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Description
SOME OF THE WORST COLLATERAL damage from a tragedy doesn't occur till after the smoke clears; namely, the usurping of the name of the location where the event took place, which over time gets repurposed into metaphor and served as a caveat. Vietnam has resonated for decades as a reference to protracted war. Kent State is likewise laden with meaning. And now, Columbine and Virginia Tech have become ingrained as shorthand for campus killing sprees. Both events pointed up in the starkest way the fragility of school security and ratcheted up safety efforts at educational institutions across the country.
At the head of every school's security wish list is video surveillance, which districts are embracing at breakneck speed. In the "School Safety Index," a report released this past summer by technology reseller CDW-G, 63 percent of the 381 responding districts said they have installed security cameras, with many more considering their use over the next two years.
Still, finding those solutions is a process rife with obstacles. "In terms of technology, video surveillance is one of the most challenging decisions a school district can make," says John Navarro, senior systems integrator for Phoenix-based Stanley Security Solutions. "It's one thing to have cameras; it's another to be strategic about them."
How, then, can a district be strategic? Naturally, by doing its homework.
Choosing Wisely
Once you've decided you want video surveillance, the first big issue is picking cameras. This can be a tricky proposition--so many bells and whistles, such a limited budget. Granted, district officials don't have as many options with video surveillance as they do with, say, laptops, but a sizable camera purchase requires some key decisions before an investment can be made.
There are two basic camera systems: closed-circuit television and internet protocol (IP). Historically, the natural progression has been for schools to start with a CCTV system and build out from there. This approach connects a network of off-line analog cameras to a recording unit tucked away in a closet in the principal's office. The upside is affordability (the cost is usually less than $25,000) and ease of installation. The downside: Most basic... |
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