ASIS International Selects Orlando Elementary School as Winner for Security Enhancements

Palmetto Elementary School, in the Orange County Public School (OCPS) District, has been selected as the winner of ASIS International’s School Security Funding Competition. ASIS International (ASIS), the largest organization for security management professionals worldwide, will award the school $20,000 for security improvements.

Palmetto Elementary School is set in an area of Orlando that has one of the city’s highest crime rates. It serves 1,150 students and is one of 120 elementary schools in the OCPS District—the 10th largest school district in the nation.  Proposed improvements include the addition of both indoor and outdoor surveillance cameras to act as both a deterrent for potential wrongdoers and to enable the school’s security team to identify those who have committed crimes on the school’s large campus.

“We are absolutely thrilled that we were selected by ASIS as the top choice in their school funding competition,” stated Palmetto Elementary Principal Katie Boyd. “The generous award of $20,000 will help us purchase security cameras that will make Palmetto Elementary a safer place for everyone for years to come.” 

Schools within the OCPS District were asked to consider—through a series of short essays—their particular security concerns and how those concerns might impact their students, teachers and administrators. They were asked to describe security risks they would attempt to reduce and/or eliminate, and list specific security enhancements they would purchase with the funding. A committee comprised of security management professionals from the ASIS Greater Orlando Chapter judged the submissions.

“This is the eighth year that ASIS has sponsored this competition, as a way of giving back to the community where our Annual Seminar and Exhibits is held,” says ASIS International Chief Executive Officer Michael Stack. “The aim of the competition is to encourage local schools to assess the security issues that confront their buildings, staff and students every day.”

The ASIS International 57th Annual Seminar and Exhibits (ASIS 2011) will be held Sept. 19-22 (Monday through Thursday) at the Orange County Convention Center. With 700 exhibitors featuring everything from access control to X-ray scanners, along with more than 200 educational sessions, ASIS 2011 is the security industry’s leading event. 

ASIS will recognize Palmetto Elementary School and Principal Boyd at a special awards luncheon on Sept. 22 at the Orange County Convention Center. 

Featured

  • AI to Help Resolve Non-Emergency Calls Across Utah and Decrease 911 Caller Wait Times

    The Utah Communications Authority (UCA), which oversees the state’s next generation 911 technology services, recently announced that public safety answering points (PSAPs) throughout the state plan to implement Motorola Solutions’ Virtual Response technology to automate the receipt and resolution of 10-digit non-emergency line calls in Utah with the help of AI. Read Now

  • Report Reveals Local Governments Face Surge in Ransomware Attacks with Minimal Resources

    KnowBe4, the cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, recently released new research highlighting the critical cybersecurity challenges facing state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments. The report details how government organizations have become prime targets for cybercriminals while simultaneously facing severe resource constraints. Read Now

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

New Products

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.