Safety official casts doubt on Sensormatic deal

Security Director Chris Algard disavowed claims that the University and the security company had a $3 million contract. Public Safety officials said yesterday that they have no formal contract with the Sensormatic Electronics Corporation -- despite frequent publicity about a $3 million deal initially announced at a press conference last October. "There is a misconception that [the University has] a multi-million dollar contract with Sensormatic," Security Director Chris Algard said. "[There] is no $3 million contract." Algard said Penn has "a buying agreement" with Sensormatic in which the company provides Penn with various technologically advanced security features at discounted prices. He stressed there was no set amount of money designated for Sensormatic purchases. Sensormatic's database lists only five Penn accounts -- including those for The Book Store, the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, the Franklin and Caster buildings and the Division of Public Safety headquarters on Locust Walk, according to Sensormatic representative Marianne McCoach. But at a press conference last fall, Managing Director of Public Safety Thomas Seamon announced what he said was a $3 million contract in which Sensormatic would upgrade Penn's technological security system. At the time, Executive Vice President John Fry said the University had been working "with Sensormatic for over a year on long-term security strategy to deal systematically, thoroughly and successfully with the crime problem." Yesterday, however, Algard said the deal was only a purchasing agreement, and did not represent a unified strategy. Additionally, many of the technological features outlined during last year's press conference --Esuch as biometric hand and iris scanners -- have not yet materialized, and Algard said University officials had not finalized decisions on which features would be installed in campus buildings. Administrators first questioned the project's feasibility last November, following a lapse in communication between Algard and the Department of Housing and Residence Life. Director of Police Operations Maureen Rush said yesterday that she was not sure whether the University had committed to any formal contracts with Sensormatic, referring all questions to Seamon, who will be out of his office until Wednesday. "I know we are dealing with Sensormatic, but I didn't know whether there was a contract signed," Rush said. Sensormatic officials did not return repeated phone calls yesterday. During the last fiscal quarter of 1996, Public Safety officials purchased from Sensormatic the necessary components for a new central security infrastructure capable of monitoring and coordinating security in other campus buildings. All University departments and buildings currently have the option of purchasing high-tech security features from Sensormatic which can be coordinated through the new infrastructure. Algard explained that Public Safety "put the intelligence in," but stressed it is now the responsibility of individual schools and buildings to secure the technology necessary to hook into the new mainframe. He noted that there are currently a large number of forthcoming projects incorporating Sensormatic features, as well as plans for possible projects such as the hand and iris scanners. "We're bringing to the table a menu of possibilities," he said, noting that enhancing technological access features and establishing "a higher level of access control" would free Public Safety officials from having to monitor inside dormitories and allow them to focus on patrolling outside facilities and residences. And scanners requiring confirmed bodily features would cut down on PennCard misuse by those not authorized to gain access to University buildings during certain hours, Algard said. Public Safety officials are also considering updating blue-light phone systems to higher speed units which are solar-powered and self-testing.