Aiphone provides IX Series video intercom to enhance visitor management system for Littleton Public Schools

Keeping out unwanted visitors is a major task in a district with 16,000 students, 2,500 employees and 2,100 regular volunteers. Aiphone’s IX Series and a visitor management system work together to control and protect each school’s single visitor entry.

“The mission of anything we do in security must enhance the ability for teachers to teach and students to learn,” said Guy Grace, Director of Security & Emergency Preparedness, Littleton Public Schools. Littleton Public Schools (LPS) operates 24 campuses in suburban communities within the Denver, Colorado metropolitan area.

Increasing entry security

Keeping out unwanted visitors is a major task in a district with 16,000 students, 2,500 employees and 2,100 regular volunteers. Many campus security issues begin at the front door. The LPS security team works diligently to keep out unwanted visitors. However, this is a major task in a district with 16,000 students, 2,500 employees and 2,100 regular volunteers.

• Protect the entries at 13 elementary, 5 middle, 4 high school campuses, and 2 charter schools
• Enable security and other trained district staff to clearly see and speak with visitors before remotely unlocking a door
• Unify multiple systems to increase entry security

Visitor management system

Employees enter through assigned doors using an access control card

All exterior doors at elementary and middle schools remain locked 24/7. Security officers are assigned to the two entries on each high school campus that remain unlocked during parts of each school day. Employees enter through assigned doors using an access control card and reader or a personal identification number entered on a keypad.

An Aiphone IX Series video intercom, three security cameras, and a visitor management system protect each school’s single visitor entry. Visitors pushing the intercom call button gain the attention of a staff member using a master station in the school office. A trained employee can see and conduct a two-way conversation with the visitor before remotely unlocking the door. Intercoms are also installed at delivery bays and the front doors of 13 school-age childcare centres.

Video management system

The intercoms can be locally monitored and operated on campus or by security officers in the district’s unified command centre. In fact, the Littleton Public Schools Security team keeps the Aiphone camera and microphone on 24/7. The district also uses 190 Android™ tablets equipped with the IX Series Mobile App. These tablets allow district staff to leave the office and interact with children, while still maintaining control of the entry intercoms.

The intercoms and security cameras provide live video to eliminate piggybacking

The intercoms and security cameras provide live video to eliminate a practice known as piggybacking, in which additional people enter a door along with an approved visitor. The district’s video management system (VMS) records all IX Series audio and video for later review of incidents. Inside the school building, staff requires visitors to present a government-issued ID card which gets swiped through a visitor management system.

Local criminal databases

The card’s data will be compared to online federal and local criminal databases and sex offender registries. Approved visitors receive an adhesive ID badge to be worn while on campus. THE RESULTS Aiphone’s IX Series video intercoms are now a vital part of the district’s successful entry-control plan.

Two to four video intercoms are installed at each district school. The units have helped staff keep non-custodial parents from gaining entry. “Let’s say we have a disgruntled, non-custodial parent show up at an elementary school – and this has happened more than once,” said Guy Grace, Director of Security and Emergency Preparedness, Littleton Public Schools.

Valuable security equipment

The units are always monitored including nights, weekends, and holidays

“We don’t want that person in the building; he or she may be a potential threat. The Aiphone IX Series intercoms provide us with the information we need to get a sense of the person’s state of mind. That’s why I think this is one of our most valuable pieces of security equipment.”

The ability of staff to communicate with people at school entries has helped break up fights and deter vandals. Students feeling threatened while on school property are instructed to use the intercoms to reach a security officer. The units are always monitored including nights, weekends, and holidays and can act as emergency ‘blue phones’ for people who use the school grounds.

Remotely provide access

The IX Series intercoms also let security officers remotely provide access to community groups, such as scouts, using school buildings after hours. It also helps the district to ensure that the facility user is following the after-hours facility use agreements.

Aiphone’s IX Series video intercoms are now a vital part of the district’s successful entry-control plan. The IX Series intercoms also let security officers remotely provide access to community groups, such as scouts, using school buildings after hours.