District adds more surveillance

Look up. Those glass bubbles on the ceiling are keeping an eye on you. Officers may or may not be watching the feed. The district police monitor a digitally recorded camera surveillance system. Almost every building in the district has eyes. More are on the way.

Of 1,029 cameras throughout the district, there are 277 on this campus alone. They cost about $1,200 each.

Periodically throughout the day, the feeds rotate through a bank of monitors. Recordings are kept for about a month on DVR.

Sgt. Ben Peña of the district department of public safety said the cameras have aided in most crime investigations.

He said the cameras helped after an Aug. 9 report of a break-in of Fletcher Administration Center.

“We are hoping to have cameras in all of our buildings and public areas in the next few years,” Peña said.

About four years ago, district officials decided to invest in cameras and have been installing them since then based on availability of funds and need. Cameras were incorporated into new construction during the capital improvements project.

Northeast Lakeview College has cameras in every building. Northwest Vista College has just one building without cameras. Buildings without cameras here and at St. Philip’s and Palo Alto colleges will have cameras installed at the end of renovations.

“The district is trying to enhance the level of security on campuses by adding more cameras and controlled-access systems,” Peña said.

The controlled-access systems set up on many buildings on campus enable the police to conduct a lockdown digitally if necessary from DPS offices. They are attempting to install the systems in every building.

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2 comments

unknown student

Tue Oct 6 2009 19:52

oh man, in that picture i was walking erratically. thank goodness for the cameras. now i can review my posture and walking habits, make notes, and become a better accd student. gee willikers

Curious

Wed Sep 30 2009 08:47

Another waste of fund for cameras that do not always work. When was the last time the cameras were checked?
Another project that gives one a false sense of security. Can we get a report of how many crimes were caught on tape????????

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