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District to expand vape detectors and camera-linked access control across high schools
Summary
Staff told the board vape detectors will be installed in high-school restrooms (tied to exterior cameras) as part of a safety initiative; video systems are integrated with access control and La Crosse Police have camera access for investigations.
Staff said vape detectors will be installed in boys' and girls' restrooms at both high schools as a board initiative; detectors trigger reports and are monitored via cameras outside restroom areas to help identify tampering or nonstudent use. "We'll be getting a report right away if someone's tampering with it," the presenter said, and added that camera footage is used to determine who left the area when detectors activate.
The district also described a broader security-software upgrade. Presenter said the district's Verkada camera system is integrated with intercom and guest systems and that access-control software installed in 2009 is being upgraded to give the district more precise control of entry and exit points. The La Crosse Police Department participated in an evaluation and has access to cameras and key fobs in cruiser vehicles; staff estimated roughly 406 cameras district-wide.
Board members asked whether cameras could stream directly to police; staff said police already have access but the district had not implemented direct live feeds to patrol units. Staff stressed the upgrades were intended to improve safety and reporting while noting privacy and operational checks are part of system use.
