SCHOOL MODERNIZATION INCLUDES SECURITY UPGRADES

Jan 1, 2002 12:00 PM

The 30,000-student Glendale Unified School District is undertaking the task of refurbishing each of its 30 schools. Among the improvements will be upgraded electrical systems, lighting and public address systems, new windows, seismic upgrades, and installation of air conditioning and two-way communications systems in all classrooms and offices.

Security systems are also being taken into consideration. Selected schools are being equipped with an integrated access control system to help keep security incidents at bay, and to enable quick response to situations that require law enforcement's attention.

IN THE BEGINNING…

The security system will be a first for most of Glendale's schools, but it's a retrofit system for several. A previous proprietary system suffered downtime because, among other things, only one dealer sold parts. “We were looking at non-proprietary systems and our ability to grow into the systems that were on the market,” says Ken Gilleland, Glendale Unified School District's construction project manager. “With the old proprietary system, we were not able to make our own repairs. This time, we wanted a system that could be purchased from multiple vendors, and we wanted to be fully trained on the equipment so we could maintain it ourselves and grow with it. We were also looking for a vendor who was a manufacturer's representative with at least five years' experience that had worked on school systems before.”

Rett Hicks, executive vice president of Tri-Signal Integration, a Burbank, Calif., low-voltage integration firm, recommended a Hirsch Electronics security approach. The system included three components.

• The Velocity integrated access control system, which runs on Windows 2000, offers access control, security, interactive graphics and photo badging, and interfaces to a Philips CCTV system, intercom, central station and other related security systems.

• Velocity's X Box brings intelligence to controllers, allowing them to communicate even if a server goes down.

• ScrambleProx readers, which consist of a Hirsch ScramblePad with a built-in proximity reader, to control access. A ScramblePad is a keypad with a scrambling display and horizontal and vertical viewing restrictors.

“Glendale reviewed this concept and decided to standardize on Hirsch,” says Hicks. Adds Gilleland, “Having the ability to track the time a door opens is a security benefit for the school. Hicks presented a package that provided unlimited growth potential.”

SECURE LESSONS

Clark Magnet High School was the first to be modernized in the summer of 2000 when a card reader was installed. By fall 2001, five schools had been upgraded and outfitted with the integrated systems.

Says Gilleland, “Although it may be inconvenient to convert to a new security system, the inconvenience is worth achieving our goal of modern, secure schools. We do as much work as we can in the summer to displace the fewest students, and we're progressing one phase at a time.”

Currently, the Hirsch Velocity systems are stand-alone, locally controllable systems with automatic dial-up. The district plans to network every school's Hirsch system so that all activity can be monitored at a central maintenance and security office, where personnel or law enforcement officers can view points at any school, lock down a campus, grant police access, or respond to any incident. Gilleland hopes to see a local area network (LAN) in place by 2003, and a wide area network (WAN) will follow.

For now, each school's administrative office houses the Velocity server, a digital recorder, keyboards, a switcher and a monitor. The principal's office and vice-principals' offices also have monitors and camera controls. A ScrambleProx keypad is located near selected door strikes at building exteriors, allowing teachers access to pre-authorized sections of the schools while maintaining normal security through the rest of the school (commonly called “shunting”). Cardholders may also use the ScrambleProx readers as emergency call devices. Officers receive an alarm, and cameras pan/tilt to the ScrambleProx's location. In general operation, the cameras also work as exterior motion detectors. If a camera detects movement after hours, lamppost lighting is triggered and the digital recorder records the activity and sends a low-priority alarm to Velocity. Recording occurs every time a cardholder uses the ScrambleProx, as well.

Teachers, administrators and district personnel have proximity cards and a personal four-digit access code. Cardholders shunt their zones when they present their cards, so they do not need to enter a code upon entry. To exit, however, they present their card and key-in their code to rearm the system.

“This is a unique aspect of the Velocity system,” says Hicks. “When using other access systems, customers must deal with two separate systems — one that disarms the security system, and one that reads cards. Velocity does both.”

Although some Glendale schools require additional access or surveillance functionality to reduce specific risks, the district's security systems operate identically. “It was challenging for us to come up with a standardized system that would allow every school to operate the same way,” says Hicks. “It was important for teachers and principals to be able to go to any school and feel comfortable operating the system.”

MULTI-TIER COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Glendale Unified School District looks forward to sharing its modern, safe schools with the city. It intends to establish joint-use agreements with the city of Glendale so the public can use the schools' libraries and playgrounds. The school district also works closely with Glendale and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department law enforcement personnel. City and county police officers are on duty throughout the day at the district's secondary schools. “Parents are concerned about the security and safety of their children at school, and our updated security systems and procedures provide a higher level of oversight to help control these issues,” concludes Gilleland. “Parents, school staff, and district administrators are in favor of this type of system because it provides an effective tool to control the security and safety of our children.”

FOR THE RECORD

ABOUT THE COMPANY

For information, please circle the Reader Service number (listed below) on one of the Reader Service cards in the issue or visit infoLINK at www.securitysolutions.com.

Hirsch Electronics	19
Philips	20
Tri-Signal Integration	21

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