Video Evidence Backs Up University Police at Jacksonville State

Oct 1, 2006 12:00 PM

           

Heightened concerns over the safety of police officers and the need to defend officers against false allegations provided the impetus for Jacksonville State University (JSU) in Jacksonville, Ala., to use March Networks video surveillance technology.

With little more than handheld audio tape recorders at their disposal, police officers were previously unable to record facial expressions and non-verbal behavior that could provide context for statements made by suspects and victims. The use of video surveillance at the police department's headquarters provides the missing link in the chain of evidence and offers University Police Department (UPD) officers peace of mind.

“An irate person came to our office because his car had been immobilized by police due to a parking infraction,” recalls UPD Corporal Neil Fetner. “He was in the lobby, upset and using profanity. When we brought him into the office, he continued misbehaving, and we had to make an arrest. I was prepared to show the recording to the judge in court, but he pled guilty. It is nice to have that kind of record to be able to refute any wrong statements a person might make.”

The surveillance system has also provided a means of resolving incidents of conflicting information given during university judicial committee hearings where some students have occasionally denied making certain statements. Using the March Networks system, UPD officers now have the capability to play back video and audio recordings of what was actually said.

The deployment of a video surveillance system throughout JSU's police department headquarters was also an important step in the accreditation of the UPD by the Commission for the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies. With 14 uniformed officers and five patrol cars, Jacksonville State University's police department is one of the smallest full-service law enforcement agencies to be accredited by the commission.

Divided by Alabama State Highway 21, Jacksonville State University's 459-acre campus in northeast Alabama is a bustling community of approximately 12,000 students, employees and visitors. With safety and security a key priority, JSU's police department sees future applications for road cam surveillance that would enable it to monitor highway traffic flowing through the campus.

In weighing its options for surveillance technology, the UPD evaluated three systems. Ease of operation, potential for expansion and technological design were deciding factors when it came time for the department to select the system to meet its needs, supplied through integrator Benham Security. Technology that would record continuously from all cameras at all times was a priority. Using the March Networks 4000 Series DVR, video is archived for 25 days, with only the police chief and Fetner having direct access to the archives. Photos printed from video images are clear and provide sufficient detail for identification purposes, Fetner notes. The system is also “extremely easy to use.”

The system offers the flexibility the university needs to implement a fully integrated security system in the future, says Al Harris, director of the university's news bureau. “By installing such a high-quality system in the beginning, we are giving ourselves many more options to expand in the future.”

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