Protecting Schools with a Smart Security System

In 2023, there was a record number of K-12 school shootings, 346 in total. According to the District Administration (DA), 2024 is continuing this trend, with 38 incidents of school shootings thus far. 

Educators and administrators attribute the continuing violence to insufficient training for staff, an increase in student depression since the pandemic, and a lack of building security. At ASAP Security Services, we’ve been discussing the alarming landscape of school security threats with administrators and security experts in our SecurED podcast. We’ve explored integrated security systems, how school cultures influence this trend, and the role AI can play in protecting students and staff.

The latter is where a smart security system comes into play. Let’s explore how this system can increase the security and safety in Katy, TX, schools.

SEE ALSO: Watching Over Schools with Remote and In-Person Video Monitoring

Exploring Past Incidents

It’s important to look at past incidents and how they occurred to help prevent future ones. The DA found that many school shootings occurred in school parking lots. This was followed by the front of the school and on the football and track fields. Others happened during school dismissal and in classrooms.

This is where a smart security system comes in. School security staff are stretched to their limit, keeping a watch on video surveillance feed while also patrolling the school grounds. An intelligent security system supports them in their efforts, keeping watch and sending alerts. 

Guarding the Grounds

These statistics reveal that extra security is needed in the parking lot and the sports fields. Strategic placement of wide-angle and fisheye lens cameras enables monitoring of a larger area with fewer devices. 

Smart security cameras with AI offer advanced analytic algorithms. They can flag images if a potential weapon is detected and send immediate alerts to security and administrators. They also possess license plate recognition, recognizing cars that have been put on a watch list. One step further is facial recognition, sending alerts when someone on a watch list or who has been banned from the school is spotted. 

Intelligent cameras with deep learning and AI expand their capabilities over time, learning as they survey the surroundings. As they learn, behavioral anomaly detection— or the ability to differentiate between everyday occurrences and something out of the ordinary—offers proactive situational awareness.

Immediate alerts to staff enable quick action when minutes count. Perimeter detection creates a virtual fence around the entire school grounds, keeping watch 24/7 and sending alerts if someone crosses the invisible boundary. 

Schedule a Site Survey

As technology advances, the opportunity to stop violence before irreparable harm occurs will increase. Even today, AI-driven security can analyze tremendous amounts of data and make decisions about possible security threats that once required human intelligence. They can even detect objects that people have left behind.

As ASAP Security Services, we serve schools throughout the state of Texas, performing site surveys and determining the best options for protecting students and staff. To learn more about a smart security system or to schedule a complimentary consultation, contact ASAP Security Services today.