OGDEN — Weber School District administrators are planning to make major upgrades to the surveillance cameras in their schools, but what's even more interesting is how the district plans to use them.

District officials are currently testing out a number of high-end cameras they hope they'll be able to fold into a network that Ogden police say is a long-overdue step for schools.

"It's really something we should have been doing a long time ago," said John Harvey, deputy director at the Ogden Police Department.

The plan is to use the police department's Real Time Crime Center, which currently monitors surveillance cameras around Ogden city, to monitor surveillance systems inside Weber schools.

The district's network will eventually feature roughly 1,000 cameras across 45 schools. The police department's crime center will operate as a nerve center, guiding multiple police agencies in an emergency. Eventually, officers will even be able to access the video feeds on their smartphones.

Weber officials have been working with every police agency that borders the school district.

"We're working toward more partnerships — not just with video, but with data as well — with the school systems," Harvey said.

Despite its obvious application in scenarios involving intruders and active shooters, administrators maintain this camera system was in the planning stages long before the Sandy Hook tragedy in Connecticut.

Related:

Video surveillance at school: Big Brother or acceptable tool?

Video surveillance is becoming simply a fact of life. Nearly everywhere you go someone is watching. More schools are using video cameras to watch our kids. Is this the Big Brother that George Orwell warned us of, or is it a necessary tool?

The camera system is also good for identifying bullies, vandals and thieves, district officials say.

"These are all IP cameras, which will have three to four times the resolution. So, you can pick out faces," said Casey Dalpias, systems engineer for Weber District.

"The system's there, and it's easy to go back and check and see what actually took place," said Weber District spokesman Nate Taggart.

The project will cost more than $500,000, so the Weber School Foundation is soliciting donations online. The goal is to raise $100,000 from parents, which the foundation will match.

"We need to be able to have law enforcement have access to our school security cameras," Taggart said.

The hope is to start on this project sometime this summer. But district officials warn it may take a couple of years before everything is up and running.

If you would like to donate* to Weber School Foundation's Safety for Students campaign, visit http://foundation.wsd.net/index.php/s4s-info.

Contributing: Jordan Ormond

*ksl.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does ksl.com assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

Related topics