Bengaluru: Police Mandated Schools For Metal Detectors, CCTV Installation Notice

In response to notices from the local police department, private schools in Bengaluru are grappling with the implementation of heightened security measures. Citing the Karnataka Public Safety (Measures) Enforcement Act of 2017, the police have ordered the installation of door frame metal detectors, handheld detectors, and CCTV cameras with specific resolutions throughout the premises of private schools in the city.

According to reports by the TOI, a few schools in the Bengaluru South education district received the notices on Saturday, and it is anticipated that institutions across the entire city will soon receive similar directives.

Installation and Operational Guidelines 

The notices mandate the installation of handheld and door frame metal detectors as part of the specified security standards. Additionally, surveillance cameras with a resolution capable of covering up to 50 yards must be strategically placed across the campus. Each school is required to designate at least one employee from an outsourcing agency with expertise in operating electronic equipment, such as CCTVs and access control systems.

The cameras are expected to have a minimum 30-day storage capacity and operate 24/7, covering entrance and exit points, as well as parking areas. The financial responsibility for these security measures lies with the school administration. Furthermore, the recorded CCTV footage is to be treated as confidential, accessible only to authorized staff.

D Shashi Kumar, the secretary of the Association of Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools of Karnataka, expressed discontent, citing a similar rule introduced in 2014 and challenged in the Karnataka High Court. He argued that it is unjust for the police to impose additional restrictions when a protection policy has been in effect since 2017.