Background

Combining creativity with safety and security

Grafisch Lyceum Utrecht (GLU) is a creative and safe school that specialises in various multi-media disciplines as well as communications, media management and marketing. With approximately 2,100 students, GLU is located in Utrecht, The Netherlands and as at any education establishment the protection of its staff and students is of paramount importance, which saw the school first implement a surveillance system in its new main building in 1998.

Challenges

Unobtrusive and flexible surveillance

In 2004 following several burglaries over the previous four years, Sead Hafizovic, GLU’s Safety and Security Supervisor identified the need to upgrade security provisions. The current surveillance systems consisted of five analogue cameras connected to a video recorder that required the changing of video tapes daily, and Hafizovic recognised this was no longer fit for purpose. Located across two facilities in Utrecht, GLU’s the main building in Vondellaan features glass walls and multiple access points giving the school an open and creative feel that Hafizovic wanted to maintain, making the need for unobtrusive security measures an important factor.

Hafizovic turned to trusted partner Trigion, a systems integrator responsible for all the school’s security measures encompassing intruder, access control and video surveillance. Acting as an advisor, Trigion was tasked to find the most effective surveillance solution that would meet the security and performance needs of the school, while having the flexibility to scale and adapt as security and operational requirements changed.

Solution

Seamless migration path to networked HD surveillance

Following a thorough assessment by both GLU and Trigion a mix of 30 IDIS analogue cameras together with motion detectors were implemented. The new security system proved incredibly effective in reducing crime as well as health and safety incidents and was gradually extended over the next ten years to include cameras in all strategic locations.

In 2013, the GLU went about updating the school’s security policy to include the use of cameras and their related images. While working alongside Trigion to develop the policy, Trigion advised GLU to make the move from analogue to high-definition IP to vastly improve performance and thereby further increase safety and security. Since the existing IDIS system was still reliably operating, GLU needed to be convinced of the investment.

Trigion first installed two networked HD cameras next to the existing surveillance system. Both systems could be viewed easily through IDIS Center, totally cost-free video management software (VMS). The improved performance in terms of crisp picture quality, fast retrieval of footage and the easy and rapid installation quickly convinced GLU to implement a phased upgrade from analogue to IP. By 2014, GLU was operating a mix of IDIS analogue and HD networked cameras connected to IDIS network video recorders (NVRs) all seamlessly managed through IDIS Center, providing a high performance, centralised monitoring capability.

Results and Benefits

Combining creativity with a safe and secure learning environment

Since implementation the number incidents of internal theft, harassment, fighting and drug taking has reduced to almost zero—a measurable result Hafizovic is very proud of. The security policy has been shared with students and they fully understand their rights and obligations when it comes to the use of surveillance in the school and the importance of personal safety.

The innate flexibility and backward compatibility of the IDIS solution allows GLU to continuously improve and adapt safety and security provisions, effectively enabling the school to upgrade to next generation IDIS technology when it comes online and integrate with other systems as required.

In 2015, GLU was voted the third best school in a nationwide survey, in which GLU scored top in the areas of safety and security. Later the same year, the King of The Netherlands, Willem Alexander and Jet Bussemaker, the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science visited GLU to witness its achievements for themselves, proving a proud day for GLU staff and students.

" Safety and security is at the heart of GLU’s ethos and Trigion and IDIS have more than exceeded our expectations. The school has retained its open environment and creative feel through the unobtrusive nature of the IDIS cameras, while the high-quality images, the implementation of a clear security policy, awareness training and the reporting capabilities within the IDIS solution are ensuring we maintain a safe and secure learning environment for our students. "

Sead Hafizovic and Raymond van Schaik
Safety and Security Supervisor at GLU and Account Manager at Trigion