunately for most school administrators, they must squeeze into that allocation, and there’s never enough to go around.
Schools might wish to pursue additional funding from local infrastructure bonds or state/federal grants. Finding such funding requires the knowledge of where to look. Resources and time for such endeavors are severely constrained for many school districts where educators and staff are required to wear multiple hats. The Grant Support Program at i-PRO is an example of a program with no cost or strings attached offered to help schools navigate the grant process regardless of how the funds are used. The Grants Program sees itself as a clearinghouse or a gateway with trusted advisors from The Grants Office ready to help navigate an otherwise complex process. If you’re a school struggling to upgrade your security system, it’s important to know that help is out there. You don’t have to go it alone. It’s also important to realize that millions of dollars of grant money for security infrastructure improvements is left on the table each year unclaimed.
Administrators are under immense pressure to keep students and staff safe. They are navigating a complex set of challenges, often without security expertise or full-time safety staff. When updating or installing a modern security system, all stakeholders have homework to do to educate themselves on the differences and options available. Video surveillance systems can be a tool to that helps schools respond to threats in real time, but they must be designed, deployed, and used correctly.
Amy Bolin is the Sales Development Manager and Grant Support Program Administrator for i-PRO Americas Inc.
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campuslifesecurity.com | JULY/AUGUST 2023
Advertiser................................................................................Page ........................URL
ASSA ABLOY DSS.............................................................................9 ....................................www.assaabloydss.com/CSLS-K12 Axis Communications, Inc..................................................................5 ....................................www.axis.com/education
CEIA USA .............................................................................................23..................................www.ceia-usa.com
Delta Scientific .....................................................................................3 ....................................www.deltascientific.com
i-PRO Americas Inc. ...........................................................................2 ....................................www.i-pro.com
IP Video Corporation...........................................................................15..................................www.ipvideocorp.com
Johnson Controls Security Systems, LLC......................................7 ....................................www.xaapbuildings.com
NAPCO Security Technologies, Inc................................................24..................................www.savischool.com
Paxton Access, Inc..............................................................................17..................................www.paxton-access.com/us/training RapidSOS.............................................................................................13..................................www.RapidSOS.com
Uline ........................................................................................................ 21 .................................. www.uline.com
Viking Electronics.................................................................................19..................................www.vikingelectronics.com