3 video surveillance success stories
Oct 08, 2015
Video surveillance has become an important part of how public safety officials respond to and deter crime. To keep an eye in the sky at all times and maintain order in the community, many cities and communities are turning to wireless mesh networks and other kinds of video surveillance solutions to provide adequate monitoring of city streets. Crime can be deterred and perpetrators are more likely to be found when public safety workers use these kinds of technologies in tandem with their efforts.
Let's take a look at a few cities that have installed surveillance solutions and see how they have fared:
1. Beijing
One city that's had success with its video surveillance solution is Beijing, China. According to Security Sales & Integration, Beijing has been able to curb crime with its surveillance system, which has been conveniently nicknamed "Sky Net." The system was first introduced in 2012 and has been continuously upgraded since then, with a 29 percent increase in cameras just last year alone. The result is that the entire city is now covered by this surveillance system.
The increased presence in public areas has allowed Beijing officials to increase crime prevention efforts and better respond to emergency calls. Crime that takes place within crowds is especially hampered by this network of cameras, because officials can zoom in on the video feeds and pinpoint what a perpetrator looks like and where he or she heads after the crime takes place.
2. New Rochelle
Right outside of New York City, the local police department of New Rochelle, New York, has been able to strengthen crime prevention and response tactics. In one instance, according to the New Rochelle Daily Voice, police were able to catch shooters in the Bronx. Captain Joseph Schaller of the New Rochelle Police Department noted that his officers use the 37 strategically placed cameras to determine where crimes occur and, since the footage is in real time, possibly intervene in events.
"One of the first things we consider in any case is the cameras," Schaller said. "Video is used in prosecution, and more often than not, once they see (the crimes) unfolding in front of them, [the suspects] usually see the light."
In other words, the video surveillance solution utilized by Schaller's department is helping officers apprehend criminals and deter crime from happening in the first place just by the virtue of being there. The eventual goal of the police department is for each car to have access to the wireless video feed, which will enhance public safety efforts even further.
3. Mission
The police department of Mission, Texas, also enjoys an enhanced level of security and crime prevention due to wireless networks. Marin Garza Jr., the chief of police, noted that the wireless mesh topology implemented in 2009 has been beneficial in keeping the peace within his jurisdiction, not to mention the technology is easy to install.
"Wireless greatly speeds deployment and simplifies installation, allowing us to deploy many more cameras in strategic locations throughout the city than we could with a conventional wired surveillance network," Garza said.
Garza also reported emergency response times have been greatly reduced, and the police department has been able to curb crime as well. Within the first week of network operation, in fact, three separate offenses were dealt with as a result of these cameras. With the more than 1,000 mesh nodes deployed in Mission, the live video feeds have quickly become a staple for the police department's crime-fighting efforts.
Get in touch with Firetide today to see how our video surveillance solutions can augment safety and help public safety officials keep an eye on their communities.