For school officials in today's world, the safety of students and staff is a top priority. But improving safety in schools is about much more than just metal detectors, door security, or video surveillance. You can make a bigger impact on your school's safety when different types of security systems work together.
When added to systems such as door security, metal detectors, or badging systems, video can be a critical path to fast response times. Here are a few examples.
Door security and access control
Many schools capture video from hallways and parking lots, but think about having cameras on doors as well. Often, basic access control isn't enough. In addition to data, having a visual is important to see who comes in and out of the building. Verification with video is critical when it comes to school door security.
For example, say a student opens a side door to let someone in. At that moment, the system recognizes the event, captures video, and sends a notification to the right faculty member. The real-time alert lets someone know when doors are opened when they shouldn't be, and gives you more time to act.
Video surveillance and metal detection
Metal detection is a popular and often effective way to increase safety in schools. With video integration, they are even more effective. When the metal detector is triggered, the camera records a video clip spanning the event. That clip is immediately sent to the appropriate school staff and the authorities. The video can help identify the individual who triggered the metal detector, and give you insight on how best to react.
Real-time mobile notifications
Many surveillance systems can send real-time notifications to your mobile device. When an event occurs, the camera saves the video spanning the event. A notification is immediately sent to school officials and authorities. Not only is this a notification that something happened, it's a visual. This knowledge can give the authorities more insight to respond.
Video badging system
One recent development in school safety technology is in video badging systems. At more and more schools, students are required to wear an identification badge. Badges can be color coded to signify a student, faculty, or visitor. Video adds another layer of security to this system. For example, many times the badge will include a photo - even for visitors. When you swipe your badge to enter an area, school officials have an accurate account of who is in that area at all times. Additionally, a video clip can verify the correct person is using the badge.
Video analysis
Another common threat to safety in schools is loitering after classes let out. Safety officers can’t be everywhere at one time - especially at the end of the school day. Video of your parking lot or school grounds can give security officers an extra eye. It's helpful to identify when there are individuals hanging around when they should not be. For example, if there are more individuals in one area for a longer time than usual, for example, school security officials are notified. This is more a proactive approach to safety in schools.
Every school has different needs. In any school, it's important to have systems that proactively approach school safety in the right way. There is never a blanket solution. But, video can enhance common devices such as metal detectors and door security to add another layer of safety. And when your school security initiatives work together, you can create a safer environment for learning.
School safety
