The Kentucky School Boards Association (KSBA) recently-upgraded its 3xlogic video surveillance system, installed and monitored by Sonitrol of Lexington. The Kentucky School Boards Association was established in 1936 and represents 863 school board members from across the state, and KSBA is a long-time Sonitrol of Lexington customer, hence, Sonitrol and Danny Goodpaster, Security Consultant, were well positioned to understand KSBA’s situation and recommend the solution best suited for their needs.
After several minor incidents that demonstrated they needed a more comprehensive system, KSBA embarked on upgrading its video surveillance capabilities. Goodpaster wrote the first upgrade proposal in 2016. After some discussion about installing a hybrid DVR, KSBA at Goodpaster’s urging decided to remove the analogue cameras and go full IP. Now, the organisation has four static cameras and two 3xlogic multi-sensor devices, trained on the front door and the back door, loading dock, and parking lot. The multi-sensor device is a camera with a unique set of capabilities, it is also equipped with impact-activated audio, glass break, and motion detection along with video and audio verification of alarm activations.
The multi-sensors are connected to an updated Sonitrol panel and they provide video feeds, as well as glass break and audio verification for both entrances. Goodpaster recalled that there was a lot of competition for this business—”KSBA really did their homework.” At the end of the day, it was the multi-sensor’s video and audio verification that provided KSBA with real, tangible benefits they could feel. Further, between the Sonitrol app and Vigil Client software installed, KSBA now has a fully-integrated solution, as opposed to the two separate systems they had before. The four non-monitored cameras are overseen by 3xlogic Vigil Central Management software (VCM), so if any equipment issues arise, Sonitrol knows immediately and can act to proactively solve them.
As noted earlier, the multi-sensor devices monitor the front and back entrances, as well as the parking lot. The other four 3xlogic cameras are trained on the front door reception area and down the hallways away from the front and back entrances, to provide visibility on where any visitor or employee is going. These cameras are viewed live and used for incident review. The receptionist at the front desk has a dual screen that shows her the approach to the building and who is coming through the door before that person reaches her desk—this creates full situational awareness and keeps the receptionist safe.
“We really do like our new cameras, and we are light years ahead of where we were as far as quality and ease of use with the 3xlogic system,” said Jeff Million, Print Shop and Operations Manager for KSBA. “We now have video verification capabilities. Before I’d get a phone call, while away from the office, providing video images but I couldn’t make anything out. I’d have to head home to view the video and I still didn’t have sufficient resolution to make out what was happening. The new cameras also provide a better field of view, I’m picking up my entire parking lot, before I could only see half of it.”
Million continued, “Recently, we had a forced entry attempt on the front door, and we went to the video. We could immediately resolve what had happened—that’s real peace of mind. We have to make quick decisions, and in the event of a real incident, we’re shaving at least 10 minutes off of police response times. Million can view all six cameras on his mobile app. “We don’t want to call on false alarms, we want to make certain. Now we can and the video quality is about 10 times better.”
