Case Study: Schools and Police Combine Security Efforts with VMS Solution

Prepared for any emergency, Louisa County Public Schools enhance security and emergency response with Valerus VMS

Louisa County Public Schools chose to share surveillance camera access with the Louisa County Sheriff’s department, so officers can use smartphones and tablets to call up video remotely in the case of an emergency.

Photo courtesy of Vicon

Vicon Industries, Inc., designer and manufacturer of video surveillance and access control software, hardware and components, announced today that Louisa County Public Schools in Northern Virginia has completed installation of a district-wide Vicon Valerus video management solution that encompasses its six school buildings and connects nearly 400 cameras.

The system includes multiple application servers and NVRs running Valerus VMS software, as well as a wide range of Vicon IP megapixel camera models, as well as some older analog models connected to IP encoders to save on budget. To minimize demands on bandwidth, cameras currently connect to local Valerus Application Servers at each school, but there are plans to bring all the cameras into a single system as soon as a county-wide fiber project is complete.

The district opted to share camera access with the Louisa County Sheriff’s Department, whose officers can use iPads and smartphones to immediately call up video through the Valerus VMS interface in case of an emergency. This allows them to visually assess any situation and locate the perpetrator before sending in officers.

The Valerus solution was chosen by Louisa County Public Schools because of Vicon’s willingness to provide the district’s in-house electricians and technical team with as much autonomy as possible in setting up and managing the system. After participating in a Vicon-sponsored training class, the district has been self-sufficient in its ability to install, program and troubleshoot Valerus.

David Szalankiewicz, LCPS Facilities Director, says, “Vicon’s technical team has supported our in-house guys directly with training and certification so that we feel completely in control.”

He adds, “Our Sheriff’s Department loves the Valerus platform because they can put it on their iPads, walk around with it, and immediately call up any camera in case on an emergency.” The system also enables easy export of video to the police, not requiring any special software to play or use in court.

The system also saves Szalankiewicz time when it comes to evaluating damage or conditions at the schools. When previously he would have had to drive out to the school to check if the power was on or how much snow had fallen during a winter storm, he can now log into the cameras remotely and determine if further action is needed.

Ron Lapsley, Vicon’s Regional Sales Manager who worked on the project, explains: “Vicon understands that the technical capabilities and service needs are different for each customer, and we’re glad to provide the right level of support that makes sense. In many cases, the manufacturer relationship is as important as the product itself in making sure a customer is satisfied.”

Read the full case study on Vicon’s website: http://www.vicon-security.com/louisa-county-ps/.

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