Sunday, September 14, 2008
WITH the explosion of big-dollar, state-of-the-art
technological machinery, cutting-edge systems, lightning-speed tracking devices and other generational tools at college campuses across the globe, the Security and Safety Department at the University of Technology (UTech) has emerged with an energised drive to expand the role of technology in protecting students and staff on the campus.
Many will remember the early-morning shooting incident last December which claimed the life of 21-year-old student DeAndra Morris, after she was attacked, in the company of a female friend, while returning from a party. Additionally, since the start of the new academic year, the department has reportedly received many 'stalker reports' from both students and staff members.
Smith explains the workings and functions of the high-tech equipment in the restricted security area. (Photos: Lionel Rookwood)
That's why the university is investing tens of millions of dollars to expand their high-tech security control room as part of efforts to further upgrade their already highly-advanced 'protection scheme' - described as the most sophisticated among educational institutions in Jamaica. Already close to completion, the control area comes fully equipped with flat-screen monitoring devices, surveillance feeds from all corners of the campus and even weather-tracking software. On the dormitories, visual ID recognition is employed, with the feed sent back to the university's control room. Additionally, the university will soon boast a new viewing room, much akin to those used at foreign police stations.
These days, security is big business at UTech and they want to share their expertise and capabilities with the rest of the island - and the region. Just ask Robert 'Bobby' Smith, the man who has been leading the big-hearted security revolution at the school for the last four years.
"We want to go into the business of providing technologically-advanced
security services throughout the region for education purposes. We are not in competition with other institutions. We are interested in sharing our expertise for the benefit of staff and students," Smith told the Sunday Observer. "We feel very strongly that learning should be done in a safe environment and that the investment we make in terms of safety and security will yield very good results."
Two weeks ago, the Sunday Observer was taken on a tour of the facilities to view the current control room (a highly restricted area) and to hear about the vast upgrading work being carried out. The high-tech control room is a gadget-geek's paradise with broad computer screens displaying all areas of the campus, including lecture rooms, offices and the wider outdoors. A staff of four including Garfield McClarey, Irene Brown and Winsome Blair operates the room.
"When storm comes, their yard don't see them for days," Smith says of his staff. "We are able to monitor the classrooms and stay on top of whatever happens on the campus. And when we finish expanding our space, we will be able to get more done. We always have to keep adding new software to upgrade our system," he shared.
The estimated cost of the upgrading operations, we were informed, lies in the multi-millions.
"We have to work really hard to make our students feel secure on the campus. And even though we don't have major problems on the campus, security is always a big issue," McClarey said.
In the meantime, Smith says there are plans afoot to set up a police post at the school's main entrance.
"We are having ongoing discussions with the police commissioner and the mayor of Kingston about it. Hopefully, everything will work out and it will be up before the end of the term," Smith revealed. "We are looking into the costs right now. The commissioner is enthusiastic because part of the plan is to make it a model for how community policing should be done. We want to take over Papine so to speak. Later down the road we might branch out into VIP protection because we know we have the capabilities."
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