Allen University in Columbia, S.C., won the August 2014 School Security In-Kind Grant from Video Insight. Allen University is the second higher education institution and the eighth organization to win a $20,000 security system in the yearlong $250,000 grant program.
As a Video Insight School Security In-Kind Grant winner, the university will receive a security system valued at more than $20,000 consisting of video management software (VMS) licenses; 16 IP video surveillance cameras; one video encoder that includes VMS software licenses; 10 years of software upgrades; one year of a customer assurance program; and product training.
Located in downtown Columbia, S.C., the private coeducational university serves 700 students on a campus that includes 13 buildings. Many busy city streets border the university, said Police Chief Kelvin Davis.
“Allen University, in conjunction with its in-house campus police department, will place security cameras in strategic locations throughout the campus,” said Chief Davis. “By doing so this will allow maximum use of the cameras as an instrument to prevent crime and also capture images of offenders that commit crime within the Allen University community.”
“Like school districts, colleges and universities deal with dwindling budgets and increased security needs,” said Video Insight chief executive officer Robert Shaw in a press release. “It’s important to help higher education obtain the tools necessary to provide security because these campuses face a variety of security threats. We hope our contribution to Allen University will help enrich their security measures.”
