Hours after the December 8 on-campus murder of a Virginia Tech University police officer and the suicide of his killer were resolved, one media outlet turned to how and how well the university got the word out as the emergency progressed. Based on university, law enforcement and expert comments, the mass notification worked well.

The district security head of Littleton Public Schools talks about the security transformation they took to create interoperability and communications between school officials and first responders.

A major trend in the security integration channel has been the evolution of IP security surveillance cameras and Network Video Recorders (NVRs). Instead of using their own dedicated cabling, the devices are sharing the existing IP-based computer network infrastructure. The popularity and affordability of IP networking has driven security integrators to utilize existing Ethernet networks more and more.

Today, the great majority of colleges still deploy picture ID cards, magnetic stripe cards, mechanical keys and barcodes for access control on campus versus newer, more secure technologies such as proximity and, especially, biometrics and smart cards.

The Maize Unified School District 266 (USD 266) serves more than 6,500 students in its five elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools and alternative high school. Student and staff safety is a top priority at the district, which spans 42.5 square miles throughout Maize and Wichita, Kan.

Virginia Western Community College Chief of Police, Craig Harris, is always looking for ways to improve safety and security on campus. Like many educational institutions around the country, Harris thought it was essential to retool his campus’s public safety plans after the tragic events at Virginia Tech.

The University of Miami, a private research university with more than 15,000 students in Coral Gables, Florida, had maintained a video surveillance system for a number of years, but many disparate systems made it difficult for campus police to monitor and investigate incidents.

Portable steel security buildings and security booths from Par-Kut International provide part time or permanent shelter for parking lot surveillance, ticket sale booths or entry checkpoints at stadiums and arenas.

Southampton School District (SHSD) is nestled in the beach village of Southampton, New York. As part of the summer colony known as The Hamptons, it has a mix of middle-income neighborhoods, rural farms, and an affluent estate section.