Job well done

Council’s system extended

Ashford-based Kent & Sussex Security has completed a contract for Hythe Town Council, relocating an existing camera and installing three new ones.

The council’s existing system incorporated eight pan/tilt/zoom cameras with a fibre optic connection to a monitoring station in the Hythe Council offices. This was originally manned 24-hours a day, but in recent years Shepway District Council in Folkestone has monitored the Hythe cameras via a fibre optic link.

The new work involved moving an existing camera along Hythe’s Prospect Road, to improve coverage; adding a camera to cover the area around the town’s new skateboard park; adding a camera to cover the rear of the council offices and a bandstand; and installing a third camera which covers the town’s canal-side towpath and war memorial.

Independent CCTV consultant Cliff Pester drew up a brief which was circulated to installation companies, with Ken & Sussex Security coming out on top.

“Rather than utilised conventional pan/tilt/zoom cameras which are slow and prone to being somewhat unreliable in a seaside environment, we proposed the use of high-speed surveillance domes from Forward Vision,” KSS managing director Geoff Hilton said.

“The benefits of using this system include the fact that they are very quick to move and zoom, and offer complete 360 degree movement. They provide good low-light performance and are extremely resilient to corrosion and damage caused by marine environments. Also, unlike conventional dome cameras, these have a built-in wiper to remove rain and salt sea spray, making them ideal for the requirements in Hythe.”

Judith McCormick, Town clerk of Hythe Town Council said: “The additional cameras have added real value to the existing system. I was very satisfied with the professional way in which Kent & Sussex Security dealt with the installation.”

ELITE’s retail detail

Eastern Link Information Technology (ELITE) has used Dedicated Micros systems to protect top fashion labels, including Chanel, Dior, YSL, Burberry and Versace, as part of a security overhaul at one of the United Arab Emirates’ most prestigious department stores.

The company, Paris Gallery, operates 22 stores across the UAE, Saudi and Qatar, and its security manager, Yassir El sir, turned to ELITE when it was looking to upgrade security.

ELITE’s Saleh El-qasem said his company recommended DM’s DS2 and BX2 DVRs, networked to a central point, for phase one of the security roll-out. Phase two will include integration with Paris Gallery’s existing burglar alarm system, to provide event-triggered recording out of working hours. All systems will be linked to a central monitoring station at the company’s head office.

Yassir El Sir said: “The system has already paid for itself time and time again in terms of reducing shoplifting and stock shrinkage – major problems for all retailers, particularly in the luxury goods market.

“Since we installed the new digital system, shrinkage has dropped dramatically. Management can also use the system to monitor staff performance, particularly during busy periods, and use the information to redeploy staff as necessary. We can also monitor customer behaviour, recording the success of in-store or point-of-sale marketing displays.”

Eye on the City

ATEC Security’s engineers have supplied and installed the technology which controls a network of more than 100 street surveillance cameras for the City of London Police.

As well as the equipment within the main control room – including two 67” back projection screens – ATEC provided two 42” plasma displays and four touch screens for the Event Control room, all the ancillary software, interfaces, monitors, and keyboards throughout.

The solution provides the operator with a touch screen map of London which has all CCTV cameras marked on it. The operator touches the area they want to view, and the map zooms in to display all the cameras in the area. The camera covering the area of interest can then be selected and controlled by the operator.

David Warr from the City of London Police said: ATEC Security worked closely with us. They are very professional at all times, have a good understanding of the industry, and were able to work well with the control room staff. ATEC engineers also have the service contract for the system and are on call should there be any issues.

“The system has improved operating conditions for staff, helping them to provide a better service for the City of London. We have now extended the scheme to cover the River Thames, and as the system is now integrated, we are able to follow incidents across boundaries should that be required.”

Stamford under surveillance

Control-Z-Computers of Stamford has carried out three high-profile IP installations in its Lincolnshire home town in the past year.

The George Hotel in Stamford was fitted with a surveillance system which uses eight network cameras, covering sensitive locations inside and outside the building.

Control-Z-Computers managing director Ben Howe said the George had suffered losses from two break-ins during 2003 and 2004.

“In addition, it had been losing stock from behind some bars during the night. After installing the new system, a person was caught on camera removing a bottle of whisky from behind a bar in the early hours of the morning. A second individual has was caught on camera breaking and entering the hotel in the dead of night. Shrinkage of stock has gone down to virtually nil since we put the system in.”

The company also developed

an IP-surveillance solution for car repair and garage business Hindmarch & Co. It had been losing significant amounts of money due to customers driving off without paying for fuel, and from thefts of vehicle parts from the sales yard at the back of the garage, and confectionery from the forecourt shop.

Control-Z-Computers installed eight network cameras at the sight, which Howe says have “paid for themselves” in less than a year.

The third installation was a lower-cost IP solution for children’s shoe and clothes retailer Piggy’s. The store wanted an IP-based solution for live internet viewing of the shop, as well as to protect staff while at work. Their budget was £2,000, so Control-Z-Computers provided a basic PC, enabling viewing and recording of images via Internet Explorer.

All three installation used IP-surveillance equipment from Axis Communications, with the George Hotel and Hindmarch & Co jobs deploying software from Axis application developer partner Milestone.

Tyco on board

Tyco Integrated Systems Italy has fitted a CCTV system to Italy’s first aircraft carrier, the Cavour.

Tyco installed nine Atex-certified cameras from Videotec, all of which came with explosion-proof housing for use in a dangerous environment.

The ship has a standard displacement at full load of 27,100 tonnes, is 244m in length, and is capable of a sustained speed of 27 knots.

It can accommodate up to 1210 people, and has a range of 7,000 nautical miles.

Prison visits monitored

Reflex has upgraded and enhanced the CCTV system at Deerbolt young offenders institution in Co Durham.

The specific brief was to review visitor centre security, and high-resolution vandal-resistant cameras were required. HMYOI Deerbolt, which accommodates around 500 inmates, was looking for accurate recognition of individuals in case of suspected criminal activity.

Twelve cameras cover the prison visits room, and the system is equipped with digital recorders.

Steve Ward, projects director for Reflex, said: “Reflex is familiar with the requirements of the law authorities and armed forces, having worked extensively with the magistrate’s courts, police forces, and the MoD.

“Whilst the system we installed at Deerbolt was of a relatively straightforward technical specification, the situation posed its own unique challenges. The ability to quickly and accurately identify people from footage demanded the latest technology digital equipment, ensuring that the images would be useable as evidence if required.”

Glastonbury success

Crimesecure Surveillance Services were asked to provide high quality CCTV coverage for this year’s Glastonbury festival.

The CCTV coverage of all high risk areas of the site was central to the organisers’ security plans, and proved a success, with crime levels described as being at an “unprecedented low”, despite the presence of over 70,000 visitors.

What was possibly the largest ever temporary CCTV installation was required to work as efficiently and with same quality of coverage as a permanent fixture.

Thirty-two cameras covered an 800 acre area. Those areas considered to be most at risk included car parks, camp sites, the audience area and front of stage, as well as the local village of Pilton.

Crimesecure installed two VMD16 digital recorders from Videoswitch for simultaneous recording of all cameras, as well as making use of the recorder’s integral CD writer for supplying images to police for evidence.

A BBC report suggested that robberies at the event had been reduced by 87%, and there was a major reduction in overall crime as well.