Many college campuses hire police officers for security purposes.
With large numbers of students and faculty hitting college campuses each year, safety is a top priority. While all schools have security measures in place, some prefer to implement up-to-date technologies. The basic types of campus security include campus police and video surveillance, while newer types seek to draw attention to where students usually look: on the Internet. Schools are always looking for ways to better inform students and teachers about important information, from crime incidents to severe weather conditions.
Campus security may include video surveillance.
Video cameras are a form of campus security that allows multiple areas of the campus to be viewed at the same time from a remote and secure location. Campus security monitors the footage and looks for suspicious people or activity, as well as any crimes in progress. This allows someone to have eyes and ears in almost every area of the campus at all times, whether they’re on foot patrol or looking behind a security camera.
A security system that has been in use on college campuses for some time now allows gate access to secure areas by simply swiping a photo ID card, which is issued by the school. The system is used in many areas, including dormitories and some buildings after hours. In some cases, students may only enter school grounds after passing or showing their ID card.
Campus Police have proven to be an essential form of campus security. While some schools only hire non-certified security personnel, others also hire certified police officers. They patrol in and around campus and also monitor video surveillance footage.
Schools realized that to improve campus security they would have to keep up with technology. As the number of students with cell phones increased, followed by an increase in texting, schools upgraded to an emergency text message notification system. Emergency notices are sent to all students who sign up for the service. While it works, some schools have found flaws in the system: one problem is that not all students sign up to receive notifications, and the other is that some schools have experienced a delay between sending and receiving text messages. Some students may not receive them for a few minutes or more, while others may not receive them for an hour or more.
Some schools have also started using computer notifications to improve campus security. They keep students up to date through social networking sites, email, the school website, and even desktop alerts. Those who participate in desktop alerts receive emergency information even when they are off campus, as long as they are connected to the Internet and have the appropriate software installed on their computers.
Campus security is a vital part of keeping students and faculty safe. The various components work together to stop the crime, prevent it from happening, and notify students before the situation escalates. Although they tend to go unnoticed, they are in almost every area of campus and look behind the scenes.