How Middletown Unified School District Cut Footage Review From Hours to Minutes

Hours of Manual Footage Review Across Disconnected Cameras

Middletown Unified School District serves 1,500 students and 150 staff across dispersed sites, with the logistical and financial challenges typical of small districts. Led by Johnny Alves, Director of Technology, and a lean IT team, the district has adopted scalable, cost-effective solutions to enhance safety and efficiency.

Its camera systems were outdated and disconnected. The district relied on multiple standalone camera systems that were neither integrated nor easily accessible remotely. Identifying an individual in footage or tracking a misplaced item meant sifting through extensive footage manually — hours of work that created extra effort and slowed the district’s response.

Any replacement had to balance advanced security features with tight financial limits, and with an IT team of a director and a network technician, it had to require minimal training and maintenance. The district began looking for a system that was simpler, more reliable, easy to use, and affordable.

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Cost, Ease of Use, and a Direct Line to Coram’s Engineers

After evaluating several options, including a trial with Verkada, the district chose Coram for its cost-effectiveness, ease of use, and advanced features tailored to its needs. The decision was heavily influenced by the system’s flexibility and by direct access to Coram’s engineering team.

Coram stood out for a few specific reasons:

• Easy to learn: Administrators picked up the system quickly with minimal training, and IT set it up across multiple campuses without trouble
• AI-powered analytics: Events identified in minutes instead of hours of manual work
• Advanced features: License plate recognition and firearm detection add vital security tools
• Scalable and affordable: Fits within the district’s budget without sacrificing quality
• Direct access to engineers: Quick help, and the ability to customize the system to the district’s needs

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Faster Resolution, Safer Sites, and Room to Grow

Coram transformed how Middletown Unified manages security. Incident resolution and system management take significantly less time, real-time monitoring and advanced analytics improved safety across all district sites, and the system’s scalability and adaptability mean it can evolve with the district’s needs.

What Middletown Unified Is Doing with Coram

• Finding events in minutes: AI-powered analytics replace hours of manual footage review
• Monitoring every site in real time: Real-time monitoring across all district sites, in place of standalone systems
• Adding vital security tools: License plate recognition and firearm detection alongside everyday video
• Running on a lean team: Minimal training and maintenance for a director and a network technician
• Getting answers fast: Direct access to Coram’s engineers for quick help and tailored customization

For Alves, the accessibility of Coram’s engineers and the usability of the system made the difference. “They are always available to provide quick answers and tailored solutions,” Alves said. Middletown’s decision shows how smaller districts can overcome tight budgets and outdated systems to improve security — and choosing the right system gave the district a safer and more efficient way to manage it.

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