Protecting 25,000 Student in Today's World

Emergency Communications

Video surveillance integrated with intrusion and fire alarm systems gives the CUSD police the real-time information they need, providing intelligence that helps keep the officers safe when they respond to a situation.

The Compton Unified School District (CUSD) Police Department, which is using a Dahua Technology surveillance solution, has an admirable commitment to protecting the district’s 25,000 students.

The CUSD police department was created in 1968 due to an increasing need for a police force that understood the unique challenges of an educational environment. Today, their comprehensive security system covers 37 schools and six district office.

CUSD chose a Dahua IP video surveillance system. This is a complete solution for the school system with Wi-Fi cameras, NVRs, three smart switches, and a surveillance management center. Local installer Advanced Alarm Inc. has outfitted the police department complex, warehouses, transportation facilities, various school sites, and administrative offices with surveillance. IP surveillance, of course, comes with the additional benefit of remote access, which is huge. As William Wu, J.D., chief of Police for CUSD explains, “Having a comprehensive safety and protection plan in today’s world means having real-time information on what is happening at various locations over which we are responsible.”

Wu points to the remote access capability of his system as a huge benefit, “For me, or the deputy superintendent, or anyone else who has access to the video surveillance system, we can see it from home, or as we’re driving on patrol. We can pull up video feeds of various sites, so that gives us the capability that a fixed access console system doesn’t have.”

We are always looking for ways to improve on how we perform our mission,” he continues. “It is unfortunate, but in the world that we live in, no matter what your job is at the school, security has to be on your mind somewhere. We don’t have the luxury of forgetting about security.”

www.dahuasecurity.com

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management March 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.

  • UT System Approves First Funds for New Campus

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved funds to build the first facility of a new campus in far west Fort Worth, Texas, according to university news. UTA West will serve as a branch of the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to open in fall 2028.