After purchasing more than 400 security cameras and seven door access systems in the fall, the Penn-Trafford School District has a policy to guide the use of its new technology.

The school board voted this month to approve the district’s first security camera policy.

“We really didn’t have a policy, and we realized that was a glaring omission in our policy manual, especially now that we have over 400 cameras,” Assistant Superintendent Scott Inglese said. “It was very important that we make sure we have a policy in place to address use and function of the cameras.”

The board voted Oct. 2 to spend $516,000 on 423 new security cameras and an accompanying door access system for each school in the district. Most of the cameras were purchased to replace existing cameras, but 46 are meant to fill blind spots in the previous system, Inglese said.

The cameras were installed in the elementary, middle and high schools before Christmas, Inglese said. Administrators and security personnel received training on the new system Jan. 9.

“We’re up and running,” Inglese said. “We’re using them, and everything seems to be working well so far.”

The new door access systems will be installed in the coming weeks, he said.

The policy lays out a 30-day retention period for the camera’s footage and defines who is permitted to view the cameras.

“We just don’t want any employee — whether it be a teacher, a custodian, a cafeteria worker — to be able to come in there and start looking at cameras,” Inglese said. “We set up parameters about the superintendent and principals, and there needs to be a legitimate purpose for safety and security.”

Live monitoring of the cameras and viewing of their footage must be approved by Superintendent Matthew Harris, the policy states. Footage can be viewed for safety and security purposes, but not for personal interest.

The policy also requires Harris to keep a record of who accesses the recordings.

The cameras, per state and federal guidelines, cannot record audio or be placed in sensitive locations such as bathrooms and locker rooms, he said.

Many of the previous cameras — which were 10 to 15 years old — were unreliable and complicated to use, Inglese said. Principals and Penn Township police officers — who have access to the system — often reported downed cameras and buffering, unclear footage.

The new system will be more user-friendly, Harris said.

“I am glad that we upgraded the camera system as we had the prior system for a long time,” he said. “The technology capabilities are more advanced than it was when we first implemented the cameras.”

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)