Air Force Academy Invests in Thousands of Security Cameras

Air Force Academy Invests in Thousands of Security Cameras

The U.S. Air Force Academy is increasing cadet safety and security with the installation of security cameras.

The U.S. Air Force Academy has installed several thousand CCTV cameras on campus over the past year to create a safer environment for cadets and to deter criminal behavior. 

The installation of the cameras was brought up at a recent subcommittee hearing following the release of the annual Pentagon report on sexual assault and harassment at the academies. The report's anonymous survey found that 747 students said they experience unwanted sexual contact within the last year, nearly a 50 percent increase from 507 students in 2016. 

During the hearing Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, discuses how male and female cadets live in the dorms of the academies within their cadet companies and what can be done about their behavior when leaders are not there.

Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria, the Colorado academy's superintendent, said that the academy is responsible for working harder to build a "culture of accountability: and that their leadership education has senior cadets who are about to become Air Force officers take responsibility for what happens in their company. 

Silveria said the safety and security of cadets are his responsibility.

"So we've installed thousands of CCTV cameras throughout our dorms for safety and security," Silveria said.

The cameras were added to an existing system, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Air Force Academy. They were approved in 2017 and their installation began in May 2018. The installation should be complete this year.

The cameras were installed in common areas at cadet dorms, including hallways, entrances and exits, study and TV rooms, stairwells and rooftops. They are not being placed in private areas, such as cadet rooms, locker rooms, officers or restrooms, the spokesperson said.

"The effort is ongoing and is intended to enhance the safety and security of out cadets," Silveria said. "Additional, the units serve as a deterrent against criminal conduct, and provide footage for investigations in the event that an incident occurs."

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

New Products

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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