Board Approves Plan to Link School Video Systems to Police Department

MERRILLVILLE, Ind.-The Merrillville school board unanimously approved a plan to become one of the first school districts in the country to link its school’s video system directly to the Merrillville police and fire dispatch center.

Under the plan, duress/panic switches will be installed in various locations in the school. If a duress switch is activated, the school’s video system will automatically begin streaming live video from its 64 cameras into the police dispatch center, along with an audible alarm. Tim Moore, president of IBT Video Systems Inc., provider of the video surveillance system, explained, “The dispatcher can then dispatch the proper authorities and assess the situation inside of the school while trying to make contact with school personnel. Depending on the nature of the emergency, the police can know where the crime is occurring and assess the danger to the students, staff and to law enforcement.”

The dispatch center will also have access to the system if there is reason to believe that a crime is taking place or that a crime will occur on or around the school as well as after school hours, weekends, holidays and any other times that regular school classes are not in session.