St. Mary's School

Background

Named the “jewel of the crown”, St. Mary's School began in 1994 with a humble set of four classrooms in Aliso Viejo, California. Today, the institution is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School Organization and is the only independent school in Orange County to incorporate the IB curriculum from preschool through middle school.

Safety is paramount for the diverse community of 715 students and 150 staff. St. Mary’s security is entrusted to a dedicated five-person team led by Jim Cox, the Director of Operations. 

The Challenge

Across 6.25 acres of school grounds, the team’s primary concern was campus security after regular operational hours.

"Daytime observation was our limit; we'd later scour footage for signs of overnight trespassing or damage, only to realize our response was always a step behind, unable to prevent or immediately tackle the incidents."

The team had discovered evidence of break-ins or unauthorized presence on the premises over weekends, which previously went undetected in real-time. This gap in monitoring led to recurring vandalism incidents, escalating in severity and causing substantial property damage.

Why Verkada?

“Verkada adds layers of security — that's what a robust strategy comes down to. Nothing is ever foolproof, so you need layers; if one doesn't work, the next one will."

Recognizing the need for a multi-layered security system, St. Mary's School partnered with Verkada to improve coverage – and later, remote guarding and afterschool security. The school deployed an array of Verkada cameras and alarms across the campus, benefiting from actionable insights, a top-rated mobile app for remote monitoring, and an integrated alarms solution.

"This year, we added Alarms with Professional Monitoring for line activity differentiation across perimeter locations. We're notified if someone crosses the line, giving us instant updates on potential breaches, and monitoring agents will call the cops for us."

Rapid Incident Response with Camera Analytics

After fine-tuning their system, the security team could intercept vandals within minutes of detection, significantly reducing potential damage. Cameras distinguish between harmless motion and genuine security breaches, such as unauthorized line crossing or suspicious loitering. 

"Once we defined precise detection zones and set up alerts, the difference was night and day. Suddenly, we were catching incidents as they happened, not just recording them for a later review."

When vandals targeted the school, the real-time alerts enabled a rapid response, preventing them from causing further damage. The timely interception highlighted the system's efficacy, particularly when the culprits attempted to destroy valuable equipment like AEDs and fire extinguishers. To stop future incidents, Person of Interest (POI) alerts can be enabled to notify the security team if they are seen onsite again.

Enhanced Coordination with Live Remote Monitoring

"Our team can watch incidents unfold from their phone. No matter where we are, we have eyes on the ground for immediate response."

Web and mobile access to any camera feed allows the security team to protect the school from afar, optimizing their response strategy and resource allocation. The ability to see what’s happening from a mobile device also provides a tactical advantage during emergencies.  

During the security breach involving vandals, the team was guided by one member’s remote play-by-play updates on the vandals' movements. The on-site team then intercepted them and prevented further damage.

Continuous Protection with Professional Monitoring

When the security team is asleep, professional monitoring agents will continue to protect the campus and respond to incidents, ensuring the school remains secure around the clock, "We can't sit on the cameras all night long. We have to go to bed at some point, so it’s comforting to know the campus is still being protected at night or on the weekend when we're not around."

During the incident with the vandals, the monitoring agent detected suspicious activity on campus during the night and verified the threat through integrated cameras. She immediately notified the school's security team and contacted law enforcement.

Being able to discern false alarms from genuine threats also significantly reduces unnecessary police dispatches. After an incident, a follow-up call to the school provides an additional layer of support and reassurance.

Looking Ahead

By averting thefts and property damage, the school saved on potential repair and replacement costs. "The cameras provide us with backup and support, but they also free us up to focus on other areas. We improved our security without additional manpower and reduced overhead costs significantly."

The heightened security measures also instill trust in the school's commitment to safety, providing peace of mind to parents and the community. "Catching vandals and preventing property damage is a bonus. But more importantly, Verkada helps keep our school, students, and staff safe.”

As security needs evolve, Jim and his team will continue leveraging and expanding their use of Verkada’s technologies to adapt and improve school safety.

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