How smart building solutions are comprehensively protecting Mesa Public Schools

To help achieve its security needs, Mesa Public Schools has relied on Climatec, an experienced partner and system integrator. Together, they have significantly raised the school district’s safety and security standards: with video technology, electronic key management, special sensors in bathrooms, strobe lights and weapon detection systems. “Doing a lot of research, we made the switch to Climatec and the Avigilon system. We were very happy with the customer service and the software platform was very user friendly” explains Allen Moore, Director of Safety & Security at Mesa Public Schools. “We have over 3000 security cameras and growing”, adds David Sanders, Chief Technology Officer at Mesa Public Schools.

“Those responsible at Mesa Public Schools count on us to acquaint them with new technologies that anticipate their needs. We proactively address their constantly changing safety and security requirements,” explains Mustafa Sulemanjee, Climatec’s account manager, who has played a major role in the project.

Mesa Public Schools has focused on preventively detecting weapons. “The school district requested us to find a solution that would stop weapons from getting into the schools. We then suggested using weapons detectors to check students right at the schools’ entrances,” says Mustafa Sulemanjee. “Those in charge were also impressed by how well the system detects knives and guns. Today the detectors are deployed across multiple schools within the district.”

Every morning, students are checked at the school’s entrance before they can enter the campus. Similar to security screenings at airports, students walk through the two-column detectors with their backpacks and remove any items like laptops, which could trigger a false alarm. If something is detected, a signal goes off and the on-duty school staff check the student’s pockets and bags.

Because the system is mobile, it is also often used at events. “The overall feeling is our schools are much safer than others”, says Allen Moore. “Students feel safe knowing that everybody’s being scanned when they walk through weapons detection system” says David Sanders. As a positive side-effect, the total number of incidents involving verbal, physical and psychological abuse have also significantly decreased since the detectors were deployed.

In addition, around 3000 cameras monitor corridors and hallways, sports facilities, meeting and event rooms, and open areas across all Mesa Public School campuses. All the recordings can be accessed via a central video management system. School staff monitor the live recordings during the daytime, supported by an external service provider at night and on days when there are no classes. Thanks to intelligent analysis functions, it only takes a few clicks to identify suspicious objects or persons and track them across multiple cameras. Additionally, all the data from the campuses are compiled and sent to the district's security operations center for safety purposes. This department is responsible for the safety and security of students, teachers, and personnel. It also documents reports, collaborates with the local police, and can route live data streams from the campuses to the authorities.

To respect privacy, no cameras may be placed in restrooms or changing rooms. The schools have therefore installed vape detectors with sensors that do not violate data privacy laws. They respond to smoke, nicotine and THC vapor, for example, and to unusually loud noise. In addition, they react to programmable keywords such as “help” or “911”, by sending an alarm signal. This also includes an intelligent algorithm that detects if the maximum occupancy has been exceeded in restrooms.

In areas with poor intercom coverage, such as gymnasiums, music rooms, parking lots, and playing fields, were at risk because traditional alarms cannot be heard in these areas. Climatec’s solution involved installing IP-based strobe lights in these critical areas. The lights flash brightly enough to be seen from a distance, allowing all students and teachers to be warned even if they can’t hear an alarm.

To precisely keep track of the keys to the school’s individual rooms, intelligent key cabinets are currently being introduced across all campuses. Now, digitally assigned authorizations enable automatic tracing. “We programmed special ID cards with corresponding access authorizations for teachers and school personnel and taught the school district how to issue them for each school’s access control system,” explains Mustafa Sulemanjee.

The basis for the successful collaboration between Mesa Public Schools and Climatec is trust, partnership and technical competence, cultivated over the course of many years. “We chose Climatec for their expertise in school safety technology, as well as their commitment to stay current with the industry” says David Sanders. The result: a partnership based on trust that ensures maximum safety and security for students, teachers, and administrative personnel.

“The customer service with Climatec is top notch. Usually somebody answers right away and if they don’t, within a minute, I get a return call” says Allen Moore. “They understand what we need as a district and they feel like they’re part of my team” adds David Sanders. He is responsible for handing the logistics for most of the technology in the district and oversees the school safety technology.

There’s a good reason for this team mentality: “Service is ingrained in our corporate culture,” says Mustafa Sulemanjee. “Our employees feel very responsible for their customers.” The team is able to meet the needs of the customer by regularly checking in early on. In their day-to-day work, they are supported by a remote service that responds promptly, even outside of school hours. “Our remote service gives those in charge the good feeling that they can always count on the technology to work reliably. Because it’s staffed around the clock and can monitor and maintain the equipment from a distance,” explains Mustafa Sulemanjee.

David Sanders also values the communication with Climatec: “The authenticity and the commitment of our partnership have helped us grow together and understand what our end goals were, which is to keep students and staff safe.”

Particularly in the United States, where public discussions of safety and security at schools play an especially important role, investments in state-of-the-art security solutions involve much more than just purchasing equipment. They have a clear commitment to protecting students, teachers, and personnel. Systems such as intelligent video surveillance, access control, and weapons detection do more than provide this protection; they also reassure parents and students that their safety is a top priority. A trust-based partnership is crucial for the success between the schools and experienced system integrators like Climatec. If both work together as a team on every aspect, from implementation to long term support, these security solutions can be optimized to meet the district’s needs in any scenario.