AI Supports Human Operators

School security strengthened with use of newest technology

• By Jill Renihan
• January 29, 2026

As video quality continues to improve and analytics become more accessible, a growing number of schools are leveraging AI-based solutions to help them improve campus safety and security. Because deep learning capabilities now come standard on many surveillance cameras, organizations can run analytics at the network edge—meaning they no longer need to send raw video data to the cloud for analysis.

This significantly reduces bandwidth and storage needs, which could previously be cost-prohibitive for schools grappling with budgetary limitations. Thanks to these developments, AI-based analytics have become increasingly affordable and accessible to schools, allowing them to make significant improvements to the accuracy and effectiveness of their security operations.

Having access to these solutions is one thing but using them effectively is another—especially since AI tools are not without challenges. No technology is perfect, but when a weapon detection system mistakes a Doritos bag for a gun, it raises some very fair questions.

The truth is that while video analytics add significant value to modern security systems, they should never be treated as a standalone solution. Rather, they are an important part of a layered approach to security—one that augments and enhances the capabilities of human operators, rather than replacing them. AI-powered video analytics solutions can make a significant difference for today’s campuses but understanding how to leverage them appropriately and effectively is essential.

What Does AI Look Like in Practice?

Despite how AI is sometime portrayed, it is important to understand that it isn’t a magic “easy button” that can solve every safety and security challenge. Rather, AI-powered analytics serve as a force multiplier that can streamline and improve incident detection and response processes, enabling security personnel to have eyes and ears across the entire campus and respond to suspicious events more quickly.

Schools don’t have armed guards at every entrance — and even if they wanted to, it wouldn’t be realistic from a staffing perspective. But analytics that can automatically identify anomalous activity and alert security staff (or even law enforcement) when action is needed can enhance detection and response capabilities in a real, measurable way.

While these solutions have proven highly adept at helping schools identify potential security incidents, detection is just the first step of the process. It is not enough to have the right technology solutions in place — schools need the right policies in place to ensure that when suspicious activity is detected, the right steps are taken to address it.

For example, if a weapon detection analytic detects a possible firearm, what happens next? Who needs to be alerted, and when?

Is the video sent to a human being for verification? If there really is a weapon, what actions do they need to take? What if it is a false alarm? Is an AI flagging a potential weapon enough to immediately notify law enforcement, or does it need to be verified first? And what can the school do to secure a weapon if they do discover one?

These questions and more are critical, and they highlight the key role that human beings play in even the most advanced security systems — and the potential for breakdown when that role is neglected.

Consider the example of the Doritos bag mistaken for a gun. The system flagged a potential weapon, and an alert was sent to a human operator. That operator reviewed the video and found that it was a false alarm — but that message never made it to law enforcement, who arrived on the scene to apprehend the suspect.

Even though the school was able to quickly decide that no weapon was present, a lack of effective policies and procedures led to an unfortunate misunderstanding. It underscores the need to treat AI as just one layer within the broader security ecosystem.

Strengthening Every Layer of Security — Including AI

With all this in mind, schools looking to strengthen their security and surveillance capabilities should ensure they are moving forward thoughtfully and intentionally. That might mean starting with a vulnerability assessment to find where potential weak points exist and how they might be addressed with people, policies or technology.

It is worth noting that AI probably would not be at the top of the list.

For example, most schools should ensure they have strong perimeter protections in place before implementing more advanced video analytics solutions. Of course, schools do not need to go it alone: the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) has a helpful guidebook designed to help K-12 schools implement a tiered approach to security, and it can be an invaluable security modernization resource.

The PASS School Safety and Security Checklist is also a simple, easy-to-understand way to assess a campus’s security readiness.

When it comes time to explore AI-based solutions, it is important to thoroughly vet potential vendors and ensure different systems can integrate effectively. Having a VMS capable of seamlessly integrating with video, audio, access control and other solutions can make a real difference, allowing the school to manage incidents from a single dashboard.

Strong relationships with vendors have long-term benefits, too. False alarms (like the Doritos bag) are inevitable, but too many of them can overwhelm security teams that may be monitoring dozens of locations.

When vendors receive input about what is and is not working, it allows them to improve the accuracy of their AI models more quickly, which means it is always a clever idea to prioritize vendors that actively ask for feedback.

Schools may also find that they need to significantly increase the time they spend training employees. If one 30-minute session in August is the only training employees receive on critical security systems and processes, the odds of them recalling that information in a crisis are low.

Scenarios planning, implementing detailed procedures, and practicing them regularly can reduce confusion in case of an incident. These exercises may also help schools gain a more complete understanding of where potential breakdowns in communication exist, helping to reduce the likelihood of a dangerous incident escalating — or a false alarm spiraling out of control.

When a potential security event is detected, there should be no confusion. Employees should know exactly what is expected of them and what actions they need to take. AI-based analytics can provide information, but it’s up to humans to act on it.

Finally, it is essential to ensure that lines of communication and interoperability are in place with law enforcement agencies, including information sharing agreements. The data generated by AI-based analytics can provide police with critical context in an emergency, and schools should have policies in place for when and how to share that data.

Employees need to be trained in these processes to ensure police have the information they need to act appropriately when called upon.

Mitigating Challenges and Proceeding with Confidence

The growing availability of AI-based security solutions has been a positive development for schools, allowing them to make the most of limited resources and extend the reach and reliability of their security capabilities.

It is important to understand that AI tools work best when they are augmenting human operators — not replacing them. AI is an increasingly critical layer within modern security deployments, but schools will only realize the full potential of the technology when they have the right policies, processes, and training procedures in place.

No technology is perfect. Mistakes will inevitably happen. But thoughtful implementation and thorough planning can mitigate those challenges and keep schools safer and more secure than ever.