The Salvation Army, Western Territory

The Salvation Army, Western Territory Centralizes Security with Verkada, Saving Over $1.5 Million Since 2017

Randy Haan, Director of IT Infrastructure; Joshua Brown, Endpoint Security Administrator

Cameras Access control Alarms Platform Intercom

Key Metrics:

$1.5 million saved since implementing Verkada in 2017, by reducing staffing needs and eliminating maintenance costs.
50-70% reduction in IT support needs, allowing a smaller team to manage 3,000 cameras across 240 sites.
3,000 cameras managed across 240 sites, with just two people overseeing operations, a significant improvement from previous systems.

Background

The Salvation Army's mission is to meet human needs wherever and whenever necessary. Their presence spans 13 Western states, plus Guam, the Marshall Islands, and Micronesia. This commitment to service is supported by local programs that are tailored to each community’s specific needs, and technology plays a crucial role in ensuring that these operations run smoothly.

As part of their long-term goal to modernize security and streamline operations, the Salvation Army Western Territory turned to Verkada to address growing security challenges across more than 700 sites in diverse urban environments.

"We're in some of the most colorful neighborhoods in every major Western city, like Watts, California, and downtown Denver," says Randy Haan, Director of IT Infrastructure. "With these locations come security challenges, and having reliable surveillance and access control is critical."

Centralized Command for Streamlined Management

Prior to implementing Verkada in 2017, The Salvation Army managed disparate, localized security systems that required significant maintenance and support. Many systems had unreliable access control, outdated NVRs, and scattered surveillance setups, which resulted in time-consuming troubleshooting and poor visibility in critical moments.

"When we were looking at different camera systems, Verkada's cloud-based approach stood out. We didn’t need NVRs or complex server setups—it was a no-brainer," Randy explains. "Verkada’s platform centralized everything, allowing us to manage access control and surveillance from anywhere."

This centralization not only enhanced security coverage but also simplified day-to-day operations. Joshua Brown, Endpoint Security Administrator, adds, "We used to need a large team to handle security across all our sites. Now, with Verkada, we’ve reduced the need for staffing by about 50 to 70 percent for IT support, and it’s allowed us to expand security at a much faster rate."

Saving Over $1.5 Million with Verkada’s Scalable Solutions

Since implementing Verkada, The Salvation Army Western Territory has saved over $1.5 million. Randy attributes this significant cost reduction to the elimination of hardware maintenance, reduced staffing requirements, and minimized support needs.

"We’ve gone from needing a dedicated technician at each of our 240 locations to just two people managing all 3,000 cameras across these sites," Randy notes. "For a nonprofit like The Salvation Army, where every dollar counts, this shift has been invaluable."

Joshua also points out that the ease of managing systems from one platform has been transformative. "With Verkada, I can snapshot configurations, roll them out, and get everything up and running quickly. It’s 10 times easier than before."

Expanding Capabilities with Verkada's Integrated System

In addition to security cameras and access control, the Salvation Army has adopted Verkada Intercoms across many of their locations. They love the Verkada TD52 intercom for its ease of use, intuitive software interface, and seamless integrations to other Verkada products.

“We’ve been waiting for an intercom system that integrates with access control and video security for years," Randy says. "Now, with the TD52, we have seamless entry management at critical locations. Our staff also appreciates the added front door visibility they get with the built-in security cameras, and we’ve found associating the intercom with existing door controllers quite simple.”

The Salvation Army considered each of the many options for receiving intercom calls, including Verkada Desk Station, and ultimately chose to route their calls to their existing VoIP system, Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM). This option allows their diverse team of staff members, volunteers, and clients in work therapy programs to easily answer intercom calls with a familiar system.

When the TD53 and TD63 intercoms launched, the team was excited to observe the new advancements. “We love that you can now replace the lens,” Randy shares. “Unfortunately, a lot of our older intercoms were getting beaten, and now we can simply change the lens cover without having to replace the entire device.”

Joshua is also excited about the new alarm panels that are currently being rolled out. "We’ve seen legacy systems fail repeatedly, but now we can replace those with Verkada’s alarms, which offer better value and integration across our facilities."

Seamless Cloud Migration and Azure AD Integration

The Salvation Army Western Territory has been migrating to the cloud for nearly a decade, and Verkada’s cloud-based platform has made this transition easier for their security systems.

"Verkada’s integration with our Azure AD was a game changer," Randy says. "We no longer need separate systems to manage users. Everything is streamlined—adding or removing access takes seconds, and it’s all automated with our primary directory."

Joshua adds, "Before Verkada, we had sites with multiple NVRs, each with different passwords, and nobody knew how to manage them. Now, it’s all in one pane of glass, and it’s much easier to handle security across all our locations."

Looking Forward: Expanding with Confidence

As The Salvation Army continues to grow and expand its operations, Randy and Joshua are confident that Verkada will remain a critical part of their infrastructure.

"Why wait?" Randy advises other organizations considering a switch to Verkada. "The initial investment may seem high, but the return on investment over time is massive. You reduce staffing needs, streamline operations, and can manage everything with just a few people."

With a mission as broad and impactful as The Salvation Army's, every cost-saving measure allows them to reinvest in the communities they serve. As Randy sums up, "For a nonprofit like us, Verkada’s solutions have been invaluable. The cost savings and ease of management allow us to focus more on what really matters: helping people."