Page 58 - Security Today, May/June 2025

C A M P U S S E C U R I T Y
HOW COMPOSABLE SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES
FORTIFY CAMPUS SAFETY
D AV E B A K E R I S S E N I O R S O L U T I O N S A R C H I T E C T AT L I V E V I E W T E C H N O L O G I E S ( L V T ) .
C
ampus security teams have faced myriad risks threaten-
ing the safety and well-being of students and faculty
this semester:
• Protests, which are common with any transition of
power and legislative changes, bring heightened potential
for altercations or infringement of First Amendment rights.
• Sports games and events can inspire energy that spirals out
of control, making it challenging to contain situations and identify
who is at fault if a fight or incident occurs.
• Bad actors rely on the cover of night to vandalize buildings,
break into vehicles, or even commit arson.
Leaders have made tough tradeoffs about where to focus
and how to channel limited resources to best protect their com-
munities — but they now have a much-needed lift to their toolkit.
Rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have enabled
powerful tools that offer essential capabilities to make the most of
existing investments, deter potential incidents, and effectively pur-
sue bad actors. Let’s examine which technologies you should con-
sider and how to stay resilient no matter what challenges you face.
that identify weapons can decrease response times and empower
first responders with valuable information.
• Body cameras: Detailed evidence is vital for preserving truth.
Body cameras are increasingly used to support incident review and
provide objective evidence of an incident.
• Loudspeakers: Speakers can connect to other security so-
lutions and trigger customized announcements or personalized
warnings, demonstrating a strong security posture. Speakers can
also trigger loud alarms that draw attention to an area when an
incident occurs.
• Mobile security systems: Stationary cameras are not the
only option for surveying areas. Drones and even robot dogs can
be deployed to expand coverage and follow bad actors as they at-
tempt to flee an area. These technologies offer a unique vantage
point and provide the necessary flexibility for certain scenarios.
Each of these may be a valuable addition to your safety toolkit.
At a minimum, check with your existing providers to understand
what features you may be underutilizing and how to connect the
solution with your other tools.
T E C H N O L O G I E S I M P R O V I N G S C H O O L S A F E T Y
Today’s campus environment is wrought with disparate technology
systems that do not communicate with each other, which greatly
hampers efficiency (and wastes money).
The key to building a resilient campus security strategy is to
connect disparate systems. Composable systems achieve this vi-
sion, in which every tool can connect and relay information back
to a centralized platform.
Security teams need aggregated insights to make fast, in-
formed decisions. It is not effective to use standalone systems for
intrusion detection, door locks, and cameras — every tool needs to
be composable so it can communicate with the entire ecosystem.
The following solutions have proven especially valuable as
part of a connected security ecosystem:
• AI-powered security cameras: Cameras are no longer ef-
fective if they only record environments. Video camera solutions
need to provide metadata on the objects
they detect so teams can get ahead of
potential threats. Active shooter sce-
narios, although rare, and similar attacks
underscore the need for camera systems
to proactively alert teams if a weapon is
identified on campus. Time saves lives in
urgent scenarios, so intelligent cameras
B R I N G I N G S T U D E N T S I N T O T H E S A F E T Y C O N V E R S AT I O N
Students deserve to feel safe on campus. However, they may not
know about the resources available to them, and they may be
skeptical about new technologies or a perceived increase in se-
curity personnel.
Campus leaders should educate students and faculty on the
measures in place to protect them and how each solution works:
• Overview common safety threats and provide resources to
navigate potential safety concerns.
• Discuss what technology your security team uses and invite
questions to dispel misconceptions, like whether facial recognition
is used or if students are “being tracked.”
• Celebrate safety wins and acknowledge how your team has
addressed situations swiftly.
K E E P I N G P A C E W I T H E V O L V I N G C A M P U S S E C U R I T Y T H R E AT S
The security world must embrace composability and connected
solutions. Otherwise, valuable information will be lost or require
too much time to aggregate. Full, connected information from se-
curity systems makes it easier to glean insights, fortify weaknesses,
and share information from campus to campus.
By continually testing new capabilities and leveraging AI
to its fullest potential, campus leaders can tackle any new chal-
lenges in stride.
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