Will Students be Safe at School This Year?

Business Wire, August 25, 1999

BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 25, 1999--

Schools Invest in Advanced Security Systems So Students,

Parents and Faculty Can Focus On Education

Nearly three million crimes occur on or near school property each year. With schools nationwide now opening their doors for the 1999-2000 school year, administrators are turning to technology to provide extra security in and around school grounds so students can feel safe and focus on their education. By the year 2004, industry experts say that U.S. schools will spend a total of $736.6 million dollars to protect children at school.

According to J.P. Freeman Co., Inc., and Sensormatic Electronics Corporation (NYSE:SRM), 39 percent of the more than 31,000 middle and high schools in the United States will be equipped with electronic security systems for the 1999-2000 school year. This represents a 24 percent increase in the systems installed in middle schools and high school since 1995. By the 2003-2004 school year, it is estimated that 62 percent of middle and high schools will implement some form of electronic security system that includes intrusion systems, access control systems and video surveillance systems.

Of the different types of security systems, video surveillance systems are the fastest growing form of technology being implemented in schools. Middle and high schools have invested more than $50 million in video surveillance systems, often referred to as Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), for the 1999-2000 school year, a 74 percent increase since 1995. Furthermore, research indicates that by the 2003-2004 school year, schools will be investing nearly $100 million in video surveillance systems.

However, security experts are quick to note that in order to effectively secure a school, administrators must do more than just install a video camera.

"School security is more than just installing a camera and pressing `record'," said Richard Chace, director of communications for the Security Industry Association. "Administrators are now recognizing that in order to keep their children safe, they must install active, intelligent systems. Many schools are now using advanced video surveillance systems that have the ability to instantly record suspicious activity, sound alarms and even alert the police. These systems also provide instant accessibility to videotaped footage, which is imperative to the success of CCTV as a security device."

An increasing number of administrators are turning to security companies to purchase these cutting-edge electronic security systems.

"Since the tragedy at Columbine, Sensormatic has seen a 20 percent increase in calls from school administrators inquiring about advanced security systems," said Sandy Calabrese, vice president marketing at Sensormatic, a leading provider of electronic security systems. "These are the same advanced systems that have been used for years in banks, embassies, and corporate facilities worldwide."

Sensormatic's Intellex(R) system, a new computer-based video-recording system, eliminates having to commit manpower and hours to reviewing videotape by allowing the operator to instantly search and retrieve vital information.

"It's similar to finding your favorite song on a CD with one click of a button, as opposed to fast-forwarding through a cassette tape to find it," said Calabrese. "With the Intellex system, you simply enter the time, date or location parameters into the search field and the hard drive instantly retrieves that segment of the video tape. Or, you have the option of having the system alert you and provide you with information, including the time and date that a computer was stolen, for example."

Immediate access to critical information can ensure the safety of any environment by allowing law enforcement officials to quickly and effectively respond to potentially dangerous situations. Advanced electronic security allows students and teachers to focus on education and provide reassurance for students, parents, faculty and administrators.

Sensormatic Electronics Corporation is the leading supplier of electronic security systems to the retail, commercial, educational and industrial marketplaces. Sensormatic also is a leader in integrated source tagging - a process where consumer goods manufacturers apply anti-theft tags at the point of packaging or manufacturing.

For more information on Sensormatic and the SafeKids(TM) program, visit the company's homepage at http://www.sensormatic.com.