Grand Traverse County commissioners will discuss options today (Wednesday) for implementing a countywide security system – including a proposal to phase in over $2.1 million in upgrades over a three-year period. The proposal aims to unify the county’s approach to security, modernize access control systems (including better regulating who can access surveillance footage), and potentially install more than 220 new security cameras across county buildings.

The proposal comes after commissioners discussed in August wanting a comprehensive assessment showing where security cameras are needed in county facilities. That was followed by a staff update in October in which County Administrator Nate Alger acknowledged the county has historically “piecemealed” its approach to installing cameras. Cameras are primarily concentrated at the Governmental Center, Hall of Justice, Law Enforcement Center, Civic Center, Veterans Affairs, and Grand Traverse County Jail. The county’s IT team oversees most of those cameras, though not those located at the VA office or jail.

Staff expressed concerns over inconsistent policies on how long footage is retained – the Civic Center keeps it for 43 days, the Law Enforcement Center 54 days – and who can access and review footage. IT Director Cliff DuPuy said cameras have been placed and footage reviewed based on department and employee requests, including staff reviewing parking lot footage to see when their food orders are being delivered. Emergency Management Coordinator Gregg Bird said the purpose of enhancing county security cameras is not surveillance but evidence-gathering if a crime occurs. Staff safety is another issue, including the ability for employees to quickly shut down a building if an incoming threat is spotted.

Since that fall discussion, a committee of multiple county department heads – representing administration, IT, emergency management, facilities, and the Sheriff’s Office – has been researching options to improve county security. Their work included site visits to Traverse City Area Public Schools and Northwestern Michigan College, which both turned up a common vendor: People Driven Technology. The Byron Center-based firm has contracted to provide security and technology support to those and other entities across the state, including Frederik Meijer Gardens, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office, and Kalamazoo Community College.

In presentation materials, the committee – which met with People Driven Technology – cited the firm’s expertise of “more than 70 years of physical security design and experience.” Having one vendor partner “throughout the entire process that shares a vision with Grand Traverse County is of the utmost importance,” presentation materials state. The firm doesn’t charge customers for design services, a bonus expected to save the county nearly $200,000 compared to hiring a technology design consultant, according to the presentation.

People Drive Technology put together a proposal for commissioners’ consideration at the county’s request. The Physical Security Master Plan, as it’s called, outlines three years of planned improvements to “migrate all existing county systems to a cyber-secure, stabled unified security platform, modernize existing access control systems through infrastructure, reader and credential upgrades, provide more than 220 new security cameras, and provide more than 100 new access control locations countywide.”

Phase one is estimated to cost $730,000 and covers foundational conversion work, video storage infrastructure, the Governmental Center, and the county jail. Phase two, budgeted at $732,500, calls for upgrading the Hall of Justice, Historic Courthouse, Law Enforcement Center, countywide readers, credentials, additional video storage infrastructure, and new buildings planned under the LaFranier campus expansion called Project Alpha. Phase three is estimated at $685,000 and would cover the Civic Center, facilities management workshop, prosecutor’s office, health services, public services, sheriff’s storage, Maple Bay Park, Camp Greilick, the county’s boat barn, and final video storage infrastructure upgrades.

People Driven Technology said it would work with the county to develop a “security technology standards document” under which every aspect of security – from cameras to card access to intercoms to storage – would have a detailed written minimum standard. “This standard, agnostic of any specific product, and the means by which users implement standard operating procedures, are the marks of a security system that can have a positive impact,” the firm wrote.

Once a standard is adopted, the firm said it would provide demos of hardware and software platforms to county staff and recommend the best platforms for each specific need. Recommendations would focus on “open platform technology that allows for a unified approach to video security and access control,” which will allow employees to “respond quickly to any developing event and actively mitigate risk in real time,” People Driven Technology wrote.

Commissioners will be in study session today, so they won’t vote on any action – but will give feedback on options that could then come back for future approval. County Deputy Administrator Chris Forsyth, who sat on the committee, said the group zeroed in on People Driven Technology – rather than, say, using a request-for-proposals (RFP) process – because the firm’s comprehensive approach was “unique” in the marketplace. “We looked (for other options), and they weren’t really out there,” he says. All of the firm’s client references also gave positive reviews of the company’s work, Forsyth says.

Should commissioners wish to move forward, they will also need to discuss a funding approach for the estimated $2.1 million investment. Forsyth says the county could start by looking at its capital improvement plan (CIP) fund for available dollars, then “start planning out into 2026 and building out a potential budget if that’s the direction commissioners want to go.”