Expanded Camera System to Enhance Eastern Florida Campus Security

Eastern Florida State College will expand its comprehensive security measures through an expanded camera system on all four campuses to further strengthen protections for students, faculty and staff.

The Board of Trustees approved the project Monday. It consists of adding a large number of security cameras at numerous locations on the Titusville, Cocoa, Melbourne and Palm Bay campuses.

Specific details were not disclosed to ensure the protection of the more than 25,000 students who attend the college annually.

“Nothing is more important than the safety of everyone at the college and the expansion of our security camera system will be another strong tool for college security and law enforcement officers to deter and prevent crime,” said Jack Parker, Associate Vice President for the Public Safety Institute and College Security.

“It will also provide officers with real-time intelligence and observations if a severe incident were to take place, likely leading to a quicker resolution.”

The camera system is the latest in a growing number of major security improvements the college has made under the direction of its president, Dr. Jim Richey, who continues making security a top priority.

Some of those improvements include:

• Opening police substations and increasing police patrols on all four campuses through an enhanced partnership with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and the Titusville, Cocoa, Melbourne and Palm Bay police departments.
• Expanding the size of the College Security force to increase the number of officers on each campus throughout the day and night.
• Purchasing new radio equipment for the College Security force to ensure improved communications.
• Creating a Reserve Officer force including active law enforcement personnel to further improve the college’s patrol ability and responsiveness to emergencies.
• Upgrading an emergency notification system that uses text messaging, the college’s website and social media platforms, and special alerts sent to classrooms and offices to keep students, faculty and staff informed during an emergency.
• Holding safety workshops for faculty and staff to instruct them how to protect themselves and students in an emergency.
• Hiring Parker, a former two-term Brevard County Sheriff and the former Brevard County Public Safety Director, to head up the college’s safety and security initiatives that are resulting in positive changes.

Parker said still more security enhancements will be made in the coming year “to make our campuses as safe as possible.”