rocure lan SECURITY
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on all external doors would keep the intruder on school grounds until they could be apprehended but some schools may prefer to allow an intruder to leave, rather than have them roaming the halls for what must feel like a very long wait for assistance.
EYE IN THE SKY
A school security guard can be a big deterrent to potential intruders, but if the long-term cost of another employee seems too great, an initial expenditure on technology could offer long-term savings. CCTV can play an essential role in the deterrence and detection of illegal activity. James Kelly, chief executive of The British Security Industry Association, thinks cameras are integral to school security. A particularly effective set up involves the combination of motion-sensitive cameras and a remote video response centre (rVrC). He says: “At the rVrC they can issue a verbal warning – ‘talking CCTV’ – to any intruders, which in more than 90% of cases is sufficient to make them leave the scene. For more persistent individuals, there is the potential for operators to alert school staff and the police. Having visually verified what is going on and using site plans, held by the rVrC, police officers can be directed to a specific area to help them make arrests.” It’s an expensive set-up, but those looking to scrimp on costs could pay a higher price, as Ahmed Abbas, director of Sensor Access Technology, explains: “Unfortunately, 80% of systems out there don’t actually provide you with sufficient evidence for a conviction.” With cameras at the bottom-end costing as little as £15, it’s not surprising that some people end up with disappointing results. He continues: “At the other end, a mega pixel camera would deliver recordings with no loss of quality, which can provide vital details, such as car
registrations and clear pictures of people’s faces. you can easily spend £500 to £600 on a good camera but that could do the job of five or six low-end cameras.”
YOU SHALL NOT PASS
Access control systems are available with card or biometric, also known as finger print entry, systems. While encrypted smart cards are more difficult to copy, they don’t offer the same level of security as biometrics because cards can be loaned to friends or misplaced, which can easily lead to the wrong person gaining access to the school. The technologies can be combined so that enhanced security areas of the school such as an IT room would use fingerprint technology.
However, according to Abbas, there is a time and a place for fingerprint recognition technology: “In our experience, you don’t want to give kids access to fingerprint technology because it doesn’t matter what manufacturer you use, it requires quite a high level of cooperation from the user. you can present card technology to the reader in any way that you like, but with biometric technology you have to present your finger with the correct orientation and for a specific amount of time. To expect children to do that every time is just not realistic.” There has also been an increase in the use of wireless access control systems in schools in recent years. While the technology itself is a little more expensive, the installation costs are greatly reduced because the extensive wiring involved in old systems is avoided and the reader and lock are one piece, and therefore easier to install. With a combination of well-drilled procedures and the right technology, your school should be in a position to protect itself in most situations. Above all, vigilance is key.
www.edexec.co.uk / april 2013
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