Chief Cochran told the Topeka Public Schools Board of Education that FuSYS is a “real time crime center” that can tap camera feeds across the city and bring selected school cameras online when a 911 call or a district request triggers the system. He said the district’s camera network can feed into an EliteCore server that hosts up to 180 cameras and that the sheriff’s office is seeking access primarily to exterior cameras around schools.

Why it matters: Board members said the ability to bring outside and hallway cameras online quickly could help first responders and law enforcement direct resources faster during emergencies and that a partnership could protect students, staff and responding officers.

Chief Cochran and IT staff explained costs and scope. He said an EliteCore capable of hosting 180 cameras would cost about $7,300 up front and carry an annual subscription of about $2,300 after the first year. Topeka Public Schools already operates roughly 2,300 district cameras, he said, and an initial EliteCore would cover only a fraction of those; adding a second core would multiply the hosting subscription. Cochran said the district could choose which cameras and buildings to bring online first and that some schools would not be part of an initial rollout.

Board members asked about privacy safeguards, access controls and local principal involvement. Cochran said the district would sign a memorandum of understanding with FuSYS and the sheriff’s office restricting unfettered access: exterior cameras could be made viewable to FuSYS staff by agreement; interior cameras would only be activated for FuSYS viewing after the district requested activation or when a 911 CAD trigger sends the feed automatically. IT staff described an audit trail that logs which cameras a FuSYS operator opened and requires justification for access on the back end.

Members pressed for more data-driven targeting of cameras. Board member Doctor Bonebrake asked for a spreadsheet showing each school, the number of existing cameras and suggested “minimum” camera counts per site and local incident data that would justify prioritization. Chief Cochran said administration would prepare a recommended plan for the board, coordinate with principals and school resource officers, and return with costs and suggested camera allocations.

On integration with officer body-worn cameras, Cochran said current district body cameras are not compatible with the FuSYS integration but that newer Axon devices can be activated and streamed through the system; he said he would provide cost estimates for upgrading when the plan returns. He also said, if the board approved funding and agreements, installation and bringing cameras online could begin within about 30 days.

The item was discussed as a planning/consensus discussion; the board did not take a formal vote. Administration said the FuSYS plan will be back to the board as an action item with a specific deployment and cost recommendation.