There are an average of 11,000 robberies in college and university residence halls in the U.S. each year. With the right security equipment, your university can deter theft, monitor guest and student activity, and receive real-time emergency notifications.

This post provides tips on how property managers can properly secure residence halls with IP surveillance cameras, access control, and monitored alarms and detectors.

1. IP Surveillance Cameras

Students, guests and parents are always coming and going at residence halls. Proper placement of IP surveillance cameras can help residence managers and campus security to oversee residence hall activity remotely. View live or archived footage of multiple residence halls via smartphone, tablet or laptop. Place cameras in public areas, such as:

  • Common areas.
  • Dorm room entrances.
  • Doorways.
  • Elevators.
  • Exterior perimeters.
  • Hallways.
  • Laundry rooms.
  • Parking lots.

Avoid, however, areas where people have an expectation of privacy, such as bathrooms or dorm rooms, as these can warrant legal ramifications. To avoid any confusion, work with your licensed vendor to ensure proper installation.

2. Remote Access Equipment

Remote access can help limit entry to residence halls and student dorm rooms to authorized individuals, and eliminate issues associated with lost or stolen keys. For example, access cards can be cancelled if students report them missing, preventing unwanted individuals from using.

Gain visibility into who is entering each building by giving each student or staff member their own unique identifier, using tools such as:  

  • Access cards.
  • Basic intercom systems.
  • Photo identification systems.
  • Swipe readers.

Access control devices can also be coupled with IP surveillance cameras, so that analytics can be cross-referenced if suspicious activity or a break-in occurs.

3. Monitored Alarms and Detectors

Identify suspicious movement or environmental threats, such as smoke or carbon monoxide, before they put students in danger with monitored alarms and detectors.

Residence managers and campus security can enjoy remote connectivity to the system via smartphone, tablet or laptop. In addition, should an alarm be triggered, a 24/7 monitoring center will be notified and emergency personnel dispatched.

Work with your vendor to assess your need for equipment, such as:

What security equipment does your college or university use to keep residence halls safe? Share with us in the comments below.