Colleges have a responsibility to ensure the safety of students while on the premises. They also need to protect student’s personal possessions from theft. Installing CCTV cameras provides a way to conduct proper surveillance. This means that action can be taken in the event of any threats to safety. Here are some of the advantages of CCTV cameras.
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Create peace of mind
One of the main advantages of CCTV cameras is the peace of mind it creates for students and their parents. When students feel unsafe it is very difficult for them to focus on their studies. Creating a safe environment is essential for them to flourish academically. It’s hard enough for them to find the time to write assignments, attend classes, and study for exams. It helps them to handle the stress if they feel they are in a safe environment.
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Deter theft
Students usually have cell phones, computers, and vehicles. There are plenty of opportunities for theft on a college campus. One of the advantages of CCTV cameras is that surveillance happens 24/7. Criminals who know CCTV cameras can record their activities are less likely to attempt theft. Security footage can be vital to identify a perpetrator if theft does occur.
Deter anti-social behavior
Behavior can take place on campuses that violate campus policies. Vandalism, violence, and bullying are some forms of antisocial behavior. The presence of CCTV cameras can help to detect and deter such behavior. Those caught on camera bullying, vandalizing property, or committing an act of violence can be made to face the consequences. Otherwise, such incidents could remain unresolved as it could be a case of one person’s word against another’s.
Control unauthorized access
If unauthorized individuals gain access to places they shouldn’t be in it can cause harm. Controlling access is one of the foundational aspects of safety and security. Access control systems need to be able to distinguish an honest entry attempt from a malicious one.
One of the advanced features of surveillance systems is facial recognition. This enables a CCTV security system to match a person’s face with an internal database record. It can keep students out of restricted or hazardous areas such as a professor’s private office or a power room. It can identify intruders and criminals as soon as they set foot on campus.
What features does the ideal campus surveillance solution have?
- Central platform: Most college campuses are extensive. It should be possible to monitor all cameras from a central platform and view footage remotely.
- Motion detection: One of the features of a CCTV camera should be motion detection. This is useful in areas with infrequent access. It is possible to configure a camera to start recording only when motion is detected within a field of view. This means that only footage containing relevant data is stored. This saves money on storage, backup, etc., and makes it easier to retrieve data when needed.
- Night vision: One of the uses of CCTV cameras is to pick up suspicious activity at night. Infra-red CCTV cameras can ‘see’ at night.
- Real-time alerts: These are also called push notifications and are quite a new feature of IP-enabled CCTV cameras. The CCTV systems that support this feature will issue alerts to certain events as it is possible to see them as they happen. Receiving real-time alerts allows for quick response to any incidents.
- Scalable: The ability to easily adjust to changing needs is important. When college boards discuss the need for CCTV cameras, they must decide which features are critical to their campus. They may decide to invest in a cloud solution for easier scalability. Local storage often comes with higher upfront costs and hidden costs such as maintenance.
Conclusion
Modern CCTV systems have many features that go beyond simple video monitoring and recording. CCTV benefits far outweigh any costs when it comes to protecting the safety of students on campus. If colleges use CCTV cameras, they need to make people aware of this. They must ensure that they follow data protection laws and respect the students’ rights to privacy. Some of the benefits of using CCTV cameras include preventing unauthorized access, deterring theft, and monitoring student behavior. Continuous real-time surveillance helps with quick response to any incidents on campus. It also helps to provide evidence when it comes to investigating incidents.