A college campus is like a second home for students. So, if you’d install a sophisticated security system in your home, shouldn’t institutions do the same for their students? Some schools are thinking along these lines.
According to the most recent data from the U.S. Ministry of Education’s Campus Safety and Security trends, 49,870 criminal acts were recorded on college and school campuses in 2014. However, this figure has decreased by approximately 35,000 since 2005, with technology most likely playing a significant role.
In terms of communications, technology has improved campus safety’s capacity to successfully interact with our communities via the internet, social media, mass texting, and intercom and sound systems, especially during emergency circumstances.
- Apps and Technology for Personal Security
With nearly all university students bringing cell phones to campus, mobile applications are valuable for improving emergency communication, expediting crime reporting, and collecting predictive data about campus security. According to a piece in the higher education online magazine Campus Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology, like Kansas State, has been utilizing the student-created TigerSafe app (downloadable for Android and Apple) over the last few years to make public safety more available and simpler to report. - Video Surveillance
IP-enabled cameras, common in home security, have also been deployed on numerous college campuses to improve reaction time to safety problems. The growth of powerful video analytics, not just for video surveillance, but also for operational excellence, is another trend that will have a significant influence on video management systems. - Anonymous Technology
The Anonymous Alerts app is another piece of technology that can assist in avoiding bullying or other extreme and hazardous circumstances on campus, such as using a weapon. Students and staff can use this app to report occurrences anonymously on their Apple or Android devices. Such technology aims to make children feel secure and comfortable when discussing safety and security problems. - Panic Buttons and Metal Detectors
During the day, teachers can wear tiny emergency buttons on their belts or pockets. If a problem or a threat emerges, the instructor can press the button, which sends an alarm to both the authorities and the school officials. While first responders arrive at the school, officials will notify everyone in the building of the threat. Infinite Protection Ltd has developed an alternative to this mobile panic feature with the launch of The Property Scout which come equipped with their latest Scouting Technologies to detour and ultimately stop an incident from occurring. Metal detectors and x-ray equipment are essential for securing school entrances, particularly in inner-city schools where crime and drugs are prevalent. This will allow firearms, knives, and other weapons to be detected before they are carried onto school property and/or campuses.
Conclusion
Infinite Protection’s Scouting Technology was designed with the current school safety needs in mind and to help increase deterrence and fast response to acts of shooting and violence on the any school property or campus. It is safe, quick to respond, and designed to keep students safe and free from violence and crime.
With all of the headlines about school shootings, it is becoming increasingly vital to use modern technologies to make schools safer. Implementing efficient high-technology security systems can be costly and time-consuming, but they are necessary to make the best selection for your institution.