As of right now, there are 48 security cameras located on the Carlmont campus, keeping an eye on everything students do. And that is probably a good thing.

To deter potential crimes and catch footage of illegal activity, Carlmont High School hired Ojo Technologies, a company specializing in installing video surveillance systems, three years ago to install security cameras on campus.

Carlmont Vice-Principal Ralph Crame recalled, “We told Ojo Technologies where we needed support. Then, they installed the cameras.” Ever since, Crame has been using the video surveillance system at Carlmont very often.

After the security cameras were installed, they immediately began to serve as a vital part of the Carlmont security system.

“There are two main uses for the cameras,” stated Crame. “For one, students know them and behave better because they know they’re being watched. The cameras, in a way, intimidate some of the students.”

“There was an improvement with student behavior on campus after the cameras were installed,” Crame added. “The immature behavior was reduced.”

The cameras scattered around campus are hard to miss. Out of 50 Carlmont students polled, every single one of them were aware of the cameras.
However, many Carlmont students don’t seem to mind the security cameras. Sophomore Ben Stephan said, “I know they are there, but honestly I just wave at them and pretend they’re not there.”

Cameras can also provide footage of crimes that have occurred. “Cameras allow us to see who did what,” Crame pointed out. “We can catch more people doing more things.”

One great example of the security cameras at use was in the first week of November 2012, when the security cameras got footage of a thief stealing an iPhone from someone else’s back pocket. Thanks to the security camera, the iPhone was recovered.

Elaborating on the iPhone incident, Crame said, “The security cameras are very useful. This was just one of the many cases where the cameras have caught a crime on footage.”

So how do staff members view recorded footage from the cameras?

“The computers in the offices can download a special software,” Crame explained. “This software can access all the security cameras on campus and also play back footage on the cameras, even from a week ago.”

In addition to software that can access all the security cameras, Crame also had an app on his phone that could view the footage. This app, known as Xprotect, allows Crame to browse through all the cameras at Carlmont seamlessly, zoom in and out, and view up to six different camera angles at once.

Due to serving as an efficient and effective way to overlook the campus, Crame is very happy with the video surveillance system at Carlmont High School.

“The cameras were a great addition to the school,” Crame stated. “We’re definitely interested in installing more cameras on campus.”