Columbia Public Schools add more security cameras

Columbia Public Schools has made security enhancements it says increases safety for students.

“Every school year we do a safety and security evaluation and make a determination about additional concerns or additional needs,” said Michelle Baumstark with Columbia Public Schools.

This year, the district saw the need for adding the “buzz-in” system at Rock Bridge and Hickman High Schools, as well as additional cameras.

“We’ve also added a number of security cameras to buildings throughout the district,” Baumstark said. “We add new cameras to buildings every year to areas that may have an additional need, or as higher quality and better cameras become available, we upgrade those as well.”

She said the use of emergency radios is also helping enhance student safety.

“It really provides us not just with safety, but also in any type of weather or electrical emergencies,” Baumstark said. “It’s good to have other ways to be able to have direct two-way conversations, not only with our safety and security personnel, but also with emergency responders and so this provides us direct access.”

The district makes substantial investments in security.

“We typically spend anywhere from $100,000 to $300,000 a year on security infrastructure upgrades,” Baumstark said.