Technology has revolutionized and changed almost every part of our lives, and no industry has benefited from it more than security. Implementing new technologies into your campus security plan can make it more efficient, more effective at protecting students, and it might even save some lives. However, choosing security technology for your campus can feel overwhelming, especially with new solutions being released every year. Here are some of the most important factors to consider when choosing security technology for your campus.
- Security Goals
Some security technology is intended for specific purposes, such as surveying vulnerable areas or alerting students to a threat. However, there are other technologies that have a broader effect on your campus security or facilitates a less tangible goal, such as reduction of liability or facilitating student satisfaction. Knowing which goals need your attention and which goals a specific technology will affect is the first step in choosing technology that’s right for your campus.
- Impact on Campus Culture
Your campus culture is one of the most important features of your institution – it affects the day-to-day lives of current students and your school’s image to potential future students. One reason that institutions are sometimes hesitant to implement technological innovations to their security plan is that they can threaten the traditional patterns of authority and influence that your institution is currently used to. Considering how a new technology can affect this culture should be one of your first decision-making factors.
- Points of Failure
One of the most important technological considerations to make is what the system will affect in the event that it goes down. If a system failure only affects that system, then are there backups? Or will this system’s failure wipe out a whole portion of your campus security? While the potential for system failure isn’t necessarily a limiting factor for these types of decisions, it’s important to have a plan for potential failures so that they don’t leave your campus vulnerable.