Which raises the question: How helpful can surveillance cameras be during a school shooting? Are there any cases where video surveillance helped mitigate human loss because they were able to view remotely the shooter's location inside the school?
This is now the second school shooting this week. It's crazy how they are just accepted as the norm at this point.
Thoughts?
No, never heard of cameras making a meaningful difference in mitigating / stopping school shootings. Obvious, recordings can have evidentiary value though typically there's no question who the shooter is / was.
However there is this promotional video where video sort of stops a shooting:
Classroom locks have potential to make a difference, though.
I think that even if cameras were utilized effectively, I'm not sure you'd hear about it because that's not really "news".
In any scenario like that, more situational awareness is never a bad thing, but if I was a school spending money on reducing the probability of fatal activities I wouldn't spend the money on interior cameras first.
It is awfully tough to prove a negative. I did see video once in my life where a bank robber came into a branch with video, left, went across the street and robbed a branch that did not have it.
We install cameras in branches for retail banking. We always recommend a camera on the night deposit. Problems and complaints about lost deposits, robberies etc are reduced dramatically.
Given the mental state of a school shooter, I would doubt he/they would care. I do find it interesting that most, if not all are male. It is very rare to hear of a female school shooter, regardless of age, race, etc.
Ask questions and get answers to your physical security questions from IPVM team members and fellow subscribers.
