Every day, almost 5,000 students walk down the hallways and socialize with their friends, often unaware that they are being watched from above.

On and around the school campus, such as in the hallways or cafeterias, there are security cameras installed to help ensure safety and catch any misbehavior. Security cameras have proven especially useful in the recent tragedies, as footage helped in the Boston bombing investigations and identifications.

Despite their usefulness, police officer Phil Hobson said this school will not be implementing more security cameras.

“As far as cameras, we have not added any additional cameras,” Hobson said. “We are not doing anything differently because of the recent tragedies. Every year at Carmel, we review with our school resource unit and our administration, (and) we review our security plans and try to make improvements.”

Sophomore Katherine “Katie” Goulden said she agrees that CHS does not need to add more security cameras.

“(The existing security cameras) already provide sufficient coverage of the school, and every entrance has one so a person couldn’t force their way in without being caught on tape,” she said.

According to Hobson, security cameras are not one of the main security measures at CHS. “Security measures come in different levels to me, one being structural and technological, that being locked doors, door buzzer systems, camera systems and those types of things,” he said. “Then you have the training and the drills that we do.”

However, he said the most important measure is the human element of security.

“In my opinion, the most important security measure that we have is building relationships,” Hobson said. “If there’s something going on that’s making someone uncomfortable, a student feels like they have someone that they can talk to about it.”

While many students may be concerned that security cameras can be an invasion of their privacy, Goulden said she does not feel this way.

“I don’t think our privacy is affected because it’s not like there are cameras in the locker rooms or washrooms,” she said. “They’re just recording the hallways and entrances where it makes sense to have them.”

Rather than being concerned about security cameras, Goulden said she sees them as a benefit to school security. “I think we have the perfect (number of cameras)—enough for us to feel safe but not too much for it to be intrusive,” she said. “If anything, they make me feel safer at school.”

Similarly, Hobson said security cameras are only in public areas and meant for identifying and preventing misbehavior.

“I think the biggest benefit of security cameras are the deterrent factors,” he said. “If (someone) were to break in the building or steal something out of a locker or if they get in a fight, then most likely that’s on video to use for evidence.”

Along with schools, businesses around the nation have also been considering adding more security cameras, although it does not seem like a trend in Carmel.

Jill Zaniker, owner of the Simply Sweet Shoppe in downtown Carmel, said she does not plan to add more cameras to her store.

“I think everybody’s more aware of everything, but there’s been no specific things in place to address (the recent tragedies),” she said. “I think for the most part, everybody’s watching out for each other, especially in this community.”

While security cameras can help in identifying people or deterring bad choices, it seems as if there will not be any major changes around Carmel.

“Security cameras are not an end all, be all security solution,” Hobson said. “We work really hard on all aspects of our safety plans, not just the security cameras.”