Implementation of a new integrated access control system at major correctional centers helps cut the time to deliver an alert to the emergency response team. For example, the security system at the Hampden County Correctional Center (HCCC), Ludlow, Mass., had been experiencing a high level of traffic – over 100 routine system events per minute. The systems include door alarms, guard tours and other monitored events. To rectify the situation, the correctional center selected System Galaxy from Galaxy Control Systems, Walkersville, Md., primarily because inputs in the new system can trigger outputs without connecting to the host computer, reducing processing demands while also maintaining the alarming system even in the event of a host computer outage. The special operations team appreciates getting a jump in responding to an alarm. The officers also feel better because they know their backup is only seconds away. The security staff also likes the flexibility of the new security system, which handles not only officer-needs-assistance alarms, but also perimeter alarms, the watch tour system and monitors nearly every critical aspect of the physical plant.
With 11 separate buildings and about 1,200 inmates, HCCC is the largest county correction facility in Massachusetts. Perhaps the most critical requirement from a security standpoint is providing immediate alerts to the response team whenever an officer in one of the inmate pods issues a request for assistance or duress alarm. Another important requirement is providing continuous monitoring of the large number of doors within the facility. Each time a door is opened, an alarm is issued and the staff member passing through the door contacts the control center. The correctional officers are also required to perform regular checks on the inmate population while the security system documents that they have actually been completed. Finally, there are a great number of critical mechanical systems in the facility, such as generators that provide power in case of an outage, which must be continuously monitored to ensure performance.