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Cop Eyes: Macomb County Connects Sheriff's Video System With Schools To Add Layer Of Protection

(WWJ) In the wake of a school shooting in Parkland, Fla., that left 17 students dead, Macomb County officials are adding an extra set of eyes to school security.

Officials are working with local school districts so their communications dispatch center can tie in to any school building's security camera network during an emergency.

County Executive Mark Hackel says this will give emergency responders multiple sets of eyes inside the building -- cop eyes -- when every second counts.

"We understand the protocol of hey, grab somebody from that school, not just somebody, maybe a janitor who has a diagram, we want somebody from the technology perspective, some of your IT folks, to give us those codes and access, how do we get them over here or how do you have that phone call to make this happen, and we light it up," Hackel said.

County officials say they are working on protocols with school districts where systems in the sheriff's department can access the view from cameras inside school buildings to see what's happening in real time. They can also use the video links to see road conditions, and more.

It's welcome news to Utica Community Schools Superintendent Christine Johns, who was part of Tuesday's demonstration where the high school cameras displayed real time images that could help in the response to a critical event. Johns said it should reassure parents and their children.

"I want to reassure our parents that it is this collaborative effort, it is this partnership, with the MISD -- the Intermediate School District -- with local law enforcement, with the sheriff's office, with the county exec that we can continue to assure our families that our children are safe," Johns said.

The system in question is called the Communications and Technology Center -- or COMTEC -- and it's already used by law enforcement and the road commission to monitor traffic cameras and signals on county roads.

"Trust me, it's going to be an incredible heightened sense of awareness," Hackel said, adding in the event of a school shooting, it would allow first responders to locate the shooter or shooters, see their weapons and answer questions like whether they're wearing body armor, and allow them to see where kids could be safely evacuated.

 

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