San Jose State Installs Gunshot Detectors, License Plate Readers
Ten gunshot detectors were installed on light poles in high traffic and high crime areas throughout the San Jose State campus.
The new license plate readers can scan for stolen cars on campus and will eliminate paper tickets.
San Jose State has added several layers of security to its campus through the installment of gunshot detection devices and license plate readers.
Ten metal boxes were recently installed on light poles on campus, although UPD Captain Alan Cavallo says no specific incident prompted the new additions. The added security measure has been in the works for two years and the school’s budget finally approved it, reports ABC7.
The ten cameras were installed throughout the California campus in high traffic and high crime areas. The installation of additional devices is currently underway and chemical detectors are also expected to be integrated in the near future.
The manufacturer, V5 Systems, says the monitors’ sensors use “ambient environmental audio” to detect and localize the source of gunfire. When a gunshot is detected, the monitor will forward the information and location in real time to the watch commander-on-duty.
Cavallo says the devices are not 100 percent accurate as they have not been fully tested on campus yet. The UPD plans to test the accuracy of the monitors by shooting off blanks during the winter break when the campus is less populated, according to sjsunews.com.
Las Vegas Shooting Prompts Renewed Interest in Gunshot Detection
A renewed interest in gunfire detection systems has followed the Las Vegas mass shooting on October 1, reports CNBC.
“We have certainly seen increased interest in the product and greater urgency from those in the process of implementing the technology, especially in the West, in conjunction with the incident in Las Vegas,” says Sophie Sinclair-Kemp, a spokesperson for AmberBox, another gunshot detection system manufacturer.
Sinclair-Kemp says a combination of commercial and education locations in the Las Vegas area have implemented the company’s technology.
San Jose State is also in the midst of installing license plate readers in all of its parking garages, which can scan for stolen cars that may enter the campus. Cavallo hopes to use the license plate readers as a way for students and faculty to deposit money into an account to pay for parking and to eliminate paper tickets.
Detectors in the school’s north garage are “near completion in terms of hardware”, says Cavallo.
Additional cameras have also been installed in parking garages, much to the relief of some students who have reported they do not feel safe walking alone at night in them.
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About the Author
Amy Rock, Executive Editor
Amy is Campus Safety’s Executive Editor. Prior to joining the editorial team in 2017, she worked in both events and digital marketing.
Amy has many close relatives and friends who are teachers, motivating her to learn and share as much as she can about campus security. She has a minor in education and has worked with children in several capacities, further deepening her passion for keeping students safe.
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