Technology Solutions Upgrades Campus-Wide Public Security System
We are happy to share that the campus-wide public security system maintained and operated by Technology Solutions has been upgraded to provide a more modern service supporting safety. The upgrade replaces the legacy, 30-year-old Startel system with a new Voice Over IP model. “Startel designed a system solely for us,” says Technology Solutions Electrical and Electronic Instruments and Controls Mechanic Foreman Gregory Crnich. “This system has not been implemented anywhere else.”
Quote 1 Heading link
The upgraded system is more dependable, and UIC Police now has the ability to accept multiple calls which is a big deal.
| Electrical & Electronic Instruments and Controls Mechanic Foreman
On-Campus Security Heading link
The Startel security system is best identified by the 8-foot, blue-light bollards or posts located throughout the public walkways, restrooms, common areas, and elevators on the East and West campus, as well as panic button devices mounted in higher risk environments such as hospitals, usually under desks.
Units offer direct access to the UIC Police Department, which is alerted when someone presses the red call button to call for assistance. The UIC campus has just under 1,800 units which self-test daily to ensure reliability in an emergency.
With panic devices, with a single press of the button, the call will go directly to the UIC Police without a sound or indication. The UIC Police will be able to hear audio in the event the button is pressed, which gives officers a better understanding of circumstances before arrival.
Leveraging Technology for Better Safety Heading link
Prior to the new upgrade, UIC Police used to see a basic screen with a location, and can now see a Google maps version of security points for more accurate and easier to read mapping. There was a single phone line to accept incoming emergency calls, which means that if a second call came in, the first would have to be put on hold to address the second call. With the upgrade, this is no longer an issue.
Quote 2 Heading link
We used to have only one telecommunicator that could answer a call, and now we have a phone at every desk in the dispatch office and can take multiple calls at the UIC Police Station.
| Electrical & Electronic Instruments and Controls Mechanic Foreman
Text Continued Heading link
Launched about two years ago, the way this upgrade has been performed has saved the university millions of dollars worth of gear that did not have to be replaced, Crnich says.
The upgrade extends UIC security capabilities and also better protects against system downtime. “We now have redundant fiber loops all around campus,” Crnich explains. “That means that when a fiber gets cut it does not take down the entire system anymore.”
Now that the full upgrade has been completed, Technology Solutions is working on implementing extra features on the system to support the UICPD, including injecting video feeds where applicable.
Commitment to Safety at UIC Heading link
The University of Illinois at Chicago Police Department, in full partnership with the University and its surrounding communities, is committed to the safety and security of the campus and its neighborhoods, so as to create the most enriching academic environment and quality of life for all UIC’s students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
Through the Startel upgrade, Technology Solutions is proud to support safety at UIC.