Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Better Security Solutions for a Safer School

  • 06/01/16
Louroe Aggression and Gunshot Detector

The AOP-SP-PB is a two-way audio intercom door station with push button control, and it provides an additional checkpoint for visitors.

An increased emphasis on the safety of students and staff has caused school systems around the United States to re-examine their security systems and protocols. Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), serving over 150,000 students, identified a serious need to better secure the main entrances of more than 120 elementary schools.

The school system turned to their longtime integrator, Netcom Technologies, Inc., for a recommendation. After looking at MCPS’ current security systems, Netcom discovered that some of the existing equipment could be leveraged and integrated with new technologies to create a cost-effective visitor control solution.

Specifically, Netcom utilized the existing Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and Access Control Security (ACS) and maximized the IP megapixel camera’s monitoring ability by integrating it with Louroe Electronics’ AOP-SP-PB. The AOP-SP-PB is a two-way audio intercom door station with push button control, and it provides an additional checkpoint for visitors.

“The product works well and functions as intended,” says Tim Roberts, RCDD, RTPM, and account manager at Netcom. “Overall, the end user is very happy.”

With the new visitor control solution, MCPS has been able to proactively assess and manage everyone who enters and leaves the premise. 

“I think the audio plays a very important role,” says MCPS Security Supervisor Douglas Steel. “It allows you to have an open dialogue with the visitor, verify the purpose for their visit and reduces the school’s liability.”

“The combination of audio and video allows us to have eyes and ears, and the ability to communicate with people on the ground,” explains Roberts. “The ability to monitor facial expressions and observe body language gives us greater insight into the subject looking to enter the building.”

With campus security as a top priority nationwide, there will likely be more schools that deploy audio to strengthen their security.

www.louroe.com

* There was a misprint of this case history in the June 2016 issue of SP&M. The content has since been updated and above you will find the corrected version.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Planning with Clarity: Using AI to Make Better Campus Decisions, Not Just Better Designs

    Higher education leaders are being asked to make increasingly high-stakes decisions about campus facilities amid greater uncertainty than ever before. Social and economic pressures, shifting enrollment, and evolving learning models compete with growing deferred maintenance needs to strain even the most robust infrastructure budgets.

  • Virginia Tech Tops Out New College of Engineering Building

    Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of Mitchell Hall, which will soon stand as the largest College of Engineering building on campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with Skanska on the 285,500-square-foot facility, which has an expected completion date of winter 2028.

  • Dallas-Area District Debuts Three New Facilities

    The Duncanville Independent School District in southwest Dallas, Texas, recently held ribbon-cutting ceremonies for three new facilities that resulted from a $170-million bond program passed in 2023, according to a news release.

  • Secret to Efficient, On-Time School Infrastructure & Modernization Projects is All in the Preparation

    Warmer weather and longer days make summer the ideal time for construction and modernization projects at educational facilities. School boards and construction firms must coordinate effectively to ensure that these projects do not extend even a single day into the school year and impede classroom operation.