By Paul Paterra
Tribune-Review
PITTSBURGH — Murrysville is upgrading its police vehicles with software that will provide video feeds of the buildings in the Franklin Regional School District in the event of an emergency.
Council voted 5-1 last week to approve a contract with OnSite Information Systems Inc. of Murrysvillle for Responder Knowledge-based software. Councilman Dennis Pavlik cast the lone opposing vote, and Councilwoman Nancy Kacin was not in attendance.
Police Chief Tom Seefeld said laptops will be placed in the municipality’s seven police vehicles to receive video feeds of the school buildings and will include other features such as electronic floor plans and building diagrams.
“We’re trying to be pro-active and be prepared for anything that lies ahead for us,” the chief said. “If we have an incident in the school district, such as a gunman or somebody in there trying to kidnap a child, we would be able to go on the laptops, and the cameras in each school give us the ability to get a live video feed.
“That gives us eyes from outside the building to help us better prepare and plan prior to entering the building.”
The cost is $45,605, which will come from a federal Department of Community Oriented Policing Technology Program grant of $100,000. The Franklin Regional School Board approved the system in January 2009.
“It will provide safer access,” said Dennis Majewski, Franklin Regional’s director of district services. “When we get alarms, we don’t know what we’re facing. They’ll have the cameras, they can look inside and see what’s going on to know what to prepare for.”
Seefeld said it will be about a year before the program is active.
Pavlik said he objects to the program because of possible unauthorized use.
“You’re having a computerized electronic system that is going to be readily available,” Pavlik said after the council meeting. “If they had a wired communication system, where the cops went over and plugged into it ... then I don’t have a problem with it.”
Seefeld said the software will be used only when needed.
Eventually, the chief hopes the system is expanded to churches, businesses, banks and warehouses.
“The more entities that will hop on board with this, the better,” Seefeld said. “I think it will be a good thing if others joined in to help with the endeavor.”
Copyright 2010 Pittsburth Tribune-Review