Solution Showcase: Adding Security and Communication to a Community College

The Scenario

Threats against schools are a reoccurring problem across the US. Administrators of a community college in the Southwest wanted to have preventative measures in place to deter these incessant threats.

Entrances to the college were kept locked, but this made the building less accessible to faculty and students. First they had to call the college with their personal smartphone to inform the receptionist they were waiting to enter. Next they had to wait for the receptionist, who could be across the building from the caller, to unlock the entrance.

Administrators wanted a convenient way for faculty and students to easily enter their college without interrupting or waiting for the receptionist. They also wanted a security system that allowed the receptionist to speak with and see visitors before letting them inside.

During a security consultation, it was also discovered that unlawful activity was frequently happening in the college’s private parking lot. It was important for administrators to have one comprehensive system that could provide faculty and students with help points across their campus while also deterring criminal mischief.

The Solution

College administrators selected a combination of an IP security intercom with emergency towers and a premium access control system with key fob credentials.

Door stations with proximity readers were installed at each entrance, allowing faculty and students to quickly access the college with their assigned key fobs. Prior to being let inside the school, visitors could request access using the IP video door station and are approved by the receptionist using the inside intercom station.

Dual-call emergency stations mounted in tall towers were installed across their parking lot. These provided a way for faculty and students to call for help, while the highly visible surveillance cameras on the towers discouraged unwanted activity.

The Benefits

• A combination of IP video intercoms and access control components equipped the college with reliable security features in one cost-effective package.
• Using their authorized key fob credentials, faculty and students could easily access the college through any of its entrances without interrupting the receptionist.
• Visitors could be safely screened by the college’s receptionist before granting them access, ensuring that anyone inside the school was expected and belonged there.
• Visible emergency towers and stations provided help calling points across the parking lot; they also doubled as deterrents to vandalism and other unlawful mischief.