You Have the Right to Remain Secured: Upgrading Police Station Access Control with ProdataKey
- ProdataKey
- Jul 21
- 7 min read
Access control isn’t just about keeping doors locked–it’s about trust, intention, and the systems that allow essential work to unfold without interruption or error. For law enforcement, seamless security systems are a necessity. From protecting key evidence and information to restricting unauthorized entry, police stations rely on access control systems to protect their staff and property each and every day.
When the Trainer Borough Police Department in Pennsylvania began the process of building a new station, they saw it as an opportunity to elevate their security. This case study explores how the Trainer Borough Police Station relies on ProdataKey (PDK) to protect their officers and track the vital access information needed to become an accredited law enforcement facility–proving that the right technology can quietly and confidently shape the way a department serves its community.
Making the Switch to PDK: Elevating the Police Station’s Security
When the Trainer Borough Police Department decided to construct a brand new police station, they put their security system in the accomplished hands of Delaware Valley Network Video Solutions (DVNVS), a local installer specialized in camera systems and network installations.
The access control system at the Trainer Borough Police Department’s previous location was quite minimal. “They had a two-door system from another access control provider at their old building, and they knew nothing about it except that it locked and unlocked those two doors,” explains Jon Barry, owner of DVNVS.
When Jon and the team at DVNVS were brought into the police station project, they were initially asked to move the existing two-door system over to the new location. “When they told me that, I immediately knew that wasn’t going to happen,” Jon explains. “Instead, I got them on board with ProdataKey, and since doing the install here I’ve been able to show them all the things that PDK brings to the table.”
Jon highlights the cloud-based functionality of PDK as one of the major selling points for this install, since the previous two-door system relied on on-premise hosting. Additionally, ProdataKey’s ease of installation has made it a go-to access control product for DVNVS, as Jon explains, “as an installer, PDK has been by far the easiest access control to deal with.”
By making the switch to ProdataKey, the Trainer Borough Police Station was able to go from a limited two-door, on-premise system to a 23-door, cloud-based system that gives officers the ability to monitor and manage their station’s security anytime, anywhere, and from any device.
The Access Control System at Trainer Borough Police Station
Composed of 22 doors and 1 gate entrance, the PDK system installed at the Trainer Borough Police Station was carefully designed by the team at DVNVS to secure both the exterior and interior of the station. “Coming from an integrator standpoint, I’m really thinking about officer safety. You don’t want anybody from outside just walking into the police department,” Jon says. In order to keep officers safe, the station uses PDK to secure all entrances into the building, except for the main entrance into the lobby area. “Once visitors enter the lobby, they can’t go anywhere else without having access or being buzzed into a door,” explains Jon.
In addition to secured entrances into the building, Trainer Borough’s Chief of Police Fran Priscopo explains the importance of proper security inside the station. “For the interior of the police station, we need to protect the heart of it, which is the armory and evidence room–those rooms need to be secured and monitored at all times.” The armory and evidence rooms hold serious weapons, important evidence, and dangerous substances that police officers need to protect and limit access to at all times. “Guns and drugs are the two things you want to secure all the time,” says Jon. “And with PDK, they can know exactly who goes into the armory and evidence room and who goes out.” On top of the armory and evidence room, PDK also secures private offices and the processing room, which utilizes readers on both sides of the door. This requires people to scan a credential both to enter and exit the processing room, reducing the risk of detained individuals escaping.
At the station, the officers make use of a combination of mobile credentials, key fobs, and sticker credentials. The variety of credential options makes it easy for staff at the police station to use the credential that makes the most sense for them. And in the case that a credential is misplaced by an officer, it’s easy to deactivate that credential and request a new one, or rely on a fellow officer to grant them entry remotely. “Guys text or call me all the time asking me to open a door for them,” Fran explains. “And what’s great is that you don’t need much technological understanding to work the app and open the door from anywhere.”
By installing ProdataKey in exterior and interior portions of the Trainer Borough Police Station, officers can rest assured that only authorized and credentialed individuals can enter the building and access valuable resources and information.
Law Enforcement Accreditation with the Help of ProdataKey
ProdataKey’s access control plays an important role in protecting the officers and property at the Trainer Borough Police Station–but it is also an essential tool for meeting the various security requirements placed upon a government facility like a police station. Security requirements and compliance standards vary based on location, as each state maintains unique laws and regulations on the topic.
Many police departments across the nation are encouraged to go through a process of accreditation, either at the state or national level. Accreditation is a systematic review of training, operations, policies, and procedures within a law enforcement agency. While it is a voluntary process in most states, getting accredited allows a police station like Trainer Borough’s to have increased community advocacy, support from government officials, defense against civil lawsuits, and greater accountability within the agency.
So, what role does ProdataKey play in helping Trainer Borough get accredited? “Part of the accreditation process involves an auditor coming to the police station and viewing audit logs of the evidence room,” Jon explains. “With other systems, it would take something like 25 minutes just to get in and get it all set up. Now, Chief Priscopo can pull it up on his phone, hit the report and print it right there. It’s easy!”
ProdataKey makes audit logs accessible and easy to find, allowing officers at Trainer Borough and other police stations to present information to accreditation auditors with ease. Additionally, the information itself is highly detailed. Rather than just sharing who entered or exited a space, ProdataKey allows you to see granular information like how long the door was open, the card number of the credential used, and what PDK.io Group that user is a part of.
The Value of User-Friendly and Mobile-First Access Control
For Chief Fran Priscopo and the team at the Trainer Borough Police Station, PDK has been a simple, user-friendly solution. With the award-winning PDK.io software, ProdataKey has made it easier than ever for Fran to have complete control over the station’s security and access permissions. “I mean, I’m just one guy with a phone, and it’s crazy to see what I can do! I’m so glad Jon recommended PDK to us, because it has definitely exceeded what we thought it was going to be,” reflects Fran. “I don’t know anything about technology,” he adds, “and I can do everything with PDK pretty simply.”
With just his personal mobile device, Fran is able to open doors for colleagues, update schedules, view audit logs, and update access rules with ease. “Just recently, the range instructors changed, so we needed to take the previous instructor’s access to the armory away. It took me ten seconds to do. It was so easy!” With ProdataKey, access control management at Trainer Borough is easier than ever, and important changes can be made in a matter of seconds.
And Trainer Borough isn’t the only police station that has spoken highly of ProdataKey–”I have PDK in five different police stations in the county, and every single one of them has said that this is the best,” says Jon. “It’s the ease of use that they love–it’s just so simple!” With a user-friendly access control management interface and an intuitive mobile application, ProdataKey provides a simple and seamless access control experience to all officers and staff members at Trainer Borough and surrounding police stations.
ProdataKey: Easy Access Control for Police Stations
By upgrading to ProdataKey, the Trainer Borough Police Department gained more than a new access control system–they gained confidence. From securing interior spaces like the armory and evidence room to simplifying audit logs for accreditation, PDK has been a powerful tool for this government institution. And even better: it’s easy to use! “There’s not one complaint from anyone about PDK, and everyone can use it,” says Fran. “Little police department, big police department–it doesn’t matter. PDK is a great company.” With intuitive software, mobile-first functionality, and the support of a dedicated installation partner, Trainer Borough has used PDK to set a new standard for police station security.
If you want to learn more about how ProdataKey could benefit your business, schedule a demo today.
ProdataKey is a team of security integrators with decades of hands-on, in-the-field experience.
PDK believes that the best technology is created by professionals who know what it takes to secure a facility properly and provide the end user with a solution that instills confidence and safety.
PDK is passionate about creating technology to enhance the security, safety, and overall experience of both the professionals installing electronic access control and those that live with and use the system. PDK continues to create technology every day to enhance its products and the products of its technology partners.
