Milestone VMS Helps Secure San Diego School District

  • Aug 25, 2015

Milestone Systems open platform IP video management software (VMS) has greatly improved security for the second largest school district in California. The San Diego Unified School District's previous video surveillance solution presented a number of problems. It required two management servers in which most settings had to be replicated, which was awkward and cumbersome. Programming cameras required navigating two operating systems. Training administrators and end users on the old technology also took a lot of time, as did making district-wide updates.

Being an organization with more than 200 facilities, San Diego Unified School District sought a video surveillance technology solution that could be centrally administered, and support HD quality images to more effectively manage behavior and prevent vandalism. It had to be expandable in the future and accommodate additions such as the access control technology the district hopes to deploy within one or two years.

Installation/design partner Proshop Group and Dotworkz designed and implemented the network security solution, choosing Milestone XProtect VMS. Its open platform allows the schools to manage 1,169 video cameras from a mix of manufacturers: Axis, Bosch, IQinVision, Panasonic, Samsung and Sony. The installation runs on IBM and Dell servers.

Dotworkz president Will Ferris believes that Milestone's open platform provides the greatest value for what is most important to San Diego Unified School District. This includes scalability, incorporating new functionality and enhancing the level of safety and security for parents, students and teachers.

Ferris says: "We helped the district in its quest for better camera and processing technology. We served as a guide, showing them the advantages of Milestone's open platform and advised them to complete the training required to become certified in the technology. We also built the housings for their external cameras."

The cameras are installed at points where break-ins commonly occur and in areas where students gather that are the most problematic.

Cost savings please the district and constituents

"This system makes each campus safer for students and staff. We now have the level of visual communication we need to resolve most problems before they arise," said Mike Cho, Safety and Security Coordinator, San Diego Unified School District.

As an organization that depends on voters' support for bond funding, the investment in Milestone technology was made with an eye toward cost effectiveness. The Milestone video platform has paid off by dramatically reducing the amount of time required to administer the system and to train users and by reducing the vandalism that demands costly repairs.

Further savings are achieved by reducing the number of staff members needed to physically monitor so many areas. According to district administrators, the system has improved conduct across the board by providing high-definition (HD) images that make identifying and charging perpetrators a much less arduous process than it was before.

80 Percent Reduction in Vandalism

"Since they've noticed that they're being monitored, the students' behavior has improved," says Cho. "They know that every action occurring in the common areas is being recorded."

At the school that once had the worst graffiti problem, tagging has been reduced by 80 percent since the new systems went live, which has also lessened the amount of time district painters spend at the school covering the graffiti. The chances of a rival gang coming to mark the territory as its own have been lowered, as has the violence that often occurs when encountering each other at a graffiti site.

Improved Incident Response; Accurate Evidence

From a security perspective, the problem with such a large district is that it is not unusual for a fight to break out while the school's dedicated police officer is responding to a different incident in another area. With cameras and the Milestone platform at work, the officer can use the video to determine how many back-up officers are needed at which spots.

Students don't always tell the full story after an incident. "Nobody wants to be known as a 'snitch,'" Cho says. "Now nobody has to be because the video shows all, and the HD video really helps us identify people."

In one case, a student punched another student in the face a number of times. Each witness interviewed by administrators after the incident had slightly different recollections, but the video provided the evidence needed to charge the perpetrator in court.

Improved System Management

Cho reports that the system manager loves the Milestone system because it can be more easily and quickly managed. Under the previous system, programming one camera required navigating two separate operating systems. Milestone cuts that time in half.

"Plus, I can view it remotely with my iPad!" says Cho. "With the previous system there was enough time to go get coffee between starting it and being able to log on. With Milestone, you just click and you're on. It's beautiful."

Featured

  • 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

  • AI Used as Part of Sophisticated Espionage Campaign

    A cybersecurity inflection point has been reached in which AI models has become genuinely useful in cybersecurity operation. But to no surprise, they can used for both good works and ill will. Systemic evaluations show cyber capabilities double in six months, and they have been tracking real-world cyberattacks showing how malicious actors were using AI capabilities. These capabilities were predicted and are expected to evolve, but what stood out for researchers was how quickly they have done so, at scale. Read Now

  • Why the Future of Video Security Is Happening Outside the Cloud

    For years, the cloud has captivated the physical security industry. And for good reasons. Remote access, elastic scalability and simplified maintenance reshaped how we think about deploying and managing systems. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.