S.C. agency teams with schools in grant application

By Diette Courrege
The Charleston Post and Courier

The camera system at St. John's High School is so antiquated that it's rarely used by school officials.

The 16 cameras don't cover much of the rural school's campus, so officials rely more heavily on its staff to be on the lookout for potential problems.

That will change next year when the school gets 72 more cameras. St. John's High is one of six schools that could benefit from a federal grant that would provide about $250,000 and bring 303 cameras to the district.

"I can't tell you how excited I am and how much of a benefit it will be to ensure the safety of our school," said Adrian Busch, the school's principal.

The school district sets aside money each year in its building program budget for security items such as fences and cameras, and St. John's High is among the schools that will get an upgraded and expanded camera system next school year. The federal grant requires the district to put up

$253,340, and the grant would match that amount and enable the district to put cameras and electronic access systems into more schools.

"We're trying to stretch taxpayers' dollars," said Kevin Wren, campus safety coordinator for the district.

The school district applied for the grant in partnership with the city police department, and it should know by September whether it is approved.

Twelve district schools already have similar, comprehensive video surveillance and access systems. Schools that would benefit from the grant include Buist Academy; James Simons Elementary; and St. Andrews, James Island and C.E. Williams middle schools. Four of those schools lack camera systems, and all of those schools except for Buist ranked in the top 20 as most in need of video surveillance and access control systems. Buist ranked in the top 30.

When ranking schools, officials look at factors such as location, student population and student suspension numbers. Buist Academy, one of the district's best schools, is rated in the top half of schools in need because of its location, which is downtown and in an area with pedestrian traffic with a lot of potential for outsiders to come on campus, Wren said.

It can take many cameras to adequately cover a school's buildings, doorways, parking lots and common areas such as the gym and cafeteria and hallways, Wren said. The cameras aren't in classrooms or "every nook and cranny," and the design of school buildings often dictates the number of cameras needed, he said. People are less likely to do something they shouldn't when there's a camera watching, and the cameras allow officials to monitor areas and find evidence in certain situations.

"It's a preventive tool," he said.

The camera system has a new feature that enables police to tap into it remotely and pull up images. That means police will be able to see live video from schools in emergency situations, Wren said.

Charleston Police Chief Greg Mullen, a strong proponent of video surveillance systems, said police don't intend to use this feature on a daily basis, and only school officials or school resource officers would routinely monitor the footage.

Still, this capability would help police respond more effectively in an emergency because they could better pinpoint and isolate problems, he said.

"We can't have a school administrator or school resource officer at every point," Mullen said. "The next best thing are these types of technologies that allow us to be in more places at one time."

The six schools also would receive electronic keyless access systems that allow staff members to use electronic cards to enter buildings. The advantages of that system are that it tracks who comes into and out of buildings, and it enables police to unlock and lock building doors remotely, Wren said.

At St. John's High, Busch said he looks forward to next year when he'll have an additional tool to help him keep the school safe.

"You can't be safe enough," he said.

Copyright 2009 The Charleston Post and Courier