Top 3 benefits of security technology
Aug 13, 2015
In today’s world of video cameras and technology, we’re always under some sort of surveillance, whether it be the security system at the gas station or the cameras installed at traffic lights. For public safety officials and business owners alike, there are many advantages to video surveillance, especially ones that utilize mesh technologies to provide a stronger network. Let’s take a look at a few of those key benefits:
1. Safer streets
Cameras are being utilized by police officers and the U.S. government to minimize and track crime. For instance, according to The Seattle Times, federal agents installed two cameras in Seattle’s Central District in order to help with a current criminal investigation within the area. The installation of surveillance equipment was prohibited by an ordinance in 2013, but since the organization responsible for the installation, the Seattle Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, is a federal agency, the prohibition doesn’t apply.
The ATF and Seattle police entered into a partnership last month to investigate rising gun violence in the area. During the period of January 1 to July 6 of this year, there were 204 reports of gunfire, whereas the same period in 2014 only garnered 168 reports. This video system is part of the result of that partnership and could provide answers to city officials. The ATF agents hope that utilizing the security system will potentially provide new leads in the ongoing investigation.
2. More secure transit
Wireless video surveillance is also utilized by transportation authorities around the world to maintain security on buses and trains. For example, the Washington Metro Transit Authority recently decided to test out video cameras on bus routes where assaults – including on bus drivers – happen frequently and riders often evade fares, according to The Washington Post. The organization installed cameras and monitors on 22 of its buses in an effort to curb the violence and fare evasion. If troublemakers know the cameras are there, they may not carry out these assaults.
“Metrobus operator assaults not only put our employees at risk, but also impact the safety of everyone else onboard the bus,” said Jack Requa, the interim general manager and CEO of Metro. “Through this effort, we want to remind riders that all activity aboard our buses is captured by the cameras and see whether the presence of the new video monitors has an additional deterrent effect.”
3. Maintaining network strength
For video surveillance efforts to be successful for public safety and transportation officials alike, it’s crucial for networks to be resilient. When it comes to the safety of your town and transportation, you want to invest in the best technologies that will ensure that your video surveillance system doesn’t experience outage at the wrong time. The transmission of security footage and data requires a lot of bandwidth, and traditional networks sometimes can’t provide the right amount of signal strength to successfully send the information. Mesh networks can provide the resilience necessary, because their self-healing properties can keep them online even when parts of the network experience outages.
What does that mean? In a traditional network, if the central access node goes down, the entire network may be compromised, providing a window of time for crime to occur. However, every access point in a mesh network is connected to every other node, providing an extra level of security in case one point goes down.
Get in touch with the experts at Firetide today to find out how we can help you strengthen the resilience of your networks with mesh.