Page 24 - Campus Security Today, September/October 2023

CAMPUS AUDIO DEFENDING THE CAMPUS PERIMETER WITH AUDIO COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, WHETHER ONE-WAY OR INTERACTIVE, PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN HOW SECURITY TEAMS PROTECT AND MONITOR CAMPUS BOUNDARIES AUTHOR DETRICK ELLIS IS THE NORTHWEST REGION SALES LEADER FOR ZENITEL IMAGE SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ B BROWN I n early June, a woman was arrested after she was found on a runway at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston. The woman allegedly slipped under a gate at the airport’s perimeter and ran onto the airport tarmac before she was caught and arrested. It was the second time in two weeks that someone on foot has gotten onto the IAH airport property and reached the tarmac, said a news report. Days before, a 26-year-old man was arrested for jumping a fence and trying to stow away on a flight. Whether it’s an airport or a college campus, perimeter security breaches are not rare. It’s difficult to protect large areas of an airport. Yet, those facilities are secured with large fences. Securing a college or K–12 campus perimeter can be more difficult, given the fact that the environment is (mostly) open to students, visitors, and staff. Even more, defining a college perim- eter can be confusing and challenging as the college or univer- sity expands. Yet, perimeter security (when done well) can stop or deter crime or malicious activity before it enters onto your premises. As such, it is a solid first line of defense in keeping a K–12 or college campus secure and a focus for security teams. THE IMPORTANCE OF AUDIO Technology within the security industry to mitigate threats at the perimeter has adapted to numerous changes through the years, from the early days of analog devices to today’s IP intercoms, networked cameras, and access control solutions— in addition to VMS solutions, analytics, cloud-based products, virtual security guards, and more. Yet, no matter what security technology is in place, the need for clear communication always remains from audio and HD voice solutions. How can audio from intercoms and IP speakers play a role with perimeter security? For instance, at a K–12 school entrance, video intercom so- lutions can identify parents and visitors and help school staff and security teams quickly determine if the individual should enter the school, or not. At the school’s outer areas, IP public address speakers are easy to install and offer excellent two-way communications, in all conditions. School security teams, using video surveillance, can see an individual trying to enter the school perimeter and deter- mine, through audio, why they are there or direct them to leave. Emergency stanchions can provide a visual and audio indicator to help security teams to identify visitors and vendors outside of a school’s entrances and exit points. They can also be used within school parking lots, far from entrance and exit areas. Once activated by the user, campus security can see and hear who wants access to the school. At exterior fences and gates, which may still be on school prop- erty but a distance away from a school’s entrances, intercom solutions with HD audio can be mounted on the fence to help school security teams to identify individuals from a distance. The benefits of audio at the perimeter are numerous. First, it means that your security solution is interactive. Security teams talk and listen to the person that’s seen on a video surveil- lance system, via the intercom, no matter where the location or where an individual is on school grounds. A clear voice and sound clarify the intent behind the images that are captured on a camera and increases situational awareness. 24