Thomas Aquinas High Gets Puts Surveillance in Arts Center

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 08/25/09

St. Thomas Aquinas High School has installed a video and audio security system from Sonitrol of Ft. Lauderdale, FL in its Bienes Center for the Arts, a 315-seat theater and performance education facility.

Within the St. Thomas arts center's theater, customized CCTV security cameras incorporate infrared technology to capture images in the dark. Motion-activated cameras feature water-marking technology certified to produce admissible court evidence. In addition, administrators at the school can access images from the camera system remotely via the Internet for review and decision-making.

"We had a wide range of security requirements for our new arts center," said Supervising Principal Monsignor Vincent Kell. "The security system had to be effective, but not obtrusive. We also needed it to detect potential security threats in varied environments--a noisy public setting, a darkened theater, and back-of-the-house facilities."

The system also includes audio intrusion detection technology that relays sound for real-time determination of a break-in. When an alarm is triggered, Sonitrol staff can listen in to determine if a break-in is in progress or if the alarm was triggered by a false alarm.

Sonitrol will be deploying surveillance equipment elsewhere in the high school, said Kelly. "We've turned to their team for additional security systems in our recently-completed Smith Athletic Center and other critical facilities on campus."