|
|
|
|
|
Surveillance cameras scaled back to 10 schools RYAN BAGWELL / The Capital | June 29 2006 County school officials are deciding which buildings should get security cameras in the fall after funding for the project was slashed in next year's capital spending plan. They hope to know by next month which 10 schools will get the surveillance tools that officials originally wanted to put in all middle and high schools by August. It's a setback for a school system that had asked for money to equip 33 middle, high and alternative schools with the cameras by the start of school next year. But officials still are trying to figure out how the cuts will affect school security, said Ed Piper, the school system's new supervisor of security. He's looking at the number of incidents during the last school year. "Right now we're finalizing the crime-statistical analysis for all the schools," he said. The school board wanted $2 million for security upgrades next year, double what it got in the 2005-06 school year. County Executive Janet S. Owens cut that request in half, but the County Council ultimately approved about $1.5 million for security. Officials say it'll take about $960,000 to install about 32 cameras in 10 more schools. Annapolis, Arundel, South River, Old Mill, North County, and Meade high schools already have video surveillance. Southern Middle and the newly built Marley Middle also have the systems. That leaves 15 middle and high schools that have partial systems - like Magothy and Severn River middle schools - or no surveillance at all. The cameras will give administrators a bird's-eye view of public areas such as hallways, cafeterias and outdoor areas where students are prone to getting into trouble. Administrators will be able to pull up images with any computer linked to the school system's network. Staffers in the communications center on Riva Road also will monitor the cameras. School staffers won't be watching the monitors all day long to catch problem students in the act. But principals will be able to pull up recordings of incidents to prove who did what and dole out proper punishments. "It's also a great investigative tool," Mr. Piper said. "If you have someone who claims they were assaulted or sexually assaulted, we can use it to determine the validity of that person's claims." It also would help to identify problem students at Annapolis Middle School, Principal Carolyn Burton-Page said. About a dozen parents and students demonstrated at the school last month, against what they said was out-of-control bullying. Schools officials said bullying at Annapolis Middle was no more prevalent than at any other middle school. But Ms. Burton-Page said cameras would help to protect students afraid to finger bullies, and help administrators prove who started a fight when friends try to cover it up. "In some cases you have kids that may know, but they don't say," Ms. Burton-Page said. Mr. Piper said Annapolis Middle could get the cameras, but several other schools have had a high number of incidents too. The push for cameras stems from a systemwide security audit completed in December 2004. Officials said the recommendations made for all 117 schools would cost more than $30 million. School officials declined to release the $500,000 audit, saying it could jeopardize safeguards. But they said it also recommended more nighttime lighting for the outside of schools, and fencing to cordon off portable classroom areas. Fencing might be put on hold, Mr. Piper said. "It's a bit of a trade-off," he said. "You'll have increased security, but is that the image you want? And that's something the new superintendent will have to look at and improve." With grant money, Mr. Piper also wants to install video phones in 50 elementary schools next year, so office staffers can see who they're letting in before a door is unlocked. ---------------------------------------------------
Prison Planet.tv: The Premier Multimedia Subscription Package: Download and Share the Truth! Please help our fight against the New World Order by giving a donation. As bandwidth costs increase, the only way we can stay online and expand is with your support. Please consider giving a monthly or one-off donation for whatever you can afford. You can pay securely by either credit card or Paypal. Click here to donate. |
