Surveillance System Keeps Eye On SPC Campuses

 Amanda Hurt-Piercy, staff writer

Technology Advances Across SPC Campuses

Beware South Plains College students, you are being watched.

The digital video recording system, which is basically a security system, was first installed about two or three years ago and has continued to be expanded each year. The system is from the Dedicated Micros Company and uses Digital Sprite equipment.

 The system features 184 cameras that are set up in various places across SPC campuses, including Levelland, Plainview and Reese Center The cameras run 24 hours a day and are initiated by motion censors.

The system has a month to a month and a half of memory before it runs out of space and begins recording over.

“The system is a great tool,” said John Wuerflein, chief of police at SPC. “We’ve been able to solve a few thefts using the cameras, because we can always go back and look if there has been a disturbance and find out what really happened.”

Cameras are located in the Business Office, Office of Student Services, Student Center, the Admissions Office wing in the Student Services Building, Technical Arts, the Science and Biology buildings, PE Complex, Forrest Hall, Stroud Hall, Frazier Hall, Lamar Hall, Gillespie, South Sue and North Sue Spencer residence halls on the Levelland campus. Buildings 2, 3 and 8 on the Reese Center campus are equipped with cameras and the Plainview campus also has cameras at various locations. In the future there are plans to install cameras in other buildings, including Building 4 and Building 5 on the Reese campus and the Creative Arts Building on the Levelland campus.

“I would love to see every building and parking lot equipped with this system,” said Wuerflein. “It is a great asset and very well worth it.”

According to Wuerflein, two thefts have been solved in the Technology Center using the security cameras. Also, footage from the cameras have been used to solve thefts at the Reese Center campus, catching a thief who stole a DVD player from the college and another thief who stole a laptop computer.

“The system definitely increases security,” said Cathy Mitchell, dean of student life at SPC. “If a conflict should occur, we have video to aid in the investigation.”

Beginning in September of 2005, SPC’s phone network received an upgrade.

Across the campuses, new Voice IP (Internet Protocol) System phones have been installed. The new phones are manufactured by Cisco Systems.

“These new phones offer additional advantages over the previous phones used at SPC,” said Tim Winders, associate dean of information technology. The two phones being installed are the 7960 and 7940 series.

Among the many things the new phones offer, it allows faculty members and staff the opportunity to tie into the data network and dial-up to the Internet from the phone. A small video camera can also be hooked up to the computer, which allows the person to see who is speaking on the other line.

“We plan to be completely finished installing the new phones by the end of the summer,” said Winders.

To receive more information on the digital video system at SPC, contact, Wuerflein at 894-9611, ext. 2396. To learn more about the Video IP System, contact Winders at ext. 2369.