Des Moines Area Community College Deploys Avigilon Technology

  • Apr 26, 2012

Avigilon recently announced that Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) in Iowa has deployed the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system to prevent unlawful activity, and boost student and staff safety.

With close to 75,000 credit and non-credit students and 3,000 staff spread across six campuses, 48 buildings, and 1.4 million square feet, DMACC can pre-empt unlawful activity and boost student safety with the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system’s superior image quality, advanced management features, scalability and ease-of-use.

“All American colleges are required to report crime data on an annual basis and while we currently enjoy a low crime rate, we know we are not immune to the threats that have plagued other colleges across the country,” said Ned Miller, director of Campus Safety and Emergency Management at DMACC. “With the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system in place, we can resolve incidents quickly and provide a safe campus environment for students and staff by providing usable, high-quality, and accessible surveillance video.”

During the first phase of deployment, DMACC designed the network infrastructure needed to effectively run the Avigilon Control Center network video management software (NVMS) with High-Definition Stream Management (HDSM) technology.

DMACC also installed 45 Avigilon HD cameras ranging from 1 to 16MP to monitor high traffic areas and parking lots at the Ankeny, Urban, and West campuses, and plans to add another 400 cameras over the next couple of years.

The college relies on 25 Avigilon analog video encoders to improve the performance of its existing analog-based cameras. DMACC stores up to 30 days of continuous surveillance video and monitors the system around-the-clock. The security management team remotely monitors the system from their desktops, laptops, or iPads using Avigilon Control Center Mobile.

Leveraging the advanced management features of Avigilon Control Center software, DMACC can find event details 10 times faster than before.

Using Avigilon’s graphic-mapping interface, the College can view footage in real time, enhancing the team’s ability to respond quickly and appropriately with up-to-date information. By recommending a system configuration that better met DMACC’s needs, Avigilon met image quality requirements and reduced system costs by 15 percent. With no recurring licensing fees,

Avigilon saves the College $12,000 annually.

The College uses the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system to resolve liability claims and improve campus traffic flow, especially during the first two weeks of school when student parking becomes a real challenge. DMACC also uses the system to confirm that the campus is being properly maintained, particularly during the winter to ensure proper snow removal and salting.

“Part of Des Moines Area Community College’s long-term program to provide the safest campus experience possible includes the deployment of high-definition video surveillance solutions,” said Keith Marett, vice-president of marketing and communications at Avigilon. “With its superior image quality, advanced management features, and user-friendly interface, the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system has become a strategic tool to dramatically reduce crime.”

Featured

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.