How New Security Technology Can Enhance Safety On Campus

Protecting educational campuses and facilities is an increasingly urgent and complicated problem.  

Campus buildings can be far apart, making security measures difficult to coordinate and manage. Hundreds, if not thousands, of students, faculty, staff, and visitors use the premises at all hours, leaving campuses vulnerable to theft, vandalism, and other threats. And the stakes are high. 

So, how do you cope with these challenges while also contending with staffing shortages and a return to pre-pandemic attendance and foot traffic? By embracing emerging security technologies that can improve and strengthen campus-wide safety. 

Here’s an overview of what schools should consider when protecting students, administrators, and staff. 

Focus on deterrence

No matter the industry or type of business, preventing a security incident is the best protection. Responding to a security event, whether vandalism, fire, or an assault, can take hours. Resolving the issue can take weeks longer, if not months, and drain valuable time and resources in the process. 

If you’re on a college campus, you have additional legal hoops for incident reporting. A proactive approach to crime prevention can save you time, money, and many logistic headaches. 

The US Department of Education agrees. The DOE’s Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance Center advises higher education safety planning officials to follow a 5-step preparedness plan that focuses on preparedness before the incident. REMS requires institutions to establish systems that enable them to prevent incidents, proactively protect life and property from harm, and lessen the impact of potential incidents. 

One example of deterrence in action is the Laborer Training School in Southern California: They prevented 98% of threats and went from losing 100K in stolen property to saving that amount with zero thefts when they adopted a security solution designed to stop incidents before they occur. 

Bottom line: Protecting your campus should include a strategy focused on crime deterrence and theft prevention.  

Utilize modern security technology   

Pivoting your security approach might feel like a challenge. So, how can schools and educational providers make prevention a top priority? Make sure your security technology is up to date so you can get the most out of your system.

Live Video Monitoring

A live video monitoring system combines AI-enhanced technology with trained human monitors to provide 24/7 protection against intruders. AI-enhanced cameras help reduce false alarms while protecting hard-to-secure areas like playgrounds and parking lots. 

During the day, the system records footage just like your standard CCTV system. At night, a customized virtual fence can protect expansive outdoor areas that otherwise would be a burden to guard. Suppose someone tries to break into your school, crossing that virtual fence. Within seconds, an automated message from a loudspeaker engages with the potential perpetrators and scares them off.

Simultaneously, human monitors are on-call, ready to alert law enforcement if needed. Nothing is stolen, no property is damaged, and most importantly, nobody gets hurt. 

Access Control

Implementing access control is another way to deter security incidents. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people may enter a campus building on a given day. Managing access with physical keys often results in miscommunications and security gaps, leaving rooms vulnerable. 

Access control makes managing who can go where much easier and safer. Only people with the proper permissions get access to certain areas—and everything is controlled through a user-friendly app. 

Fire alarms and monitoring

Maintaining a high-quality fire alarm system keeps your students and faculty safe—and helps you avoid costly non-compliance fees and penalties. A modern fire alarm system should be custom-designed to your location by professionals with experience in every step of the process. That includes installation, testing, and inspection services to ensure your system is prepared for a fire threat while meeting all city, state, and federal regulations and standards. 

You should have access to inspection and test reports via an intuitive online platform. Additionally, your system should include 24/7 monitoring from a UL-listed monitoring center that can contact you and the authorities in case of a fire.

Support security staff

Staffing is another security challenge. Hiring, training, and maintaining a staff of security guards and patrollers is a formidable process. Yet having an on-the-ground security presence is a great way to prevent vandalism and theft— and put employees’ minds at ease, both during the day and at night. 

You can thread this needle by adding security agent services, which act as an additional layer of protection for your staff, property, and premises. 

Security agent services include:

• Guard patrol: Trained experts who patrol your property and closely monitor all activity on the premises.
• Agent response: Agents who are guaranteed to respond to any triggered alarm on the property.
• Standing guard: On-site experts trained to protect your staff and inventory from outside threats.

Do you have high-end inventory that demands extra protection overnight? Put a standing guard in place and relax, knowing it’s constantly being watched. Would you prefer a triggered alarm to be handled by a live agent? Use agent response and have another set of eyes that can quickly respond to any threats and act accordingly.

Security agent services can fill various specific roles and give your campus and staff precisely the support they need.

Keep your campus safe by adopting a strategy of deterrence that puts modern security tools to work. To learn more about how to keep your students and faculty safe, contact Bay Alarm today.