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In 2023, Chicago Public Schools budgeted $76 million for security cameras, while American schools invested over $360 million in physical security technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. These numbers reflect just how important security has become for educational establishments across the country.
This growing demand for enhanced security in schools has resulted in the rise of advanced video surveillance systems. Surveillance technologies with facial recognition, remote access, and weapon detection are proving effective in incident prevention and improving response times. They provide an extra degree of protection beyond conventional security personnel.
In this article, we will share the key features of school video surveillance systems and help you make informed decisions regarding your school’s security. Plus, you’ll learn about the policies you should consider when adopting them.
Schools are increasingly relying on modern security solutions to foster safer environments for staff and students. It is the primary responsibility of school leaders to protect their school community against bullying, vaping, vandalism, or external threats.
Surveillance systems for schools simplify these safety concerns by offering instantaneous monitoring across campuses. With cameras strategically positioned, schools can drastically reduce unwarranted behaviors and reassure parents of their kids' safety. Adopting video surveillance technology is critical for maintaining a safe and controlled environment.
In addition, it comes with the following benefits:
Bullying has become a constant challenge amongst students and teachers (in some cases) too. Such behavior is unhealthy for a child’s self-esteem and academic well-being. At the same time, it can tarnish a teacher’s image and cost them their job (in the worst cases). Installing a video surveillance camera in schools has proven to combat this issue.
Students and staff tend to be well-behaved under video security cameras. If something happens, you can always refer to the video footage for accurate details. This, in turn, helps school authorities to take the appropriate measures.
Security cameras in parking lots, hallways, classrooms, and other strategic locations around the school can ward off suspects and criminals. Perpetrators would be scared to do anything silly once they spot a video security camera in the building.
Parents are very intentional about their child’s safety. When parents take their kids to school, they are keeping them in your custody. So, school officials and administrators must take the right safety measures to protect these children. In essence, you’re responsible for whatever goes wrong or right with these kids while in school.
Seeing video surveillance cameras installed in schools reassures parents of their children’s safety. At the same time, it shows that the school administrators, board members, security consultants, and other decision-makers are safety-conscious.
Surveillance systems help schools to be more proactive in emergencies. For instance, you can see any unauthorized entry or detect firearms in real time.
This way, investigations will be easy and effective. So, cloud-based security systems should be prioritized in schools and learning institutions.
Tracking who is within campus premises during school hours is another way to maintain safety. However, you need more than just security personnel to detect unauthorized visitors within the premises. Hence the reason we have video surveillance cameras and systems for schools.
These security cameras, powered by a smart VMS will help simplify the work of the security staff. This enables faster tracking of movements in and out of campus. Proactive alerts can even notify you when someone not supposed to be seen around the premises visits uninvited.
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When choosing a school video surveillance system, it’s important to prioritize advanced features such as real-time alerts. A solid video management software that delivers beyond passive monitoring will ensure complete security for your school.
Fortunately, modern technology has transformed conventional surveillance into intelligent and refined systems that proactively enhance school safety.
Gun detection is one of the most potent developments in surveillance cameras in schools. This feature uses artificial intelligence to alert school authorities and security staff immediately upon detecting the presence of guns and firearms in real time.
When school authorities are notified earlier about possible threats, they can act more swiftly and prevent potential threats from worsening. The Coram weapon detection system works with existing IP cameras to detect guns in real time. With this, you can seamlessly upgrade your video management software without replacing your current cameras, thereby saving you huge costs.
It independently performs video surveillance with firearm alerts without needing any third-party integrations. Furthermore, it is designed to do the following:
Facial recognition can be made easier with a reputable surveillance system. This technology can detect unauthorized people attempting to enter the premises by performing real-time analysis of each video frame. In addition, you can upload images of prohibited individuals and the system will instantly alert you if there’s an attempted breach.
The Coram Point system sends information to the cloud for additional processing and verification to minimize false positives. Schools also benefit from Coram’s robust AI facial recognition analytics. This enables them to track camera activity, check the last-seen location of unauthorized persons alongside the camera that identified them, and view recorded footage.
With this level of precision, you can rest assured that only authorized people will have access to the premises. Thus, the environment is kept safe.
AI search technology has constantly improved the capabilities of school surveillance systems. It’s safe to say you can locate specific individuals or events within large amounts of video footage, thanks to the Coram Point.
Coram Point features an intelligent AI video search functionality that simplifies your search for video clips. Suppose you’re searching for a specific moment, vehicle, or individual. All you need to do is type in what you’re looking for and you will see the video clip immediately.
For example, in case of any incidents, you can find the relevant footage in seconds instead of watching long hours of video to find the crucial moments like "A man with red jacket & black cap”.
With this feature, you can significantly reduce investigation time.
Another incredible feature you should look for in a school surveillance system is the LPR (License Plate Recognition), which provides automated vehicle identification and tracking.
With the Coram LPR software that transforms any IP camera into a license plate reader, schools can monitor the entry and exit of vehicles instantaneously without needing human supervision.
This technology assists in ensuring that only authorized vehicles enter the premises, lowering the risk of unwanted entry. Furthermore, the LPR automated system identifies and monitors vehicles of interest across several cameras, simplifying traffic management and promoting campus safety.
Overall, LPR offers an efficient real-time search for vehicles and improves safety. You can even search for vehicles with incomplete license plate details or by description or appearance, such as a white SUV. Then create alerts for prohibited vehicle access.
Now that you've learned the key features, how do you know which system is right for you?
A system that is thoughtfully chosen does more than merely provide surveillance. It aids in creating a safe space where teachers and students can concentrate on their jobs and studies without distractions. If you’re really keen on security, we have handpicked these tips to help you make the best selections.
The first thing you should do as a school executive is to examine the school’s precise needs. Consider your school’s layout and size. For bigger schools, you might need multiple video cameras in strategic spots to monitor hallways, parking lots, entrances, playgrounds, and other busy sites.
On the flip side, smaller schools can use fewer cameras and position them in the required areas.
What features do you need in a camera? The type of camera can also impact its ability to capture clear images and videos. High-resolution cameras with 4K and night vision abilities can improve the quality of video surveillance footage in schools.
A solid surveillance system should work with the security measures already existing at your school, such as emergency response protocols and alarms. This integration will allow for prompt and coordinated responses during emergencies, guaranteeing a safer environment. In emergencies, integrated systems offer a streamlined approach to handling threats effortlessly.
This is another critical thing you should consider regarding video surveillance systems in schools. Therefore, you should choose a system that enables real-time monitoring from a control room or remotely via mobile devices. By doing so, you can monitor school security from anywhere, even off-campus.
While selecting a system for your school, be sure you adhere to any legal and privacy policy surrounding video surveillance. In addition to meeting safety goals, the surveillance system you’re choosing must respect the rights of staff and students.
Remember, establishing a secure and respectful learning environment involves balancing security with respect for individual privacy.
Following the shootings and other inappropriate activities happening in American schools, school boards are presently seeking ways to curb these. There's no doubt that the current state of schools demands the adoption of a camera surveillance system.
These days, schools worry about the safety of students and staff. And this has led to investments in top security measures. Schools in America and beyond have employed various strategies to improve campus safety, with video surveillance systems arising as one of the most widely used approaches.
Further, the estimated market for physical security equipment in K-12 and higher education was $716 million in 2020, according to a study by Omdia. The same survey showed that the K-12 schools accounted for 56% of the total expenditure.
In addition to other safety measures like controlling building access, these surveillance systems have continued to successfully monitor student behavior, prevent unwanted access, and provide safety. American schools spent over $360 million on physical security and monitoring systems in 2020 to protect employees and students.
Yet, there is still a huge gap in enforcing safety measures. The most common video surveillance devices are even unavailable in many educational establishments, especially in smaller schools and those in underserved places. This discrepancy exposes some campuses to potential threats.
School surveillance cameras alone are insufficient to eliminate trespassing, vandalism, theft, or bullying. School boards should ensure that these surveillance systems are part of a larger, holistic safety plan that covers emergency protocols, staff training, and regular tracking.
While the discussion of whether or not all schools should adopt surveillance systems continues, schools implementing these video systems can testify to the positive security changes they’ve experienced.
Having reliable surveillance cameras in your school can make a big difference in student, employee, and property safety. As a result, learning becomes safer, harmful incidents are reduced, and there’s a boost in everyone’s sense of well-being.
However, you must create a school video surveillance policy to ensure the effectiveness of this security measure. Keep reading to learn how to create one.
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There is more to deploying video surveillance in schools than just installing cameras. To preserve the safety of students and employees (while protecting their privacy), schools must establish and stick to a comprehensive school video surveillance policy. This section explains the framework for creating an effective, responsible, thoughtful video policy.
Your aim of installing surveillance cameras in your school should be expressly stated in the policy. It should typically focus on improving the safety of school property, students, and staff members.
Most importantly, you must emphasize that surveillance is not intended to infringe upon privacy but to provide a secure environment. Again, what results do you plan to achieve through your surveillance efforts? State them clearly too.
The next thing after stating your goals is to figure out where you wish to place these cameras. Would you like to position them in busy areas like hallways, entrances, parking lots, and playgrounds? But remember, places like restrooms, and staff offices (where privacy is required) should not have cameras installed.
Here is one non-negotiable factor you must consider when creating a video surveillance policy for your school. You ought to limit footage access. Only approved individuals such as school administrators, board members, or authorized security personnel should be given access to recorded footage.
The policy should also state who is permitted to review the video footage and under what conditions. With this, you’re proactively ensuring that access is being tracked and controlled.
While developing your school video surveillance policy, make sure you comply with legal regulations about privacy rights and surveillance. Do not install cameras in areas that are not legally allowed. Remember, students and staff also have rights to their privacy.
So, where can you install cameras legally? Here are a few:
School administrators and decision-makers must communicate the presence of surveillance systems and cameras to parents, employees, students, and other visitors. This also complies with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which gives students rights over their academic records and data privacy.
They should be informed about the reason for the system and the specific areas being tracked. You can disperse this information through handbooks, school meetings, or signposts. It shows how much you respect the people being surveilled. Plus, it’s an important part of adhering to privacy laws and regulations.
School administrators, board members, and policymakers value preserving the safety of their employees, property, and students. We have discussed the key features and policies of surveillance systems throughout this article, emphasizing how these systems can facilitate a safe space in schools.
Additionally, we’ve covered everything you should know about deploying a surveillance system and cameras in your school. This includes knowing what to look for in a school surveillance system, complying with privacy laws, and developing an effective video surveillance policy.
Schools can protect their premises, deter inappropriate conduct, and create a safe, conducive space by adopting the appropriate surveillance technology and following clear policies. This is a very effective approach to regaining your peace of mind regarding school security.
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