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Issue link: http://sdi.epubxp.com/i/172392
SPECIAL FOCUS K-12 SECURITY By Richard Brent Loud and Clear Two districts illustrate the value of coupling audio and video for visitor management W ith the safety of students and staff in our schools becoming more imperative than ever, institutions are now looking for advanced tactics to enhance their security measures. Central in this discussion is audio and video surveillance tied to access control systems. Two school districts — one in Maryland and another in Utah — are at the front lines when it comes to the vital role audio and video surveillance plays at educational institutions. Audio/Video for Visitor Management Photo: Silver Spring, MD. Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), based in Rockville, is the largest school system in Maryland and the 17th largest school system in the United States. Its nearly 150,000 students learn in 202 different facilities — including elementary, middle and high schools, a technology center, five special schools and one charter school. It takes 22,000-plus employees, including nearly 12,000 teachers, to keep the school district up and running. Recently, MCPS officials decided to re-examine its security needs with its primary security integrator, Rockville-based Netcom Technologies Inc., to determine if any processes were either outdated or could be enhanced. In doing so, MCPS and Netcom identified a serious need to better secure the main entrances of all 132 elementary schools while also Sligo Creek Elementary is one of 132 elementary schools in Maryland's Montgomery County Public School district that has upgraded its visitor management to include two-way audio functionality. 40 www.SecurityInfoWatch.com | SD&I; | September 2013