Headquartered in a designated facility, the Compton Unified School District (USD) Police Department is committed to providing a safe and secure educational environment for students, staff, and parents. It strives to prevent criminal or delinquent behavior that has a negative impact on the educational process within the schools and community.
Headquartered in a designated facility, the Compton Unified School District (USD) Police Department is committed to providing a safe and secure educational environment for students, staff, and parents. It strives to prevent criminal or delinquent behavior that has a negative impact on the educational process within the schools and community.
Located in a suburban Los Angeles community with a high crime rate, Compton USD is among the 75 percent of schools that have adopted video surveillance solutions, an important tool for ensuring safety on school grounds. Schools facing challenges, such as violence or vandalism on campus, find security cameras an indispensable aid to identifying and resolving issues as they arise.
CHALLENGE
The jungle of outdated and damaged cabling from a defunct analog video surveillance system that hangs from buildings throughout the grounds serve as a reminder of both the budgetary and technology challenges once facing the Compton USD Police Department.
Approximately two years ago, Mario Benitez, an Authorized
Dahua Dealer for Advanced Alarm in Santa Fe Springs, California began to explore building an IP surveillance infrastructure that would span the long-distance 2.5-acre grounds without the need for trenching cables. This area houses the Compton USD Police Department buildings, police vehicles, evidence sheds, and other municipal structures. Benitez sought an economical yet scalable solution that would eventually allow officers to remotely monitor video feed directly from Compton school campuses, adding another layer of security to the department’s functionality.
Compton USD Police Department officials chose to work with Benitez, who approached the project with an innovative solution: incorporating the newest ideas and the most up-todate surveillance systems available. Benitez designed a customized Dahua Technology security system that monitors the premises from the outside perimeter facing inward, a configuration that provides better views of the four buildings, three gates, and grounds of the Command Center.
SOLUTION
Partnering with Dahua sales and engineering staff, Benitez deployed a total Dahua solution that included 20 Pro Series 4MP WDR fixed lens Wi-Fi cameras, a 32-channel NVR, three smart switches, one surveillance management center, two 2.4 and 5.6GHz indoor access points, and four 5.6GHz wireless video transmission devices to create a locked wireless connection. The first unit wirelessly connects six to eight IP cameras on the remote end. The second unit is connected to the NVR network and transmits a signal from the remote cameras. The bridge requires an unobstructed line of sight to create the link. The Dahua IP cameras and NVR proved to be beneficial because they offer a flexible solution that doesn’t require physical cabling to connect.
The project required months of planning, a process that involved mapping the project on paper, strategic alignment of networked devices, an audit to ensure operability, and final integration and deployment. “This is one of those projects where the heavy lifting comes in the planning stages. It was a complex project, but the Dahua team was very knowledgeable and helped us put together a powerful solution,” said Benitez. “So when it came time for the installation it was fast and everything went smoothly.”
The plan included leveraging a motor on the back gate of the property to access a 110-volt circuit for power to send a signal across a wireless bridge. With strategic placement of cameras elevated on support poles, the video surveillance cameras can capture both the perimeter and interior of the Compton USD Police Station grounds. The NVR is housed in a rack within the police station command center, allowing officers to closely monitor the grounds, buildings, and vehicles at a glance to safeguard the facility and its assets.
“I was determined to use only Dahua products for this project. They worked with me to deliver a unique, customized solution,” said Benitez.
BENEFITS
With the addition of a networked video surveillance solution, the Compton USD Police Department gained a valuable resource for long-term success by implementing a scalable system that meets both immediate security needs and provides for future improvements. The collaboration between Advanced Alarm Inc. and Dahua Technology USA to deploy a top-of-the-line and easy-touse system resulted in a creative solution that will continue to offer ROI and protect both people and property.
“Dahua cares about the installer. They design software with practical functions that are easy to demonstrate, easy to operate, and easy for my customers to understand,” said Benitez. “And that makes my life easier.”
Benitez worked closely with Dahua sales and engineering representatives to identify solutions that reinforced his problem-solving skills to design and deploy an innovative networked solution. He established a revolutionary new protocol for designing a video surveillance system with camera placement on the outside perimeter facing inward—a model that is gaining popularity with his customers, setting him apart, and increasing demand for his services. In addition, he was able to bridge the camera across long distances using wireless access points and smart switches to deliver seamless connectivity. “After 25 years in the business, I can finally say I’ve found a brand I like,” he said. “Now I only use Dahua products. They’re very user-friendly and work right out of the box.”