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Plainfield police, schools upgrade surveillance CATHERINE ANN VELASCO PLAINFIELD -- If a tragedy like Columbine or Virginia Tech would happen at Plainfield high schools next fall, police officers will be able to see what is happening without leaving their squad cars. Via their laptops, police officers will have access to the schools' surveillance cameras. "I think school security has come along way in the past six to 10 years and systems that we are installing will afford administration and police officers to view different sections of the building from their computer monitors," said Superintendent John Harper. "Whether the monitor is in their office or whether the monitor is off-site ... we can add a layer of protection to our students that we have not necessarily provided in the past. "God forbid a situation occurs in the building that requires the police," Harper said. "We want them to get the complete picture." Plainfield Police Department received a $442,355 Community Oriented Policing Services Secure Our Schools grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The grant requires the school district to match monies for the program. The district has set aside $600,000 for the new security systems that will be paid from interest earned from district construction funds. Plainfield Police Chief Don Bennett said a committee consisting of school district staff and officers from both Joliet and Plainfield police departments were working to together to choose a security system that will work with the current technology. Plainfield South High School is located in Joliet and Plainfield North High School, Plainfield High School-Central Campus and Plainfield Academy, the district's alternative school, is located in the village. The district is working with the police departments to determine where the cameras will go, but more than likely cameras will be placed in the cafeteria and certain hallways, Harper said. The grant is also paying for Officer Steve Shervino who has been assigned as the liaison officer at Plainfield Academy, the district's alternative school. Currently, all three high schools have liaison officers. With other funds, the district is also installing swipe card entrances at the gym doors at all of its elementary and middle schools, Harper said. Harper said lunch supervisors, physical education teachers, coaches and administrators will be given swipe cards. "We have teachers block the door or do something to keep it ajar so kids can get access to the building," Harper said. "By installing swipe cards we can better secure our elementary and middle schools." ---------------------------------------------------
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