AUSTIN, Texas — The Campus Safety 2025 Best Electronic Systems Technologies (BEST) Awards have officially been announced, recognizing superior innovation and performance in security and safety solutions for healthcare, higher education, and K-12 school campuses. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the program, further cementing its role as a trusted benchmark for excellence in the field.
Announced during the Campus Safety Conference in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday morning, the event brought together leaders in school and college campus safety to celebrate groundbreaking advancements that play a critical role in protecting students, staff, and visitors.
“On behalf of the entire Campus Safety team, I want to congratulate this year’s BEST Award winners for their outstanding contributions to the safety and security of our schools, institutions, and healthcare facilities,” said Robin Hattersley, Campus Safety Editor-in-Chief. “Their innovative solutions exemplify the dedication and creativity needed to address today’s complex challenges, making a profound impact on the well-being of countless individuals.”
The 2025 BEST Awards highlight products and services that demonstrate exceptional performance in the areas of:
- Security
- Law Enforcement
- Emergency Management
- Facilities Management
- Life Safety
Through specialized categories, the program recognizes innovations that address contemporary challenges faced by campuses, including active shooter response, emergency communication, access control, video surveillance, and more.
Independent Panel Judged Nominations
The rigorous evaluation process of the BEST Award entries relied on an independent panel of experts to assess and select this year’s winners. These judges bring extensive field experience in security, safety, and emergency management. Campus Safety thanks the following professionals for their expertise and contributions:
- Robert Connolly, Chief of Police at Georgia Tech Police Department
- Michael Cruz, CPP, PMP, Senior Security Consultant at Cosecure
- Mike Gips, Managing Director, ESRM at Kroll
- Richard McNevin, Police Captain at Georgia Tech Police Department
- John Nemerovski, COO at SAGE Integration
- Rich Payne, Safety Director at Academy District 20
- Paul Sarnese, Safety and Security Consultant
- Kevin Wren, School Safety Advocate at Cook and Boardman Group
The 2025 BEST Award Winners Are…
The winners of this year’s BEST Awards represent forward-thinking approaches to campus safety. Each product or service demonstrates an ability to adapt to the evolving security landscape, ensuring the safety and preparedness of campus environments. Below is the comprehensive list of the award-winning solutions:
Photo courtesy HID Global
BEST Access Control / Key Management / Locks / Physical Security Equipment
HID Mobile Access with Enhanced Wallet Integration
HID Mobile Access empowers campuses with secure, convenient smartphone- and wearable-based credentials. Supporting app and wallet integration (Apple and Google), it enables seamless access to buildings and services. Backed by Seos technology, it modernizes campus security wh
Photo courtesy ZSecure
BEST Locks and Door Hardware
ZSecure
You need ZSecure if you are interested in keeping your students, employees, as well as family safe from intruders, violent weather, using safety films on commercial applications. You must have your security filmed glass anchored by “ZSecure for Doors” which holds the total system within the frame of the door. https://zsecurefordoors.com
BEST Electronic Security Systems Integration Services
Photo courtesy System Surveyor
System Surveyor Web Editor 2.0
System Surveyor announces the launch of System Surveyor Web Editor 2.0, the next evolution of its industry-leading site survey and system design software platform. Following recent updates to their mobile tablet app, Web Editor 2.0 represents a significant advancement in streamlining the user experience from field to office with a unified interface and enhanced performance. https://systemsurveyor.com/web-editor-2
BEST Fire/Life-Safety Systems
Photo courtesy SDS
SDS Perimeter Outdoor Gunshot Detection System
SDS Perimeter; the industry’s first dual-verification outdoor gunshot detection sensor that accurately identifies gun violence before it enters the building. Born from a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology program, SDS Perimeter is easy to install, cost efficient and delivers unrivaled detection accuracy of 99.9%. https://shooterdetectionsystems.com/sds-outdoor-beta/
Photo courtesy Omnilert
BEST Inspection and Detection Equipment
Omnilert Gun Detect
By reducing response times and delivering actionable insights in seconds during active shooter incidents, Omnilert Gun Detect helps mitigate threats, save lives, and reduce the operational, legal, and social costs of gun violence. Omnilert technology instantly identifies a weapon and once verified, activates a response that includes dispatching police, locking doors, sounding alarms, and more. www.omnilert.com
Photo courtesy Hexagon
BEST Intrusion System
HxGN dC3 LidarVision
Hexagon’s AI-assisted LidarVision solution is revolutionizing physical security surveillance by providing volumetric three-dimensional coverage. Perfect for campuses, power grids, energy plants, railways, airports, prisons and military installations, LidarVision combines precise 3D motion tracking with AI identification of potential threats using its proprietary neural network, Deeptection. https://hxgnsecurity.com/products/hxgn-dc3-lidarvision/
BEST Video / CCTV Surveillance Hardware
Photo courtesy LVT
LVT Unit
LVT is a leading provider of cloud-based video security and analytics, offering solar-powered mobile security units. The company brings safety, security, and analytics to companies across industries and government organizations. https://www.lvt.com/industry/education-security
Photo courtesy Bosch
BEST Video / CCTV Surveillance Software
Bosch IVA Pro Context
IVA Pro Context uses GenAI reasoning capabilities to go beyond object detection for deeper scene understanding. It interprets complex environments and provides insights about what is happening to support proactive responses. It quickly analyzes images for situations based on users’ simple prompts without being trained for specific objects or behaviors. https://www2.boschsecurity.us/promotions/IVAProContext/IVA_Pro_Context_Leaflet.pdf
BEST Access Control, Lockdown and Physical Security Equipment
Photo courtesy ROAR
ROAR
Founded by a former at-risk worker, ROAR empowers healthcare organizations to reduce workplace violence, boost staff confidence, and accelerate emergency response. Our WiFi-independent staff duress system with wearable panic buttons works anywhere—even in dead zones. ROAR lowers risk, improves incident response, and strengthens a safety culture. www.roarforgood.com
Photo courtesy Raptor
BEST Emergency Notification / Mass Notification System
Raptor Emergency Management Suite
Raptor’s Modular Emergency Management Solution delivers fast, reliable emergency response with flexible alerting, real-time indoor location, visual notifications, and reunification tools, all in one secure, scalable platform built specifically for K–12 schools. https://raptortech.com/raptor-alert/
BEST Personal Safety App / Safety and Security App
Photo courtesy Status Solutions
CATIE Mobile
CATIE Mobile is a powerful emergency management app that enables real-time safety check-ins, mass notification, and seamless integration with student information systems—empowering schools to respond quickly, account for everyone, and improve preparedness. Accessible on any device, it’s a smart, reliable solution for modern school safety. https://www.statussolutions.com/k-12-communication-tool-2/
BEST Central Station Services / Monitoring / Dispatch
Photo courtesy SafeSchool
SafeSchool
SafeSchool is a real-time safety platform that gives schools full visibility of students, staff, and visitors—indoors and out. From threat detection to guided evacuations, it helps your team act faster, smarter, and with confidence. https://hidonix.com/en/safeschool
Photo courtesy Status Solutions
BEST Communications Product
CATIE Mobile
CATIE Mobile is a powerful emergency management app that enables real-time safety check-ins, mass notification, and seamless integration with student information systems—empowering schools to respond quickly, account for everyone, and improve preparedness. Accessible on any device, it’s a smart, reliable solution for modern school safety. https://www.statussolutions.com/k-12-communication-tool-2/
BEST Incident & Records Management Software
Photo courtesy Lightspeed Alert
Lightspeed Alert
Lightspeed Alert is a proactive school safety intelligence solution that monitors online activity to detect warning signs of violence, self-harm, and other threats. Serving over 6 million students, in 21 countries, it provides 24/7 AI- and human-reviewed alerts, enabling school staff to intervene early and effectively. https://www.lightspeedsystems.com/products/lightspeed-alert/
Photo courtesy Genetec
BEST Integrated System
Genetec™ Operations Center
Genetec Operations Center is a work management solution for security. Built into our Security Center SaaS offering, it improves productivity, communication, and collaboration across teams. Whether launching a project at a corporate level, organizing maintenance crews, dispatching patrol teams, or supervising tasks – you can track and report on your work. https://www.genetec.com/products/operations/operations-center
BEST Dispatch Systems and Software / Central Station
Photo courtesy Allied Universal
Allied Universal Unified Command Center Solution
The Unified Command Center is a rapidly deployable security hub that combines real-time video analytics, intuitive communication, and intelligent incident management. Backed by a dedicated team, it streamlines logistics, enhances decision-making, and enables rapid threat detection, and response. Ideal for dynamic environments, it ensures comprehensive situational awareness and adaptable security. https://www.aus.com/security-services/event-services/event-unified-command-center
To learn more about all of this year’s BEST Awards nominees, click here.
