By Janine Davis Record Staff Writer The Warren County R-III School Board last week approved purchasing a comprehensive video surveillance system that will record nearly every angle of activity in and outside of its buildings. The board last Thursday approved a bid from video security provider TSI to install 153 video cameras that will cover every building in the district as well as parking lots and bus lanes. TSI’s bid of $212,236, was the lowest of three competitive bids. Other bids were $224,664 from Dynamic Controls and $248,998 from Teltron. Work on the project is scheduled to begin next week with installation completed over the next month. “This is a high priority,” R-III Superintendent Dr. Jim Chandler said in speaking to the board about the project. “Just the security of having a camera system in place in this day and age is going to help us a lot.” Of the 153 cameras, the majority (71) will be installed at Black Hawk Middle School, with 21 cameras each for the three elementary schools, five for Alpha Academy and 12 for the central office. The high school — which already has an extensive system — will add two more cameras. “What the district has proposed here is a very impressive security system that will capture virtually every angle in all your facilities, and provide reporting capabilities that can be utilized for multiple purposes,” said Robert Bray, of TSI, in explaining the system to the board. Bray said TSI has installed similar systems in schools throughout the state as well as in private companies and institutions. In addition to its cost/value benefit, said Chandler, TSI is using subcontractors that worked on cameras in the high school earlier, bringing additional knowledge of the district’s needs. R-III Technology Director Bobbi Novell said each building will have its own viewing station monitors, and that activity can be accessed from anywhere in the network. There will be mobile applications, she said, so officials can access camera surveillance video remotely. ‘Need to address this’ Chandler said that as he came to the district a year ago, he spoke to administrators and staff about key concerns, and heard a lot about the need for a security camera system that would shore up the schools’ vulnerabilities in safety and security as well as liability. “With what’s going on nationally, our school could easily be one that has some sort of incident, and so for the safety of our kids and security of our parents, we really need to address this,” said John Clinger, board vice president. “If there was a lockdown, these cameras are viewable by law enforcement,” said TSI project manager Mike Palazzola. TSI leaders also said the system’s archive capability would be helpful in recovering lost assets in theft situations. The project will be funded from the school’s capital projects budget for facilities and real estate.
Cameras to be installed at R-III schools
