Security systems for schools play a vital role in creating and maintaining environments in which students and staff feel safe. This goes for public and private K-12 schools of all sizes in urban, suburban, and rural communities.
Serving as both places of learning and workplaces for large numbers of people, ensuring the safety of premises during the school day is critical. According to school safety experts, access control systems, ID technology, and video surveillance are the most effective types of security technology for safeguarding schools.
Around 91% of U.S. public schools are now fitted with security cameras, but parents' fears for their children's safety at school are almost as high as they were following the 1999 Columbine tragedy. Many of these parents were school students when the chilling school security footage was played in the news, so it's no surprise their fears aren't alleviated by school security cameras alone.
While security cameras of the past were often only useful after an incident, cameras have come a long way since 1999 and recent years have seen huge advances in video intelligence. Nowadays, the best school security systems utilize high-resolution cameras with AI-powered software alongside entrance control systems and communication technologies. Utilizing AI-powered software can optimize school safety by preventing some incidents from occurring in the first place and better equipping staff to respond to those that do.
Thanks to AI, security systems such as Spot AI can analyze hours of recorded video footage in minutes. Staff no longer need to spend hours manually searching through footage, after an incident. Intelligent camera systems enable real-time alerts based on unusual behaviors. Features such as these can help schools reduce instances of bullying and identify potential threats.
Learn more about how schools improve security with our AI Camera System in our on-demand webinar.
When the hallways clear and the last members of staff head home, school security remains a top priority. Empty, poorly protected schools can be an irresistible target for thieves. Visible security cameras may deter some criminal activity, but determined attackers won't be scared off. Even if nothing is taken, the costs incurred by break-ins and vandalism can quickly reach six figures. AI-enhanced security cameras can help schools ensure maximum security by detecting things such as suspicious behavior and unauthorized access in real time and sending instant alerts.
Schools can now benefit from devising comprehensive school security systems tailored to their specific requirements. Security systems can incorporate a variety of measures, including school cameras in classrooms, external surveillance, and monitoring of entrances. Thanks to advances in technology, school security systems' costs are more affordable now than they were in the past.
School Security Camera Systems
When utilized to their full potential, modern school security camera systems improve safety without infringing on the learning environment. Other benefits schools can enjoy from adopting AI-powered security systems may include:
- Attaining parents' confidence in the school's ability to protect their children
- Increased student enrollment
- The ability to make more informed decisions regarding school security
- Making the school a more desirable place to work
- Potential to reduce insurance expenses
What to consider when implementing school security camera systems
When implementing a new camera system it's important to consider the following:
- Storage - While small organizations may be able to rely only on cloud storage, large organizations such as schools usually require local storage. Spot AI gives you the best of both worlds with local storage and unlimited cloud backup.
- Cost - Spot AI doesn't need any costly hardware and can often work with your existing cameras. This helps to keep the costs of delivering such powerful technology surprisingly affordable.
- School surveillance camera policy - School security cameras must be used in compliance with applicable laws and regulations so it's vital to have an effective policy in place. Creating a policy entails making decisions such as should schools have surveillance cameras in classrooms.
- Future updates - The ability of a security system to remain up-to-date is essential. Technological advancements happen at a rapid pace, so Spot AI’s system comes with automatic updates to prevent systems from becoming outdated.
How Spot AI helps improve school security
Here are three pivotal features of Spot AI's system and how they can aid schools:
1. Camera agnostic
Spot AI's system is agnostic which means you can use it with any IP camera. Schools that already use IP cameras can enjoy immediate benefits without having to replace their existing devices. Being camera agnostic also makes installation and scalability easy. The addition of a new classroom won't disrupt the system, and new cameras can be added to cover temporary events such as sports and social events.
2. AI dashboard
Long gone are the days of flickering images on CCTV monitors - at least they should be! Spot AI's dashboard displays high-resolution live footage from all cameras in an intuitive, easy-to-read interface. Principals and school security can monitor exactly what’s happening throughout the school at any given time.
AI-powered dashboards also simplify the process of retrieving recordings from specific cameras and timeframes and take the pain out of broader searches. Once you found what you need, you can annotate it and share it with the necessary people via text message or email in just a few clicks.
3. Role-based access
Role-based access enables tighter control over access to cameras, AI systems, and recorded data. The ability to make very specific custom roles with different permissions can help schools in a number of ways. For example, an IT technician may need access to school cameras live feeds but have no need to share recorded footage. Such flexibility can also help schools remain compliant with regulations concerning data access and privacy.
Best School Security Technology
The need for effective school security systems has undoubtedly become more evident over the past decade. Data from the School Survey on Crime and Safety reveals that the use of school security devices has increased overall, but not evenly.
97% of all public schools control access to their buildings, and wearing an ID badge is now mandatory for the vast majority of staff. However, while security cameras in schools are more prevalent than ever before, they're less commonly found in elementary schools and in the West. As we are all sadly aware, such characteristics don't make these schools immune from security threats.
While there are valid concerns that security measures such as metal detectors may produce a negative atmosphere in schools, AI-powered video systems are much less intrusive. Unlike old video surveillance, intelligent cameras and systems don't need humans to monitor them in order to intercept incidents as they occur. Aspects such as this can be of comfort to parents who question how often do schools check cameras. AI-powered video systems detect concerning activity and can raise the alarm 24/7. Spot AI's system does this and more. Here are some of its powerful AI-driven features and how they can help schools secure their campuses:
People Presence
People Presence makes use of AI's ability to recognize humans. When the system detects people in a particular area, it can send an alert to a security officer or the principal. This capability can improve protection from external threats but it can also help schools keep an eye on movement within the school grounds. An example of how schools can leverage this tool is to set up alerts when unusually large numbers of students congregate in certain areas.
Smart Zones
Smart Zones are an excellent tool for boosting school security. Administrators can set custom boundaries in specific areas of the campus and set rules for them. For example, when a person enters a certain area or lingers somewhere for too long, the system can send an alert to the appropriate person. Smart Zones can improve people's physical safety, help schools better protect their assets, and help keep fire exits clear.
Vehicle Idle Time
Vehicle Idle Time enables schools to detect when a vehicle is parked in a particular area for too long. Spot AI's system can even recognize specific license plates and alert administrators with relevant information. Leveraging these features can not only help protect students and staff from people with malicious intent but also help manage traffic on campus.
Intelligent Integrations
Spot AI's intelligent integrations make it easy for schools to seamlessly integrate the system with popular education solutions including GSuite and Microsoft Office365. It can also be integrated with smart sensors to detect vaping. These seamless integrations extend Spot AI's capabilities and can save schools a lot of valuable time.
School Security Entrance Systems
Security measures at entrances are one of the most effective ways of preventing unauthorized access to schools. This type of protection is crucial for all educational institutions, from elementary schools, through middle and high school, to college. All schools can utilize intelligent camera systems to fortify their measures and create the best school security entrance systems.
Spot AI's solution transforms security cameras from simple monitoring devices to powerful tools that form part of an intelligent security system. For example, Smart Zones can be used to give greater protection to unmanned entrances and exits, with the system triggering an alarm if anyone approaches them. The ability to receive alarms and view live and recorded footage, anytime anywhere means that security alerts won't be missed if someone's away from their desk.
No two schools are the same and neither should their security systems.
Spot AI provides sophisticated security solutions that schools can tailor to meet their unique needs.
