All three schools in East Helena use video surveillance cameras for security purposes and now the use is part of board policy.

The East Helena School Board of Trustees passed a new policy Monday night that allows the use of video surveillance cameras for security purposes in the district's schools. The motion for approval passed unanimously without discussion.

Robert H. Radley Elementary School has eight cameras. Eastgate Elementary has nine surveillance cameras, six are located in the building and three are external. East Valley Middle School also has eight.

The surveillance equipment has been installed over the past three years at a cost of about $4,500, and Superintendent Ron Whitmoyer said that price came because of cutting corners.

"We did it the East Helena way," he said with a laugh explaining the custodial staff assisted with some of the installations.

A policy review process with a facilitator indentified the need for the board policy since the district has been using the cameras for a number of years. No sound recordings have been or will ever be made.

There are stickers on the building that tell students, staff and visitors that video recording is happening, Whitmoyer said.

"(This policy) is simply to protect the district and staff from people assuming it's not supported by our school board," he said. "This policy says (the board) wishes to support the use of surveillance cameras for the purpose of security."

The cameras have been useful in many instances over the years.

Eastgate Principal Joe McMahon said he used it once in a hallway incident when a student was accused of something he didn't do.

At Radley, Principal Keith Obert said the cameras are mostly pointed toward entrances of the building so office staff is aware of people entering and exiting the school.

"We know if someone is in the building that shouldn't be there almost immediately," Obert said.

The cameras are motion sensored so if someone is in the building, no matter what time of day, they will be recorded.

"When Radley was broken into last year, we had pictures of who was in here," he said. By conversing with other school districts it was easy to indentify them."

Obert said using the equipment is not only for safety of the children, but has really cut down on vandalism.

"We've have issues in the past where we've gone back and reviewed surveillance footage and it's helped us figure out who did it," EVMS Principal Dan Rispens said. "It helps us keep an eye on what's going on."

Reporter Alana Listoe:

447-4081 or alana.listoe@helenair.com