Multiple local school districts plan to give law enforcement access to live camera feeds

Multiple school districts in Northeast Florida are working to give law enforcement access to live feeds from surveillance cameras on campus.

Action News Jax Investigates: Broken surveillance cameras in local schools 

St. Johns, Putnam and Nassau County school districts have already started the process.

A Clay County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said the agency and Clay County School District are looking into it, too.

“It definitely could save lives” said Ken Jefferson, Action News Jax crime and safety expert.

Jefferson said a live feed could help law enforcement monitor an active shooter’s whereabouts.

“By looking at the live feed and having a constant communication with the person that’s watching it while the officers are responding, they can guide and direct them in areas where, before this technology was available, they had to go based on instinct,” Jefferson said.

Duval County Public Schools spokesperson Laureen Ricks said there is no immediate plan to provide the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office access to school surveillance feeds, but the district is open to the conversation.

“Duval County Public Schools is different from many surrounding districts because we have our own police department with sworn law enforcement personnel on each of our middle and high school campuses. Our Duval Public School Police team is also staffed to deploy rapidly to all of our other schools as needed. Our police department has access to surveillance systems as needed to provide a safe and secure environment for students and staff,” Ricks said in an emailed statement.

As a mother of two Duval County high schoolers, Tiffany Clark said she would have mixed feelings about the prospect of giving law enforcement access to a live feed of school surveillance cameras.

“I think that’s something that needs to be brought to the table for some very serious conversation. Because what we don’t want to do is interfere with the privacy of our children at the expense where now we’re creating a bigger issue,” Clark said.

Clark said she would also worry about hackers getting access.

“Who’s to say that a hacker would not be able to interfere with this process and this live feed?” said Clark.

Action News Jax found a website that claims to show live feeds from hacked surveillance cameras, including multiple cameras at Jacksonville homes and businesses.

“Anytime you embrace new technology, there’s always someone trying to figure it out or trying to break into it, or whatever,” Jefferson said.

Action News Jax asked Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper about what precautions the county is taking to protect students from hackers seeing into classrooms.

“That is something that has to be ironed out before implementation. A lot depends upon the camera system the schools utilize and the provider of the cameras. Technology is always changing so trying to stay ahead is challenging,” Leeper said in an email.

Cox Media Group