Florida District to Implement More than 1,500 Security Cameras
The Lake County School Board approved bids Monday to purchase 1,526 new security cameras for its middle and high schools.
- By Jessica Davis
- March 28, 2019
The Lake County School Board approved bids Monday to purchase 1,526 new security cameras for its middle and high schools. The cameras and installation are set to cost no more than $600,000.
According to Jimmer Roy, the district’s safety and security specialist, the cameras are part of a five-year plan that started three years ago. The security camera upgrades began in Lake County elementary schools.
“Now, we are working to make sure we have sufficient coverage in all middle and high schools,” Roy said.
The $600,000 approved Monday is only half of the overall funding for the security camera upgrades. Including the cameras installed in elementary schools in the past three years, the full budget for the camera upgrades is $1.2 million.
The school board will still have to make the final call on which cameras are purchased and approve the final purchase before the cameras arrive. Most of the cameras listed as potential choices in the district’s request for proposals are domed, high-resolution cameras from Hanwha Techwin America.
“The cameras will give us enhanced reliability and resolution, particularly in areas where there is low lighting,” Roy said.
The potential cameras from Hanwha feature 4-megapixel video sensors, infrared imaging, tamper detection and motion detection. They have the ability to transmit data live through the local network and have wide-angle lenses and the ability to tilt and pan.
A major selling point for the district is that new cameras will provide good image quality in a live feed, which can be helpful to law enforcement in an emergency.
“The cameras will record and display real-time video, which can be helpful to first responders, giving them eyes throughout the school during an event,” Roy said.
The district aims to have all of the new cameras installed by the end of 2019, with a majority installed before the 2019-2020 school year starts in August.
About the Author
Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.