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April 5, 2007

Digital Surveillance Proves Effective in Ohio Middle School

During construction of the new Massillon Middle School, in Massillon, Ohio, school security administrators worked closely with the Ohio Facilities Committee to install an advanced surveillance system that features 48 digital cameras. The cameras are situated both inside and outside of the facility with their primary goal being to protect students from potentially harmful outside forces and intruders. In recent weeks the cameras have also proven extremely useful in capturing footage of students committing criminal acts.

Visual details on both reported incidents were quickly revealed thanks to the system's convenient search capabilities. Using digital video recording, the system can store up to 45 days worth of surveillance footage. All of the footage is time and date stamped making it easily searchable.

In the case of the first incident last Friday, a 12-year-old boy was beaten up by a group of four students during and after recess. School officials were able to search footage recorded around the reported time of the incident and found what they were looking for – clear images of the event as it happened.

Another disturbance on Monday involved a 15-year-old student who groped a substitute teacher in the women's restroom. The student claimed he accidentally walked into the wrong restroom, but surveillance footage from a camera in the hallway outside the restroom proved otherwise. The footage clearly shows him exiting the men's room before entering the women's. It also reveals the teacher leaving the restroom, followed shortly by the student who runs from the scene. The student has been charged with sexual imposition, a misdemeanor.

The effectiveness of the digital surveillance system at Massillon Middle School has prompted other areas schools to look into upgrading their security equipment. There are plans to install a system similar to Massillon's in nearby Washington High School once funding becomes available. Washington High currently uses analog surveillance cameras that store footage on video cassette tapes.

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Posted by Dan on April 5, 2007 10:18 AM

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