Avigilon HD Surveillance System protects students and staff at Long Branch Public Schools

The administration and teaching staff at Long Branch Public Schools in New Jersey are committed to the belief that all children possess unique talents and can master the academic skills needed to be successful, lifelong learners. The Long Branch Board of Education also believes that an effective instructional programme requires an orderly school environment in which student safety is a priority. To ensure the safety of its students, as well as staff, the Long Branch Board of Education has deployed the Avigilon High Definition (HD) Surveillance System at the high school, middle school, and three elementary schools with a goal to deploy the surveillance system at the remaining four schools next year.

While student safety is the main concern at Long Branch Public Schools, so too is creating a positive, open learning environment. With this in mind, administrators began looking for an advanced surveillance system that could deliver clear and accurate image detail as inconspicuously as possible. “The primary goal for the new surveillance system is for it to deliver exceptional image detail, including facial and license plate detail recognition, to lead to more successful investigations and quicker conflict resolution,” said Joseph M. Ferraina, superintendent at Long Branch Public School. Requiring fewer cameras to achieve complete coverage, the Avigilon HD Surveillance System boosts security without impacting the learning environment at the schools.Long Branch Public Schools also installed 10 Avigilon HD network video recorders (NVR) to store up to two months of continuous surveillance video

High-definition campus surveillance

On the recommendation of Advanced Video Surveillance, a local provider of surveillance system design, installation, and service, Long Branch Public Schools chose to deploy the Avigilon HD Surveillance System because it delivers better image detail with dramatically fewer cameras, improving overall investigative success while maintaining a friendly school atmosphere. “After reviewing solutions from five vendors, it quickly became clear that Avigilon could meet all our requirements and is the best solution on the market today,” added Ferraina.

The superintendent, administrators, and IT team at Long Branch Public Schools seamlessly manage the Avigilon HD Surveillance System using Avigilon Control Center network video management software (NVMS) with HD Stream Management (HDSM) and installed 81 Avigilon HD cameras ranging from five to 16 megapixels at five of the board’s nine schools. The Avigilon 16-megapixel cameras have been installed on the exterior of the buildings to monitor the parking lots and the high school’s football field, while the remaining Avigilon HD cameras were installed throughout the interior of the schools to boost coverage of existing analogue-based surveillance systems. Long Branch Public Schools also installed 10 Avigilon HD network video recorders (NVR) to store up to two months of continuous surveillance video.The Avigilon HD Surveillance System can capture even the smallest detail with the greatest accuracy

Superior image detail with fewer cameras

According to Angel Perez, technical services manager at Long Branch Public Schools, the primary goal of the Avigilon HD Surveillance System is to capture the detail required for investigative purposes. “We do not monitor the system live, but rather turn to it when an incident has occurred that needs to be reviewed and examined,” explained Perez. “With its powerful zooming capabilities, the Avigilon HD Surveillance System can capture even the smallest detail – faces or license plates – with the greatest accuracy, dramatically improving our ability to make a positive identification.”

With an analogue-based surveillance system, Long Branch Public Schools would have needed to install 12 to 15 analogue cameras to do the work of just one Avigilon 16-megapixel camera. But for Perez, the greatest difference is in the end-result, “The Avigilon HD Surveillance System produces a video clip that we can zoom into and manipulate to see exactly what we need to. With an analogue-based system, all we can do is hit ‘play’ and what you see is what you get.”

Accurate motion detection

With its advanced feature set and simple navigation tools, Avigilon Control Center NVMS has proven very user-friendly for the team at Long Branch Public Schools. “Training our administration staff on the Avigilon HD Surveillance System was much easier than anticipated,” noted Perez. “Even without a technical background, they have easily grasped the system’s capabilities and are amazed with the results.”With Avigilon Control Center NVMS, users can effortlessly record, playback, and store surveillance video

With Avigilon Control Center NVMS, users can effortlessly record, playback, and store surveillance video to significantly reduce the time required to manage the system and ultimately, increase overall investigative success. “Avigilon Control Center, combined with the cameras’ motion-sensor capabilities, allows us to take a broad timeframe and quickly drill down to a specific moment to pinpoint the event in question,” said Perez. The exceptionally accurate motion detection capabilities also help reduce the cost of storage, because the system only stores video that contains real movement.

Quick video export for crime investigation

Administrators at Long Branch Public Schools have already leveraged the Avigilon HD surveillance system to acquire facial or license plate detail to solve issues on campus. “With fast access to detailed video, we have been able to identify participants and gain critical information to successfully—and quickly—resolve conflicts on campus,” explained Ferraina. “A good picture—like Avigilon’s—is worth a thousand words.” With Avigilon’s excellent image clarity, Long Branch Public School administrators are better able to implement solutions that will prevent similar situations from reoccurring.

In some situations, administrators have had to share video with the local police for investigative purposes. “Avigilon Control Center makes exporting video extremely quick and easy,” noted Perez. “We can download 30 minutes of video in a matter of minutes.” With its analogue-based system, it takes the same amount of time to download just a fraction of the data. Now, the school board can get critical evidence into the hands of law enforcement sooner, for faster resolution.The Long Branch Board of Education has saved at least ten percent in up front and installation costs compared to an analogue-based system

Cost-effective surveillance solution

Requiring fewer Avigilon HD cameras for greater overall coverage, the Long Branch Board of Education has saved at least ten percent in up front and installation costs compared to an analogue-based system. “Not only was our initial investment less, I also save a lot of time by not having to monitor multiple cameras,” explained Perez. “With more time on my hands, I can be more productive in other areas of my job, resulting in a strong ROI from an HR perspective as well.” In addition, Avigilon’s ease-of-use and undeniable image quality means that administrators spend less time managing the system, reviewing video, and resolving student conflicts, freeing their time for other important tasks. But for Perez, the true value of the Avigilon HD Surveillance System lies in its rich feature set that includes superior image quality, smart management tools, and excellent playback and review capabilities that are simply not possible with an analogue-based system. “Avigilon is definitely the better choice for effective surveillance.”

Towards safe learning

For administrators at Long Branch Public Schools, the Avigilon HD Surveillance System has proven to be a very reliable choice—from a hardware and support perspective. In fact, the Avigilon HD Surveillance System has never failed during playback, a problem the school board sometimes experienced with its analogue-based system. “Avigilon delivers a great product at a good price and is a reliable and knowledgeable vendor. Overall, we are very happy with our decision to deploy the Avigilon HD Surveillance System,” said Perez.

With student and staff safety a key priority at Long Branch Public Schools, the new Avigilon HD Surveillance System offers a significant advancement in the board’s ability to keep everyone safe while maintaining an open and positive educational experience. “The Avigilon HD Surveillance System enables us to effectively protect staff and students while on campus to ensure their safety,” concluded Ferraina. “We look forward to deploying the Avigilon HD Surveillance System at our remaining schools next year to further enhance the level of security across the board.”