Students can often feel safe on campus when the right security systems are in place. This helps to prevent emergencies from occurring and keeps everyone safe during them.
A university needs a unified system for tracking devices such as video surveillance cameras, fire alarms and access control. This allows security teams to track everything in one place.
Security Cameras
Security cameras are among the most important campus safety and security systems. They allow staff to see who’s in the building, who shouldn’t be there (like a visitor) and help spot suspicious activity. They also allow campus police to respond quickly and efficiently in an emergency.
However, security cameras can cause controversy when students feel their privacy is violated or believe the cameras are spying on them.
A major pro of security camera systems is that they can deter crime by creating the perception that the perpetrator will be caught. Studies have shown that visual displays of law enforcement and security can drastically decrease the likelihood of a criminal act happening at a location.
Some schools go out of their way to inform students about surveillance cameras and the areas where they are located. They publish a list of all their cameras and post clear signs in those areas to help prevent students from being spooked by Big Brother.
For schools with razor-thin school safety budgets, affordability is essential when choosing a security system. Affordability should maintain quality and footage usability, and school officials should look for vendors who offer 10-year product warranties.
Monitoring
When protecting students, universities have a lot on their plate. Whether dealing with a student acting out in class or a security threat, university administrators must ensure that the right people can get help and alert law enforcement when necessary. Comprehensive campus security systems can help reduce crime while providing peace of mind to students and parents.
Having a system that can verify identities and grant access to the right people can help with everything from keeping out troublemakers to assisting teachers to keep tabs on students who may be sick or injured. A campus security system that integrates with a student’s one-card system makes this easier by allowing faculty, staff and students to access buildings and areas without requiring separate credentials. It can make it easy to see who’s entering and going where to prevent theft and other issues.
The ability to connect directly with a security desk that can quickly dispatch local or police officers is essential. A campus security system that allows this can help address issues promptly and efficiently.
Having a remote monitoring system is also helpful so security teams can stay on top of the situation even when working from multiple locations. A solution that provides streamlined displays highlighting the most important information will help security personnel remain focused on the problem.
Fire Alarms
For many students, going to university is their first time living away from home. For parents, this is a huge step in their child’s life, and they want to ensure they are in a safe environment. Having the right security systems in place will give parents peace of mind and help their children to feel at home.
Fire alarms are crucial to campus safety as they can alert people to the situation in real time. This allows the university to respond quickly and dispatch the fire service, police or even ambulances if necessary. This is especially important when every second counts, such as when a building is on fire, as it can save lives.
Besides fire alarms, universities should also have a system that can be used to monitor and control access to other buildings and rooms. A comprehensive system will also allow them to reevaluate who has access to specific buildings and spaces and delete access when staff or students leave.
The right integrated security system will help universities monitor everything around the campus in real-time. This will also help them prevent theft, vandalism, trespassing, arson, protests and loitering that are common on college campuses. This will make it easier for university management to keep the students safe and build their trust in the institute.
Access Control
One of the most important things students and parents are now looking for when choosing an educational institution is their level of safety and security. Nobody wants to go to a university where they feel unsafe or are at risk of harm. Therefore, all universities must have robust security measures that help protect everyone on campus.
One crucial aspect of campus security is access control. This ensures that only authorized individuals are allowed into the university and that unauthorized people are kept out. This can be done by requiring a swipe of the student card to enter buildings, allowing access for only those on the list, enabling a secure ID system or using biometrics to verify identity.
Access control helps prevent many kinds of campus crimes, including theft and burglary, that can occur anytime. Violence and sexual assault also often happen late at night in places that are difficult to monitor or are hidden from sight, but patrolling security guards can help reduce the chances of this occurring by being able to respond quickly and stop the act as it is happening.
All university locations must have remote real-time monitoring to keep tabs on any activity and immediately notify the appropriate parties of any suspicious behavior. It is also helpful if they can integrate seamlessly with their CCTV, intrusion alarms and building systems.
