A school district puts up 50-plus security cameras and the superintendent says they've already helped solve a crime. With the police department able to monitor activity from their squad cars, the district hopes to prevent more.

It's a $120,000 investment. A Department of Justice grant covered half of it. And a safety committee including the district, the sheriff's department and the police department got the ball rolling.

From zero cameras to 56....

"I think it's good for our safety," says Junior Michael Kelly.

“They’re probably good for the school,” says Junior Sarah Roberts.

“I think it’s too many,” says Junior Jackie Barnhardt.

All 56 are constantly recording, accessible in the schools, and soon all available in police squads.

"To see the system up and running, as a parent myself, makes me much more comfortable,” says Capt. Mike Nelson with the Rice Lake Police Department.

Captain Nelson says a safety committee worked on the project. He says not only will officers be able to watch for break-ins and vandalism at night, but if they're called in for an emergency they'll already be able to see inside.

"If God forbid, we’d have an active shooter incident," Nelson says.

"In cases where we have an intruder, we’ll be able to see that person. Secondly, if we have theft or vandalism occurring, we’ll be able to have a record. I think all of those things will serve as a deterrent,” says Dr. Paul Vine, superintendent of Rice Lake Schools.

Vine says the cameras already helped solve a locker room theft. The majority of the cameras—15 or so— are in the high school. But, they're also in the middle school where false bomb threats had shown up written on the wall. Others focus on elementary playgrounds.

"I think it's a great investment first of all in ensuring the children are safe in our schools and that secondly that safety is the number one priority of the Rice Lake Area School District,” Vine says.

The $120,000 also went toward a key-free entrance system at the schools. Vine says that will actually save tax payers money in the long run.

As for privacy, there are no cameras in bathrooms or locker rooms. In the case of the locker room theft, a camera in a hallway caught one person going in and out of the locker room when stuff was stolen.