Surveillance Camera Project

Presented below are some key details regarding the district’s multi-year project to install surveillance cameras in all of our buildings. This project was approved at the February 25, 2013 Board Meeting; the motion as presented stated: “The district surveillance camera project will encompass the installation of interior and exterior cameras, network infrastructure, management software, viewing equipment, and additional hardware and labor (as presented at January 14 Committee of the Whole). The project timeline will begin upon approval of this motion with an anticipated completion date of September 30, 2015. Expenditures for the project are not to exceed $750,000.”

Timeline/History

• Spring 2007: A vendor was selected for the previous camera system installed at Washington Middle School. That system was installed in the Fall of 2007. It was slightly expanded in 2009 and 2010, to a total of 29 interior and exterior cameras. The system had a capacity of 32 cameras.
• Summer 2012: Various work during the Washington addition took at least 10 of the cameras from the 2007 system out of service. A review of the building’s new configuration led to the decision to look into options for replacing the entire camera system rather than trying to repair and expand it. The cost to repair and upgrade the old system, along with the outdated technology it was using, were key factors in that decision. Anticipating that a new system would be needed, money ($50,000) was set aside specifically for cameras in the FY13 technology budget.
• Fall 2012: Options for a new camera system were researched. A plan for installing a new system at Washington was developed. Around this time, the Board took an interest in installing cameras at all of our buildings in the interest of student safety.
• December 2012: Sandy Hook shootings.
• January 2013: Board presentation on proposed system, outlining rational and projected costs. A copy of the presentation is available at the bottom of this page.
• February 2013: Board approves project.
• Spring 2013: Infrastructure work commences at Washington. First server and interior cameras installed.
• Summer 2013: Washington second camera server and exterior cameras installed.
• October 2013: Costello infrastructure work, server and camera installation completed. Office display and system configuration completed.
• November 2013: Home school infrastructure work started.  This will be done in conjunction with additional network upgrades (funded out of regular tech budget) to address issues with network port availability and placement, clean-up of decades-old out of service wiring, and relocation of network racks to more logical and better climate-controlled locations (for example, network switches do not really hold up well over time when they are in the boiler room). 
• March 2014: Home school interior camera wiring and placement started.
• April 2014: Home school interior and exterior installations 90% completed (as of 4/3/2014).
• May 2014: Home school basically finished.  Office monitor not set up due to planned safety work/reconfiguration in office space; once this is done we will return and add mounted monitor in office.  Robinson school wiring and network infrastructure is done.  Robinson interior cameras mounted; exterior work in progress.  (Updated 5/27/2014).
• June 2014: Robinson camera installations completed; need to order and install a server and licensing for monitoring software.
• October 2014: Edison wiring and installation completed; some software configuration work remains and then the school will be done.
• November 2014: Lincoln orders placed.  Hoping to start wiring soon.  We will attempt to complete prior to winter break - if weather permits.
• December 2014: Lincoln progress as of 12/11 - Wiring run.  About half of cameras mounted.  Network upgrades done. 
   
  

Key Features and Installation Details

• Cameras are placed strategically throughout the interior and exterior of the building to achieve maximum coverage area.
• Cameras are not located in teaching spaces (ie., classrooms) per contractual language that specifically prevents monitoring devices within those areas.
• Cameras are all networked, meaning that they attach to a central, dedicated server that handles communication, management, and recording.
• Video footage is archived for not less than 2 weeks.
• Video footage is searchable and can be exported as needed.
• All of the planning and configuration work for the system has been done by district staff, with some consultation work through Skynet.
• The majority of the installation has been done by district staff; outside help has been used (as anticipated within the budget projections) and has been well-within the costs allocated for such help.

Budget Notes

Expenses so far will be listed below. A few things to note:

• All FY13 expenses (totaling about $39,000) were paid out of the technology budget. The amount the Board approved in February 2013 includes that amount, even though it had already been accounted for in our planning and budgeting for the 2012-2013 school year.
• The Board approved a project allocation of $750,000, which includes an overly generous contingency of $250,000. The contingency is inflated because it was unclear at the time whether there would be any issues related to asbestos abatement (running wiring up in the ceilings out through to the exterior of the building introduces that possibility, especially given the age of our buildings). Asbestos abatement is rarely cheap, so a decision was made to budget the contingency higher than what might typically be allocated. As of now, we have not run into any asbestos issues, and our planning at the other buildings suggests that it is unlikely that we would need to use any of it.
• The district (Jim Schiffer) applied for and received a school safety grant that will cover $50,000 of the camera hardware costs.

Table below lists all expenditures thus far on this project

The project cost as presented to the Board at the January 2013 meeting was estimated at just under $500,000 (leaving off the contingency, as discussed above). Now that we have just about completed two schools and made some adjustments to the total number of cameras and other items, the estimate for the project is down to $450,000.  Now that we have nearly completed three schools and incurred savings through volume discounts on camera purchases and using less network wire so far than anticipated, the estimate for the project is $425,000. Updated 4/3/2014

Now that five schools are completed, we are estimating a final cost under $400,00.  Updated 11/11/2014

Other Details

• We anticipate installing 239 220 cameras throughout the 6 buildings. 139 170 of the installations are done (about 58% 77%). Updated 4/3/2014.  Updated 11/11/2014.

• The Washington total includes cameras in and around the Administration and Legion buildings.
• Bidding: Per statute 105 ILCS 5/10-20.21 cameras fall under the definition of technology equipment that is exempt from the bidding requirements. The district has researched and pursued competitive pricing, and realized additional discounts through bulk purchases of cameras.  The cameras themselves have built in processors that analyze data, as described from the Axis website: "Axis network cameras and video encoders have built-in features such as video motion detection, audio detection alarm, active tampering alarm, I/O (input/output) connections, and alarm and event management functionalities. These features enable the network cameras and video encoders to constantly analyze inputs to detect an event and to automatically respond to an event with actions such as video recording and sending alarm notifications."

11/12/2013 Updates: Timeline and expenditures edited.   Costello done.  Home school started. 

03/10/2014 Updates: Home school progress.  Expenditures.

4/3/2014 Updates: Home school progress.  Expenditures.  Anticipated total cost.  Total cameras and % completion. 

5/27/2014 Updates: Timeline updated/may work added.  Expenditures. 

6/3/2014 Updates: Timeline - added June entry.  Expenditures.

6/25/2014 Updates: Timeline - clarified Lincoln completion.   Final total for FY14.  Expenditures.

10/6/2014 Updates: Timeline - added October entry.  Updated FY15 expenditures.

11/11/2014 Updates: Timeline - added November entry.  Updated FY15 expenditures.  Edited Other Details section.

12/11/2014 Updates: Timeline - added December entry.