Central Piedmont Community College’s Security Is Center of Attention
Long known for the magnitude of its academics and enrollment, North Carolina’s Central Piedmont Community College now lays claim to an equally remarkable security solution. Learn how the nation’s fourth-largest such school is creating a safer environment by centralizing control of video surveillance, access control and more across seven campuses.
Only the Criminals Have Complaints
As CPCC’s security systems have improved, so too has the school’s success in deterring theft and increasing apprehensions. Dugan recounts a recent example of the surveillance system delivering on its promise.
“One of my employees parked her car in our parking deck while she traveled over the Christmas holiday, and it got stolen,” he says. “After reviewing the video not only were we able to tell exactly when it happened, we got a picture of the face of the person. We knew the color, license plate, how many people were involved, when they staked out the job. Everything came through perfectly in crisp HD. We were able to retrieve the car with the help of police within 24 hours. That really showed the merit of the system.”
The access control system is also contributing in a big way, including cutting costs and boosting efficiencies. Savings are being realized from no longer having to replace lost or stolen keys and rekey cylinders. Operations are enhanced with security officers being able to grant people access to a given door or area remotely rather than having to physically go to the scene. The solution also offers forensic features
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“Some of the other great things about the access system we’re finding is the audit trail it provides,” says Dugan. “It’s very easy for someone to say, ‘No, I wasn’t there at the time,’ and you have no way of confirming that unless you have an audit trail of when the door was opened by their credentials. We’ve used that several times to prove or disprove someone’s word. That’s very beneficial when you have high-risk systems you’re protecting with them.”
All that and CPCC has just barely scratched the surface of what the solution could ultimately become and accomplish. Funding permitting, plans include expanding both the scale and capabilities of the system. Future objectives include implementing threat management, elevator control, visitor management practices and an intrusion management system.
Dugan estimates 50% completion on the video side, with a third of the three-phase access plan now achieved. By any measure, he is pleased with the outcome. “We’ve had very good results and I’d recommend anyone who’s been involved in the process,” he says. “The system can speak for itself.”
Editor-in-Chief Scott Goldfine has spent more than 14 years with SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION. He can be reached at (704) 663-7125.
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About the Author
Scott Goldfine
Scott Goldfine is the marketing director for Elite Interactive Solutions. He is the former editor-in-chief and associate publisher of Security Sales & Integration. He can be reached at [email protected].
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