The Salvation Army's mission is to meet human needs wherever and whenever necessary. Their presence spans 13 Western states, plus Guam, the Marshall Islands, and Micronesia.
This commitment to service is supported by local programmes that are tailored to each community’s specific needs, and technology plays a crucial role in ensuring that these operations run smoothly.
Addressing security challenges
As part of their long-term goal to modernise security and streamline operations, the Salvation Army Western Territory turned to Verkada to address growing security challenges across more than 700 sites in diverse urban environments.
"We're in some of the most colourful neighbourhoods in every major Western city, like Watts, California, and downtown Denver," says Randy Haan, Director of IT Infrastructure. "With these locations come security challenges, and having reliable surveillance and access control is critical."
Centralised command for streamlined management
Many systems had unreliable access control, outdated NVRs, and scattered surveillance setups
Before implementing Verkada in 2017, The Salvation Army managed disparate, localised security systems that required significant maintenance and support.
Many systems had unreliable access control, outdated NVRs, and scattered surveillance setups, which resulted in time-consuming troubleshooting and poor visibility in critical moments.
Cloud-based approach
"When we were looking at different camera systems, Verkada's cloud-based approach stood out. We didn’t need NVRs or complex server setups—it was a no-brainer," Randy explains.
"Verkada’s platform centralised everything, allowing us to manage access control and surveillance from anywhere."
Simplifying day-to-day operations
This centralisation not only enhanced security coverage but also simplified day-to-day operations.
Joshua Brown, Endpoint Security Administrator, adds, "We used to need a large team to handle security across all our sites. Now, with Verkada, we’ve reduced the need for staffing by about 50 to 70 percent for IT support, and it’s allowed us to expand security at a much faster rate."
Saving over $1.5 million with Verkada’s scalable solutions
Randy attributes this significant cost reduction to the elimination of hardware maintenance
Since implementing Verkada, The Salvation Army Western Territory has saved over $1.5 million. Randy attributes this significant cost reduction to the elimination of hardware maintenance, reduced staffing requirements, and minimised support needs.
"We’ve gone from needing a dedicated technician at each of our 240 locations to just two people managing all 3,000 cameras across these sites," Randy notes.
Management from one platform
"For a nonprofit like The Salvation Army, where every dollar counts, this shift has been invaluable."
Joshua also points out that the ease of managing systems from one platform has been transformative. "With Verkada, I can snapshot configurations, roll them out, and get everything up and running quickly. It’s 10 times easier than before."
Expanding capabilities with Verkada's integrated system
In addition to security cameras, the Salvation Army has integrated Verkada’s access control solutions across many of its locations. One recent highlight is the TD52 Intercom system, which Randy and his team highly anticipated.
"We’ve been waiting for an intercom system that integrates with access control and surveillance for years," Randy says.
New alarm panels
"Now, with the TD52, we have seamless entry management at critical locations."
Joshua is also excited about the new alarm panels being rolled out. "We’ve seen legacy systems fail repeatedly, but now we can replace those with Verkada’s alarms, which offer better value and integration across our facilities."
Seamless cloud migration and Azure AD integration
Verkada’s cloud-based platform has made this transition easier for its security systems
The Salvation Army Western Territory has been migrating to the cloud for nearly a decade, and Verkada’s cloud-based platform has made this transition easier for their security systems.
"Verkada’s integration with our Azure AD was a game changer," Randy says.
One-stop-shop solution
"We no longer need separate systems to manage users. Everything is streamlined, adding or removing access takes seconds, and it’s all automated with our primary directory."
Joshua adds, "Before Verkada, we had sites with multiple NVRs, each with different passwords, and nobody knew how to manage them. Now, it’s all in one pane of glass, and it’s much easier to handle security across all our locations."
Looking forward while expanding with confidence
As The Salvation Army continues to grow and expand its operations, Randy and Joshua are confident that Verkada will remain a critical part of their infrastructure.
"Why wait?" Randy advises other organisations to consider a switch to Verkada. "The initial investment may seem high, but the return on investment over time is massive. You reduce staffing needs, streamline operations, and can manage everything with just a few people."
Cost-saving measures
With a mission as broad and impactful as The Salvation Army's, every cost-saving measure allows them to reinvest in the communities they serve.
Randy sums up, "Verkada’s solutions have been invaluable for a nonprofit like us. The cost savings and ease of management allow us to focus more on what matters: helping people."
