Cuesta College campuses in both San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles will soon receive a security upgrade, including not just cameras but also access control and alarm systems – bringing surveillance to areas of campus that have never had it before. 

Cuesta Police Chief Jesse Herring stated that the installation is about halfway through the process and is expected to be complete in early to mid-March. He is looking forward to working with the new system and seeing how the project’s completion benefits the Cuesta community.

To create this enhanced level of safety on campus, Cuesta has partnered with Verkada, an advanced security and technology company. Founded in 2016, Verkada specializes in using AI to develop cameras, sensors and access-control systems.

This new system promises AI-enhanced cameras, intrusion alarms and magnetic key access. Upgrades to the blue light emergency call boxes are also in order, modernizing those already stationed around campus with improved intercom quality and call connections.

Additionally, the system will use cloud security, which helps ensure that Cuesta’s Police Department can manage these new protections privately and under one roof.

During installation, various fixed and multi-lens cameras will be placed near high-traffic areas on each campus, as well as main entrance and exit points. The magnetic key and alarm systems will also be integrated into many Cuesta buildings in both SLO and Paso.

Working in tandem with the Cuesta Alert app, available to students and faculty, plans for the Verkada system aim to broaden the Police Department’s ability to receive real-time alerts. Improving the speed of emergency communication and response is also a priority, especially during Cuesta’s night hours or in the case of a campuswide threat. 

“I personally believe that the majority of people on campus do support this,” Cuesta College Trustee Pete Sysak said. “We’re doing this to help provide a safer and secure learning and working environment for everybody on campus, and I think this will go a long way in continuing to provide that type of protection for the students… and the staff, and the visitors.” 

“One of the things that I’ve always been proud of is that we probably have the safest community in all of San Luis Obispo County on campus,” he said. 

As a former police chief for the Cuesta campus, protection for students and faculty remains one of Sysak’s top priorities.

The Cuesta Police Department plans to complete a brief online training program via Verkada to familiarize itself with the security, and will conduct a demo of the camera system in the days to follow.

In the meantime, students can expect minor noise levels across the SLO campus through Feb. 27 as new cameras are installed in outdoor areas. Some work will also be done in the 4000 building on campus after hours.