Hanover School Security Cameras To Be Upgraded After Receiving $ 350,000 Grant | Cedar Lake News

Over the next three years, O’Donnell plans to replace all cameras in the four buildings in the neighborhood. The new upper primary school in the district, scheduled to open in the fall of 2022, will be built with the new camera system.

The current system keeps schools “well covered,” with color infrared cameras displayed inside and outside buildings, some places even recording audio, O’Donnell said. The district uses the cameras “probably daily” to spot thefts and trace the damage done to the school. O’Donnell also uses the cameras to identify strangers seen in a building.

“We always insist if you see something, say something,” O’Donnell said. “We were lucky and didn’t have to use the cameras to locate an intruder – hopefully we never have to – but if we have an intruder entering the building, we can follow where this intruder is going. “

Before, following someone’s movement was a daily task. The improved scanning of the new cameras means that O’Donnell can load a person’s face into the system and find every camera that has registered that person within minutes. The cameras also offer wider angles and record sharper images, with more pixels making magnified shots “much clearer.”

Two years ago, Hanover Schools entered into a partnership with the Cedar Lake Police Department. The cameras broadcast images in real time, the agents have access to the images and in the event of an emergency, they will be alerted. The police can then tune in to their cars’ cameras, allowing them to assess the situation before they even arrive.

The new system will play the video even faster.

“In the event that we have a situation that requires following someone through a building, the police can also follow them,” O’Donnell said. “Normally the way school security is taught, you want to come in and take care of threats… we look to officers who step back and watch for potential threats from outside.”

The school district plans to start the project as soon as an offer is approved. O’Donnell said the school would “push for an American-made system” to simplify repairs.