St. Cyril of Alexandria

St. Cyril of Alexandria Elevates Campus and Community Safety with Verkada

Owen Sapp, Facilities and Security Manager

Intercom Platform Command Alarms Access control Cameras

Background

Since its founding in 1952, St. Cyril of Alexandria — a historic school located in a high-density, mixed-income area in Tucson, Arizona — has served as a vital ministry of its parish, providing an outstanding Catholic education for generations of students. Over its 73-year tradition of excellence, St. Cyril has remained committed to its diverse community rooted in tradition and service.

Challenge

In recent years, changes in the surrounding environment have brought new safety challenges. Outdated analog cameras, poor lighting, limited access control, and gaps in campus boundaries left the school more vulnerable to incidents involving unauthorized access. Ensuring the safety of students, staff, and parishioners became a growing priority.

With limited internal funding and aging infrastructure, a large-scale upgrade seemed out of reach — until Facilities and Security Manager Owen Sapp stepped forward with a vision for a grant-funded transformation to safeguard the school’s mission for decades to come.

From Risk Assessment to Grant Funding

Owen began with a comprehensive risk assessment, mapping vulnerabilities and identifying the technologies that could close critical gaps. His plan centered on building a unified security ecosystem — integrated cameras, access control, intercoms, and alarms — powered by a single cloud-based platform.

Through three successful Homeland Security grant applications, each worth $150,000, Owen secured $450,000 to replace outdated systems with Verkada’s solutions. To refine the design and validate the school’s long-term strategy, he attended VerkadaOne in Denver, where he explored the latest physical security innovations and connected with industry peers.

To bring his vision to life, Owen partnered with Oculens, a trusted local integrator, to design and implement the Verkada system in alignment with the campus layout and operational needs, in a phased rollout plan.

Strengthening Campus Perimeters

The school’s outermost protection will combine Verkada’s AI-enabled cameras with proactive alerting tools, installed and configured in collaboration with Oculens. Owen and his team will be able to:

Detect and Deter activity along campus boundaries with digital alerts and loitering detection, broadcasting live or pre-recorded warnings through horn speakers.
Verify Threats 24/7 through Verkada Alarms, where trained agents review live feeds, reduce false alarms, and accelerate police response.
Track and Respond Quickly by locating a suspect in seconds, reconstructing their movements with history player search, and sharing live video with law enforcement.

Entryway Security and Rapid Response

Verkada’s cameras, intercoms, and access control will work together to secure St. Cyril’s critical entry points. The school will be able to:

Maintain Complete Visibility by pairing video security cameras with eye-level intercoms for a cohesive view of each entrance.
Receive Real-Time Alerts for tailgating, credential passback, or forced entry — enabling immediate response.
Investigate Faster with AI-powered search to review intercom call transcripts alongside corresponding video footage.

For authorized staff, students, and volunteers, access will be seamless:

Multiple credential types, including mobile apps, will be supported.
SCIM and SSO integrations will keep user lists up to date automatically.
Door schedules can be adapted for special events or exceptions.

In emergencies, entryway systems will support rapid action:

Live video and floor plans can be shared quickly with first responders.
Roll call reports, supported by badge readers at muster points, will help account for all staff and students.

All activity will be managed through Verkada’s cloud-based Command platform, giving staff the ability to monitor system health, receive tamper alerts, and review access data from anywhere.

A Greater Impact: Building a Culture of Safety

Owen’s commitment to safety extends beyond St Cyril. He has volunteered his expertise to help nonprofits and religious institutions across southern Arizona — travelling more than three hours to Douglas, AZ, to assist with security planning, conducting assessments, and advising on grant applications. He also formed a monthly parent safety committee to review measures, foster transparency, and drive fundraising.

In parallel, the school has hired a full-time School Safety Officer, adding another layer of protection for the school community.

Looking Ahead

While the Homeland Security grants covered most of the technology investment, fencing upgrades fell outside their scope. The school launched a $220,000 campus fencing project, which is nearly 50% funded through student, parent, and community support. Phase 1 was successfully completed this summer, installing new fencing on a campus border that had not been enclosed.

Over two-thirds of the Verkada equipment is already procured, with installation underway in carefully planned phases. Once fully operational, St. Cyril will be able to:

Proactively detect and address threats with AI-powered alerts.
Control and monitor access points from one cloud-based platform.
Share real-time video and data with first responders for faster, more coordinated emergency responses.

“We needed a solution that could grow with us, connect all our safety systems, and be easy for our team to manage. Verkada gives us that — and more. This isn’t just about technology; it’s about building a safer environment for our students, staff, parishioners, and neighbors.”

Owen’s work — rooted in careful planning, community engagement, and the capabilities of Verkada’s technology — has transformed St. Cyril into a model for how schools can create safer, more connected environments, with Oculens playing a key role in bringing that vision to life.