School and college campus security is of paramount importance today. As simple as it seems on the surface, it is a difficult task for school administration to do alone. In Canada alone, every 4 out of 10 boys in recent studies have reported being victim to some sort of physical violence in school, while 1 out of every 5 have been threatened by a weapon while on campus. School security cameras can play a crucial role in deterring such threats and documenting incidents should they occur.
The rampant instances of school violence across Canada beg the question: what can schools do about campus security?
And is there a way to ensure that children in school do not have to go through such a traumatic experience at such an early age.
This blog explores the issue of campus security and aims to provide a robust solution in the form of 24/7 remote guard monitoring.
Why is Campus Security and Safety Important?
Parents and students alike consider campus security an important issue and with the increased instances of violence on school and college campuses, its importance cannot be overstated. Survey conducted by Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Foundation reports a disturbing level of violence, with over 75% reporting an increase in violence since the start of their work while 31% of them have experienced physical harm themselves. School security cameras could be considered a part of the solution in preventing or minimizing future incidents.
There are a multitude of issues that schools and campuses face regularly which can harm students, teachers as well as parents:
Deterring Bullying and vandalism
Bullying is a common problem faced by students in school which can at times become a source of physical trauma as well. Bullying often goes overlooked as a lot of school administrators and teachers turn a blind eye to this.
School shooting
Increased instances of school shootings are yet another cause for concern as unmitigated access to weapons grows more and more.
Parking Lot Theft
Parking lots are prime locations for theft and vandalism. More than 1 in 10 crimes occur in parking lots and garages and is the third most common place for incidents such as theft. For enhanced security, considering tips to improve parking lot security can be invaluable in mitigating these risks.
Preventing Harmful Substances (Weapons, Drugs etc.)
Another issue rampant in schools and college campuses is the abuse of drugs and other illegal substances. In 2021-22, more than 5000 students from Kindergarten to 12th grade were reported to have firearms at school in North America.
How 24/7 Remote Guards Can Improve School or Campus Safety
According to the School Safety definition by CISA (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency), school safety “encompasses a range of measures, systems, and strategies schools should implement to be prepared for the diverse and oftentimes evolving threats and risks they may face”. For comprehensive strategies on enhancing these security measures, exploring the implementation of school security cameras can offer significant support.
As such any measure taken to improve school security and the safety of its occupants comes under the definition of school safety. This could include school programs, legal and legislative action as well as security systems installed by a private contractor or a security service provider to ensure that the school remains safe.
Following are some of the school safety measures that have proven to be effective in the past:
Emergency Safe School Fund
Currently at $1.39 billion in Canada, which allows schools to bring in more qualified personnel to deal with issues such as bullying, vandalism and misdemeanor among teenagers and students of all ages alike.
Access control systems
Access control systems help keep a check on everyone who comes and goes from the campus. It can also restrict access for certain personnel to ensure that only the concerned people are allowed to be on school premises. This filtered approach to access control allows for greater scrutiny of all spaces and role-based access control further augments this system by allowing certain spaces to be off limits to unrelated personnel.
Security camera systems
Security cameras placed at important places all across the school or college campus help keep an eye on things. Instead of having a dedicated person at each location, security cameras can be controlled remotely and provide a wide range of views across the campus at one glance.
Modern security camera systems come with a host of AI-related features that provide greater security and can detect threats such as weapons at points of entry. Moreover, they can also analyze video footage to detect and generate alerts for fights or vandalism incidents across the campus.
24 Hour Remote Guard Monitoring
As much as having security cameras is important, it is just as crucial to have eyes on the cameras monitoring for any unseemly incident and taking swift action. It can also ensure that cameras are working properly and also eliminate the need for having physical guards on campus who may miss certain incidents.
Effective School Alarm System
In case an emergency arises, a school security alarm system detects and reports the same to the Police, the school administration as well as the students and teachers so that appropriate action can be taken.
School Security Protocols
Just as crucial as security systems is the training protocol for students/teachers and staff at school for when an incident happens. This includes lockdown procedures as well as access control and alarm system training that can be done to educate personnel to navigate unfortunate incidents.
Cloud-Based Security Systems
Cloud-based security systems combine it all into one and ensure that your system never goes offline and can be managed all from one place at one glance. This also allows for greater integration of security systems such as security cameras with access control to manage access and business alarms to detect and notify potential threats and incidents before they become a cause for concern.
Continuous Protection for School Campuses with 24/7 Remote Guard Monitoring
24/7 remote guard monitoring can bridge the gap, keeping you informed about on-site activities even when you’ve reduced staffing at any location. When staffing levels are a concern, a comprehensive campus security system with remote monitoring ensures real-time surveillance and continuous vigilance of the premises.
How 24 Hour video monitoring works
24 hour monitoring works by having a back-end team of live agents monitoring security camera footage. These monitoring guard teams are deployed 24/7 to provide uninterrupted surveillance round the clock so that your system never misses an incident.
This includes:
- Remote guard monitoring: Keeping an eye on all the footage across the whole campus looking out for any security lapse or potential threat
- Security camera maintenance: Ensuring that all security cameras are running at all times and capturing footage minimizing downtime
- Alarm protocols: Raising alarms in case of a threat and coordinating with law enforcement to protect personnel and property
Why Remote Video Monitoring is crucial for school campuses
School campuses can benefit greatly from remote video surveillance as it solves a wide variety of problems faced by schools.
Deterring crime and theft
As people know they are being monitored, they tend to act in accordance with rules and follow the law. This reduces instances of theft and crime across the campus as security cameras act as a visual deterrent to prevent crime.
Ensuring academic success
As students feel more secure on campus and do not have to worry about their safety and physical wellbeing, they can focus on their academics. Moreover, teachers can focus better on teaching as they do not have student safety at the back of their mind.
Regulating all access points
Pairing access control with security cameras and having them monitored by live video monitoring ensures that only the necessary personnel get access to crucial sites on school and college campuses. They also help to keep order at entry and exit points, keeping a log of all entries and exits as well as ensuring that tailgating and other such incidents do not occur.
Aiding proper investigation
If an incident occurs, the remote video monitoring team gathers all the footage, coordinates with law enforcement and helps investigate the crime. Security cameras that are running and actively monitoring every site ensure that no incident goes unrecorded.
Saving up on costs
Instead of hiring physical guards to patrol the premises, a remote video monitoring service does not need to be managed the same. It acts like a plug-in solution to help secure your site without the need for costly security guards.
Safe and comforting environment
It gives parents as well as the students and teachers peace of mind knowing that they have watchful eyes protecting them and a security system that ensures all incidents are recorded and thoroughly investigated.
Insurance requirements and legal coverage
It is an insurance requirement as well in a lot of cases and can also help the school administration cover the legal end of their obligations.
Where Security Cameras Can Be Placed on Campus
Security cameras should be placed at all places that are potential sites for an incident to happen. This includes hallways, corridors, entrance and exits, playgrounds, parking lots, intersections and more:
Entrances and Exits: Cameras should be at all main doors to watch who comes in and out. They can also be placed at reception desks to see who checks in to keep a record of all personnel that have had access to the campus on a particular day.
Hallways: Hallways are the busiest areas filled with students, teachers and staff. CCTV Cameras can help monitor what’s happening and prevent incidents of bullying, vandalism and on-campus fights.
Common Areas: Places like cafeterias, gyms, libraries, and student lounges often have large groups. Cameras can help keep these areas safe and promote a secure environment overall.
Classrooms: While putting cameras in classrooms can be tricky due to privacy concerns, some schools might choose to use them in certain areas, like special education rooms and labs where extra supervision is needed.
Parking Lots: Cameras in parking lots can monitor cars and people coming and going. They can also help with things like recognizing license plates and deterring theft.
Outside Boundary Wall: The outside of the school, including fences, should be watched to prevent unauthorized access and catch any suspicious activity.
Playgrounds and Sports Fields: Outdoor areas used for play and sports should be monitored to keep students safe and prevent vandalism.
Emergency Exits: Cameras near emergency exits can ensure these doors are only used when needed.
Invest in the right security and remote surveillance system
If you are looking for a security service provider to help secure your school premises and a remote video monitoring solution that ensures that your site has eyes on it at all times, Spotter Security is your go-to security service provider in Canada.
With over 20 years of experience in securing schools and college campuses across North America, and specifically Canada, Spotter Security knows the pain points of your school and college campus and how to protect it so that you never have to worry about it. Our team of dedicated professionals guide you on the best security system for your site, work with you to design the optimal system and train you to navigate the protocols and ensure that students, teachers and all other personnel remain safe on campus.
Written by : Carlo Di Leo
At the age of 24, with no experience in the security industry or any money in the bank, Carlo quit his job and started Spotter Security from his parent's basement. Founded in 2004, Spotter grew from a single man operation into a multi-million dollar security system integrator that caters to businessess and construction sites across Canada.