For the past two years, Owatonna High School’s security has been continually improving. A major upgrade has been the security cameras. The new cameras became fully operational on Feb. 1 and there have been a lot of questions revolving the “upgrade”. How do they make us safer? Are there any dead zones? How are they even an upgrade? What’s the difference? The new cameras even reach to the outside of the school. When you walk out of the Indian doors, there is a camera on the wall to the right above the doors. The reason for the installation of the extra and new cameras were a result of the bomb threat incident  from last year, calling for additions to willow creek, the junior high and all the other schools in the district.

Some people wonder how all these cameras are making us safer. By offering the opportunity to be more proactive, people can survey things going on in the building the entire day with 24/7 surveillance in and outside the building with cameras even added to the parking lot. The cameras are high definition and have a wider angle and coverage.

With the increase of cameras and the secure entrance at the front of the building, nobody can just walk in or out of the building without being noticed. A combination of administrators, police liaison and community service officers will be working together on monitoring and following up on any issues. The money came from dollars that allocated through the recently passed bond referendum to go to security upgrades with more measures being added over the next couple years. The way visitors check in will be changing, but they are still looking for ideas on what that change will be. The good thing is that the OHS will not go as far as to add checkpoints outside of the school with metal detectors.