Cultural Properties protect Yale’s priceless artwork and artifacts

April 14, 2021

There is a little-known space on campus that houses a small staff, a massive security system, and many large computer monitors. In this windowless room sits the Cultural Properties Alarm Monitoring Station (CPAMS). Part of Yale Public Safety, this station and its team provide 24-hour monitoring and dispatch of an integrated security system—burglar, fire and duress alarms, as well as video for all sites housing the University’s cultural property.

Yale’s cultural property includes all its artwork, artifacts, rare books, sculptures, heritage pieces, and archeological finds. These items are housed in several buildings and art galleries around campus. The CPAMS staff monitors the alarm systems and security cameras for the Yale Center for British Art, Yale University Art Gallery, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, the Elizabethan Club, the Library Shelving Facility, and a few other properties that house, display, or store collections.  

While these buildings have their own security staff members during the day, the CPAMS staff picks up on the off-hours. A team of nine specially trained security officers works shifts that cover off-hours during the week and on holidays, and daytime on weekends. Each shift has three officers, one monitoring the system and two responders. The responders travel to the sites to assist the building staff as alarms are being activated each evening and deactivated each morning.

“Our officers have had specific training to monitor the alarm systems and cameras, and to respond to any issues in these buildings. While Yale Security Officers respond to the broader Yale community for lockouts, walking escorts, or more, the CPAMS team is focused on those buildings and the collections during the off hours,” said Kindra Graham, Yale Security Manager.

The team manages the security system from a small room on campus and checks in to these buildings and galleries daily. Some responses include fire and burglar alarms and routine building checks for any water leaks and other issues. Often an officer may have to help the fire department get into a building to respond to an alarm or, when necessary, notify the Yale Police Department.

“These collections are important to our culture in many ways and have a very high value. Our team has two critical jobs: protect the art and mitigate risk. Knowing what we are helping to protect gives our whole team great purpose,” said Kindra.

Special thanks to the entire Cultural Properties team:

  • William De Vivo, Alarm Station Operator
  • Charles Hebron, Jr., Security Communications Officer
  • Teddy Keyes, Security Officer
  • Mark Nuterangelo, Security Systems Officer
  • William Schultz, Alarm Station Operator
  • Paul Standish, Security Communications Officer
  • Michelle Veronesi, Alarm Station Operator
  • Louis Vitale, Alarm Station Operator
  • Robert Ziaks, Alarm Station Operator