Proactive security measures enhance campus safety and prevent both violent and nonviolent incidents. However, outdated surveillance systems often hinder rather than help, forcing administrators to waste time searching through footage or managing multiple platforms.
Recent statistics show a rise in school safety incidents, highlighting the need for effective, proactive security measures. The 2021-2022 study by the National Center for Education Statistics found that there were over 1.3 million combined violent and nonviolent incidents in schools. According to the gun violence prevention organization Everytown, in just the first nine months of 2024, there have been over 130 incidents of gunfire on school grounds, with more than 40 deaths and 90 injuries.
The inefficiency of outdated systems not only burdens staff but also compromises their ability to respond quickly to potential threats.
With cloud-managed physical security on an open data platform, however, schools can simplify security operations, accelerate response times, and personalize a solution to drive end-to-end safety.
Inefficient physical security with traditional systems
Traditional security system solutions are often ill-equipped to meet the evolving demands of campus security, hindering administrators, IT teams, and security personnel from taking proactive measures. And on-premise systems often suffer from reliability issues, high maintenance costs, data vulnerabilities, and sluggish response times.
In contrast, modern physical security systems are revolutionizing campus safety, offering powerful tools to address a range of threats, from gun violence to everyday concerns like intruders, bullying, and vaping.
Unlike traditional technology, these systems provide user-friendly interfaces and real-time footage, enabling security teams to respond swiftly and effectively to incidents. This immediate access to live information is crucial in today’s educational landscape, where rapid response can make all the difference in preventing or mitigating potentially dangerous situations across campuses nationwide.
What is an open data platform for physical security?
However, innovation in physical security does not stop there. It’s crucial for schools to implement solutions that address their unique needs, integrating with existing systems while adapting to future investments.
An open data platform offers this flexibility, allowing physical security systems to be tailored to an organization’s specific requirements and seamlessly integrate with various technology partners. By serving its data through open application programming interfaces (APIs), it facilitates smooth interaction with other critical systems, enabling simple, secure, and intelligent security operations.
This approach empowers school personnel to customize their security and safety protocols based on their specific operational needs. As a result, they can significantly reduce response times to threats and, in many instances, prevent incidents before they occur.
The value of an open data platform to keep schools safe
Schools can now leverage their existing systems and workflows while integrating cloud cameras and access control for enhanced visibility and improved safety, all powered by an open data platform.
This approach offers several key advantages:
- Proactive threat prevention: AI-powered visual gun detection, integrated with cloud cameras and mass notification systems, helps minimize the risk of firearms entering campuses.
- Enhanced building security: Combining cloud cameras with access control allows visitor verification before entry and enables remote lockdown capabilities through visual threat detection.
- Addressing behavioral issues: Cloud cameras and environmental sensors work together to detect vaping on school grounds, providing indisputable video evidence to identify and address offenders.
End-to-End School Safety with Rhombus and Raptor
Cloud-managed physical security powered by an open data platform provides schools with a comprehensive safety solution. This empowers administrators to quickly identify and respond to incidents across campuses, enhancing overall security.
The strategic partnership between Raptor and Rhombus provides a significant advancement in school safety. The collaboration allows customers to leverage the Raptor Alert app to instantly activate lockdowns on Rhombus Access Control, streamlining emergency responses and saving crucial seconds in protecting students and staff.
Experience the next level of school safety—explore the integration between Rhombus Access Control and Raptor Alerts by visiting the Rhombus booth at the Raptor School Safe conference.
