Video Management Systems
Get More out of Your Video Management System in Schools
By Jay Mele
VP of Sales – Central North & Eastern Region
Salient Systems
One of the top priorities for any school is to provide a safe learning environment for its students, teachers, and staff. Unfortunately, incidents of violence and security breaches continue to be a major concern for many schools across the country. Investing in a reliable video management system (VMS) can have a significant impact on the overall safety and security of schools.
With the proper video management system in place, schools can monitor areas such as hallways, entrances, and parking lots to identify potential threats, respond quickly to incidents, and proactively address safety concerns. In addition to safety, a VMS can also assist with administrative tasks such as tracking attendance, monitoring behavioral trends, and evaluating teacher performance.
Centralized Monitoring and Management
A video management system allows schools to monitor and manage video footage from one centralized platform. This means that administrators can view live and recorded footage from multiple cameras located throughout the school, all in one place. Administrators and key personnel can also manage access to these cameras, assign different levels of access to different staff members, and control who is authorized to view and download video footage. This centralized approach saves time and effort; there is no need to switch between different cameras or log in to multiple systems to view footage from different locations.
Cameras can also be used to monitor student behavior and ensure that school policies are being followed. This can free up teachers to focus on teaching, thus providing a better overall learning environment for students.
Identify People on Campus
A VMS can help identify individuals on campus, both passively and actively.
Active identification utilizes advanced analytics such as facial recognition technology to match individuals against a database of known offenders or people who have been banned from school grounds. Additionally, facial recognition can be used to monitor attendance, prevent truancy, and identify students who are absent without an excuse.
Passive identification, on the other hand, involves using cameras to monitor entrances, hallways, and other high-risk areas to identify suspicious behavior. By identifying potential threats early, schools can prevent dangerous situations from escalating.
Custody Issues and Unauthorized Parent Pickups
One common safety concern in schools is custody and parent pickup issues. A VMS can help by monitoring who enters the school and leaves with students, as well as track when and where students exit the building. This can help ensure that only authorized individuals are allowed to pick up students and prevent custody disputes from escalating into safety issues.
Identifying Threats and Responding Quickly
Vaping has become a growing concern in schools, as it can pose a health risk to both the students who vape and those who inhale the vapor. Video management systems can help combat this issue by triggering recordings based on smoke or vapor detection. By monitoring high-risk areas, schools can detect vaping incidents and take appropriate actions, such as disciplining students or implementing anti-vaping measures.
Another safety concern in schools is the presence of child predators. Video management systems can help prevent these predators from entering school grounds by using license plate recognition. LPR technology can match against a database of known offenders or flag vehicles that have been reported as suspicious. By preventing these predators from gaining access to the school, schools can help protect the safety of their students and staff.
One of the key benefits of a video management system is its ability to help schools identify potential threats and respond quickly to incidents. For example, a camera located in a school hallway can capture footage of someone behaving suspiciously, such as carrying a weapon or looking around furtively. This footage can be flagged and reviewed by an administrator, who can then act quickly to respond to the threat. In some cases, this quick response can prevent an incident from escalating or even save lives.
Active Shooter Detection
One of the most critical features of video management systems is active shooter detection. This technology utilizes sensors and algorithms to detect the sound of gunshots and automatically alert law enforcement. By detecting shooting incidents in real-time, schools can quickly respond and prevent potential tragedies. This feature can also be integrated with access control systems to lock down the school and prevent unauthorized individuals from entering.
Simple, Secure and Instant Remote Access to Video
Utilizing a VMS to provide authorized, secure and instantaneous remote cloud access to police and first responders is becoming a much more prevalent and highly important feature for schools, especially in the unfortunate event of an emergency or active shooter situation. Providing police and first responders with instant remote access to video without any involvement from the school’s IT department not only allows for a much more efficient and timely response to any school-related emergency, but also grants much better visibility into the event so that responders can more proactively identify and mitigate threats.
By using video footage to monitor and manage school security, schools can proactively address safety concerns, deter potentially dangerous behavior, and respond quickly to incidents. This not only enhances the safety of students and staff but also promotes a sense of security and trust within the school community. It sends a message that the school takes safety seriously, which can help attract and retain students and staff.
Jay Mele is the Vice President of Sales – Central North & Eastern Region with Salient Systems.