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Jeannie Bailey says she doesn't call herself a "control freak," but she sure likes the idea that eventually every county in North Carolina will be in her hands. As head of security for the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Jeannie is on a mission to install IDenticard's IVIS Plus 2000 integrated digital imaging system and Series 9000 access control in almost every county DOT office, providing her with security control via one integrated system. With 100 counties and a minimum of three transportation offices in each county, it's a job and a responsibility she relishes.
With the support of the Department of Transportation Secretary Norris E. Tolson, the state has taken a hard-line approach to security. Located in the center of a public area, North Carolina's DOT headquarters in Raleigh houses seven buildings, including Administration, Highway, MIS and the Division of Motor Vehicles, each of which is open to the public. With this continuous mix of access, by employees, contractors and visitors, both security and safety for employees and a system that aids in customer relations was seen as very important.
And with the benefits and flexibility of the IVIS Plus and Series 9000 having already positively impacted the facility, Jeannie is now hitting the road to implement the same system throughout the state and says she is excited about the benefits of being connected.
Access Control
"Instead of having 17 outside doors open to a building," says Bailey, "we now have one outside door, each with a guard." Preventing visitors from having to wander around very large buildings, some the length of four football fields, the public can access a building through one or two doors. As the badges are customized, including color-coding, guards can immediately distinguish employees from visitors and contractors. Employees may enter buildings where they have approved access, utilizing encoded badges at both external and internal readers.
Each guard has the IVIS Plus system installed at their station, allowing them to display, but not modify, information helping visitors find departments, particular employees, phone numbers and correct buildings. The ability to access this information immediately is a big benefit as the Department has over 15,000 employees, and guards previously had to search through large books of information.
The Benefits of Remote Access
"The nice thing about this system for the Department," says Ron Luchene of Tech Systems, responsible for the system installation, "is that it allows Jeannie to control employee access by time of day to certain facilities." For example, if an employee who does not normally access the Transportation Building needs temporary access, Bailey can modify the employees' access without having to issue a key. This flexibility includes limited access to specific hours during the day or during off-hours and the ability to monitor and control access at remote Department storage depots located well off-site. It also gives the Department the ability to void temporary badges as they expire.
Employee Data
Due to the compatibility of the system, Tech Systems was able to marry the Department's previous Simplex system that monitored door contact with the Series 9000 system. Over 15,000 employee names and data were imported directly from Human Resources into the IVIS Plus 2000 digital imaging system, working directly with HR's Microsoft database management software. As the information needed for identification cards are stored in the file server, Bailey can update information without the cardholder present. Having a portable digital imaging system is also important, as she has to travel in order to badge employees at offices throughout the state. Utilizing a digital camera and her laptop, she can go off-site, store employee images and data in the IVIS PLUS system and return later to her office to print out badges. As a large number of Department employees perform highway work and control North Carolina's ferry system, laminated badges are used for durability.
Bailey says the hardest part of the new system is training the employees, particularly to the importance of wearing their ID badges at all times. But the system has been up and running for over one year now, and she says she is getting more and more support. Bailey will be adding readers to perimeter fences at a few county offices. She expects all buildings that meet the requirements for card access in every county office to be up and running with the same system by 2002. "The system has proved to be a major asset to DOT," says Bailey. "There has been a dramatic drop in theft and other related crimes. One access system throughout North Carolina will give unity as well as total control from one location."
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