Israeli Firm’s Surveillance Cameras watch over damaged Jap nuclear core

Hi-tech security cameras installed by an Israeli defense firm are recording events at the damaged core in Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant, says a report by The Jerusalem Post. Magna BSP—based in Arava, Israel—specializes in producing and installing stereoscopic sensory and thermal imaging cameras, and is the contractor that installed cameras around the nuclear core that has been overheating and where explosions have occurred.

Magna’s head, Mr Haim Siboni, said the thermal cameras also have the ability to detect the presence of radioactive clouds in the air. “Using these special cameras, we can also identify radioactive clouds, due to the spectrum that our cameras can sense,” Mr Siboni said. However, despite having the ability to gain remote access to its computer system—which is receiving the cameras’ images—Magna officials have not accessed the images because the company has not been authorized to do so, according to Mr Siboni.
 

ADT releases “A Guide to CCTV in Schools”

ADT has released a “Guide to CCTV in Schools”, offering practical steps to deploying and managing CCTV systems across educational facilities. As part of the “Security in Schools Series”, ADT outlines best practice recommendations designed to heavily reduce criminal activity on school sites and help prevent large costs incurred as a result of burglary. According to the School Security Concerns Research Report, local authorities estimate that the cost of replacing equipment in schools due to burglary and theft can run to over £200,000 in one year alone.

ADT’s tips aim to provide authorities with a comprehensive understanding of how to keep staff, students and buildings secure at all times using the best CCTV technology available. ADT advises schools to be mindful of the systems available to them when considering the implementation of CCTV technology on site, as crime levels in the localised areas often dictate the complexity of the system in place. Mr Muriel Runnalls, ADT’s public sector marketing manager, said: “ADT recommends carrying out security assessments to determine risk factors prior to purchasing potentially inappropriate systems. “Once the facility’s risk levels and general operational needs are identified, the most appropriate CCTV system can be sourced to fit these requirements.”
 

Las Vegas casinos get an electronic eye

New video surveillance systems are being installed in two Las Vegas casinos to help identify unusual patterns of behaviour and potential incidents of fraud. According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, high definition surveillance equipment has been fitted at the Golden Gate casino to replace an old analogue system. Co-owner Mr Greg Stevens said the new technology provides four times the resolution of a typical camera and it also more energy efficient.

“It’s a purely digital system, meaning it’s a simpler and less expensive system for us to operate,” he explained. “The clarity and detail that the HD cameras have delivered transforms our surveillance operation.” He said the new equipment features facial recognition technology and has the ability to distinguish between card suits and chip values, making it easier for the casino to identify cheats and resolve potential disputes with players. Meanwhile, at Jerry’s Nugget casino, old analogue CCTV cameras are also being replaced with IP video surveillance. Reports say that most of the equipment will be set up in the gaming table and slot machine areas, while others will monitor the cage where chips and tokens are bought and exchanged for cash. Like the cameras used in the Golden Gate venue, these will also be able to pick up minute details such as playing card faces, as well as detecting activity that is too fast for the human eye to see.
 

China to create world’s largest security network with 500,000 cameras

China will spend 2.6billion pounds on 500,000 surveillance cameras to create the world’s largest security network. The system would create the world’s largest ‘Big Brother’ network of CCTV since the September 11 attacks. The Chongqing city in China has been drawing up the plans for the system after clashes between religious groups in July 2009. The cameras will be installed by 2012, with the purpose of reducing crime and to carry rescue out operations and emergency controls. According to reports, Chongqing police chief Mr Wang Zhijun said that the system would be the world’s largest security network since the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.
This camera system would dwarf a network of 40,000 cameras installed in China’s Xinjiang region.
The computerised cameras will be managed by one network, which will allow authorities and emergency services in the area of more than 30 million people to share the video feeds. Chinese authorities are increasingly enlisting technology for security purposes. It was widely rolled out in Beijing during the 2008 Olympic Games. The government has expended resources to police online activity and block anti-government postings and other politically sensitive material with a system known as the ‘Great Firewall of China’. Plans for the surveillance system came after officials in the region announced plans to build 10 luxury inland river cruise ships large enough for helicopters to land on.
 

British MPs support video surveillance

Video surveillance systems have received support from MPs during the second reading of the Protection of Freedoms Bill in the House of Commons in the British Parliament. A number of politicians spoke out in favour of CCTV and the benefits that video surveillance has in deterring crime and providing evidence in investigations. The bill aims to protect UK citizens from “unwarranted state intrusion” and proposes the publication of a code of conduct for CCTV systems.

Debating the legislation, former home secretary Mr Jack Straw said there is strong demand for CCTV because it makes people feel safe. “In my whole 32 years in this house, I have never had a single representation seeking the removal of CCTV monitors. Not one,” he stressed. Ms Pamela Nash, Labour MP for Airdrie and Shotts, added that crime in Airdrie town centre fell by almost 25 per cent in the two years after open street CCTV was installed. “Surveillance continues to be supported locally, and is seen to be a great success in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour,” she remarked.
 

Genetec IP surveillance watches over a rare museum

The acclaimed Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in Phoenix, Az, has installed Omnicast, Genetec’s IP video surveillance system, for the protection and monitoring of its prized collection. The Omnicast system is currently managing over 200 Axis Communications and Interlogix IP security cameras, plus a few analogue PTZ security cameras connected via encoders. MIM is the world’s first global musical instrument museum and has a collection of over ten thousand musical instruments and artifacts housed in a magnificent award-winning building of over 190,000 square feet. Several key stakeholders at the Museum previously had positive experiences with Genetec products and believed they would be an ideal fit for MIM given Genetec’s superior technology and flexibility.

Armed with Genetec’s powerful and flexible video surveillance solution, Omnicast, museum staff are able to key in to specific high-risk pieces and ensure they remain safe. Currently, Omnicast monitors everything from the 190,000 square foot interior to the exterior of the building and parking lot for complete facility coverage.
All main security operations are centralised in MIM’s Security Command Center, a station manned 24-hours a day. However, the Omnicast system also allows for remote monitoring by senior staff and configuration of internal access user privileges by administrators, which provide an extra layer of security. Omnicast’s intuitive user interface, which required little training despite a staff unaccustomed to security system usage, was a key feature. Mr Jeff Worcester, Project Manager at Climatec, the integrator involved in the project said, “Omnicast’s ease of use is a key advantage to the system in any environment. It enables a security team comprised of individuals with any level of experience – from none to a lifetime on legacy systems – to quickly and easily learn to navigate the software.” Additionally, the system’s highly flexible nature – permitting customization via programming as well as an array of plugin and macro options – was paramount to the success of the installation.
 

IBM is testing biometrics technology for retail marketing

International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) is testing technology that would use biometrics — automated ways of recognizing humans based on physical or behavioral traits — in retail marketing, according to reports. The new technology involves tracking biometrics through a mini camera installed in a mannequin’s eye or positioned somewhere in the store. The tests are being currently conducted in Milan, Italy, for a fashion company’s flagship store, as well as an electronics store. The clients asked IBM not to reveal their identities for fear of customer backlash. “We started with fashion because it is a creative and innovative industry, but it’s clear that people have to be educated so they know their privacy will not be compromised,” said Mr Enrico Bozzi, the manager of IBM Forum Milano, the department that developed the technology. “It is a question of changing people’s perception.”

Most companies use biometrics for security purposes; however IBM’s applications will be used for functions, such as merchandising. Using the data collected, stores can merchandise their stores strategically based on clientele demographics. According to Mr Marco Fregonese, strategy and change leader for IBM Global Business Services, none of the applications have been sold yet.
 

Mobotix reports 45% sales increase

CCTV Camera manufacturer Mobotix enjoyed a 45 per cent increase in sales during the first half of its current fiscal year. Between July 1st and December 31st, the company recorded sales of €34.6 million (£29.5 million), up from €23.9 million in the same period a year earlier. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rose by 91 per cent to €9 million, up from 4.7 million, resulting in a group EBIT margin of around 25 per cent.Net income after taxes rose by 96 per cent year-on-year, while earnings per share improved by 97 per cent. The performance was driven by a strong first fiscal quarter, which saw sales increase by 42 per cent. The publication of the first half results comes after the company welcomed two new members to its executive board.Mobotix manufactures a wide range of CCTV cameras, including equipment for indoor and outdoor use, high definition devices, vandal-proof cameras with extra tough housing and dome cameras.
 

Police to tackle hate crime with taxi CCTV systems

Private hire taxis in Bolton are to be fitted with CCTV systems in an effort to tackle hate crime in the Greater Manchester town. CCTV cameras will be installed in a small number of cabs following a series of attacks on drivers. Police point out that many of the town’s taxi drivers are Asian, and are often the victims of hate crime.
Chief inspector Alan Wood said he hopes CCTV will deter offenders and enable officers to boost their crime detection rates. The pilot scheme will be funded by the Be Safe Partnership, although police say they eventually hope to equip all taxis in Bolton with video surveillance systems. Any cabs fitted with CCTV cameras have to display signs warning passengers that they are being monitored. Earlier this month, it was reported that 600 taxis in the city of Oxford were to be equipped with CCTV security surveillance.
 

Western Digital acquires Hitachi Global Storage Technologies

Western Digital and Hitachi, Ltd have announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby WD will acquire Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi GST), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $4.3 billion. The proposed combination will result in a customer-focused storage company, with significant operating scale, strong global talent and the industry’s broadest product lineup backed by a rich technology portfolio.

Under the terms of the agreement, WD will acquire Hitachi GST for $3.5 billion in cash and 25 million WD common shares valued at $750 million, based on a WD closing stock price of $30.01 as of March 4, 2011. Hitachi, Ltd. will own approximately ten percent of Western Digital shares outstanding after issuance of the shares and two representatives of Hitachi will be added to the WD board of directors at closing. The transaction has been approved by the board of directors of each company and is expected to close during the third calendar quarter of 2011, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. WD plans to fund the transaction with a combination of existing cash and total debt of approximately $2.5 billion. WD expects the transaction to be immediately accretive to its earnings per share on a non-GAAP basis, excluding acquisition-related expenses, restructuring charges and amortization of intangibles.

The resulting company will retain the Western Digital name and remain headquartered in Irvine, California. John Coyne will remain chief executive officer of WD, Tim Leyden chief operating officer and Wolfgang Nickl chief financial officer. Steve Milligan, president and chief executive officer of Hitachi GST, will join WD at closing as president, reporting to John Coyne.
 

Custodial video surveillance ‘an essential tool’

Custodial video surveillance cameras have an important role to play in monitoring suspects and aiding investigations. This is the view of Mr Colin Holder, CCTV project manager at West Midlands Police, who said surveillance in custody suites is especially useful in murder inquiries. For example, expert witnesses can use the footage to carry out facial mapping, he said. For this reason, it is important that custodial CCTV cameras are as sophisticated as possible and that the resulting images are of the highest quality.

“Without high quality images we lose the ability of using this invaluable process,” Mr Holder remarked. West Midlands Police has just completed a revamp of its custody suite surveillance system, linking all 23 police stations under its jurisdiction. “Image quality was by far the most decisive consideration we had to make, closely followed by audio quality, lip synchronisation and user management of the recordings,” explained Mr Holder. Work on the new system began in 2009 and has now been completed.
 

Sussex Police sign CCTV charter

Sussex Police has promised to use CCTV systems in a transparent and accountable way by signing up to a new European charter. Drawn up by the European Forum for Urban Security, the agreement seeks to balance civil liberties with the need for video surveillance. According to reports, the authority is the first in the UK to sign up to its principles. Representatives from Sussex Police were involved in the development of the charter, drawing on their own Independent CCTV Monitoring Scheme which they launched last year. Dr Laurie Bush, chairman of Sussex Police Authority, said: “I am delighted with the work that Sussex has done to contribute in such a positive way and that our CCTV Monitoring Scheme initiative has influenced the charter so significantly. It is now up to us to follow this charter through and prove its importance to partners and the public alike.”
 

CameraWatch chairman steps down

CameraWatch – the organisation which claims to be the UK’s leading advisory body on data protection for the CCTV industry – has announced that its chairman Mr Pat Curran has stepped down to devote more attention to other businesses. Mr Curran was the founder of the high-security specialist Bell Security which was sold to Securitas and rebranded as Niscayah in 2008. Curran joined the board of CameraWatch and became chairman two years ago. The group has successfully recruited big name supporters to the board including Norbain, JVC and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

The organisation promotes audits of CCTV systems to check their compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998. CameraWatch argues that the vast majority of CCTV systems – both private and publicly owned – are failing to comply with the Act. In addition, they claim that by failing to comply with the CCTV Code of Practice produced by the Information Commissioner’s Office, the industry is closing its eyes to the possible ramifications of a major breach of the Act. In a prepared statement, which CameraWatch issued to the media, Pat Curran is quoted as saying: “CameraWatch continues to go from strength-to-strength in gaining recognition as an expert voice in the important area of CCTV surveillance. I am pleased to have been asked to play a part in its development and I anticipate my successor taking the organisation on to further growth and increased influence.”
 

TSA to retest scanning machines for radiation levels

The Transportation Security Administration has announced that it will retest every full-body x-ray scanner in airports around the nation to verify the amount of radiation emitted from the screening devices. There has been a dispute regarding the amount of radiation passengers are exposed to after maintenance records on several of the devices showed radiation levels 10 times higher than expected. The TSA posted results from 127 x-ray devices on its website and will continue to release results from the nearly 4,500 machines at airports around the nation.

The TSA is calling this a “procedure” and “reporting” error. “Numerous independent tests have confirmed that these technologies are safe, but these record-keeping errors are not acceptable,” TSA spokesman Mr Nicholas Kimball said. For instance, “the testing procedure calls for the technician to take 10 separate scans” for radiation levels, “add them up and then divide by 10 to take an average. They didn’t divide by 10,” Mr Kimball said. Several lawmakers expressed displeasure with the gross oversight. The TSA “has repeatedly assured me that the machines that emit radiation do not pose a health risk,” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said in a written statement. “Nonetheless, if TSA contractors reporting on the radiation levels have done such a poor job, how can airline passengers and crew have confidence in the data used by the TSA to reassure the public?”
 

Idesco access control system deployed in Finnish prison

Over the past twenty years the Finnish national Criminal Sanctions Agency has purchased thousands of Idesco readers and tags for nearly every closed prison in Finland. Idesco was recently chosen by the Kuopio Prison in Finland to supply its access control readers during the renovation and expansion project of its prison building. Construction of the new building has been completed and renovation of the old complex will follow during the next few months.

The access control systems to be deployed in the Kuopio Prison will ultimately include hundreds of readers and tags. Every inmate will receive a personal tag which will open their cell door at specific times during each day. Finnish Prisons have been the forerunners in deploying contactless technology. Naturally, the systems that result from combining different technologies and products must have proven their reliability across the wide variety of conditions prison settings invariably offer. In such environments, where the movement of individuals must be strictly controlled, the reliability and security of an access control system is paramount.
The system provider, Niscayah Oy, which specializes in security systems and services, began operations in the early 90s. They have grown into the predominant provider of personal security, CCTV, access control and time & attendance systems for prisons throughout Finland.

“Readers installed in prison settings are often inserted into walls behind a casing with plexiglass, so they must be capable of reading tags through glass. Another special requirement of readers is that they possess long read distances, enabling guards to open doors while still standing behind a group of inmates”, says Mr. Raimo Aho, manager of the Public Administration segment sales group at Niscayah.
 

Rockland Community hires security firm to patrol when cops can’t

A well-to-do neighborhood in United States has decided to take matters of handling law and order in its own hands. The quiet well-kept neighborhood in Orangetown is worried about a string of smash-in burglaries — half a dozen since November — which has many alarmed. Though local police said they are on the case and investigating, nervous neighbors said they’ve been tight lipped on details, not wanting to jeopardize the investigation — which has led to neighborhoods hiring private security firms to beef up protection.

Reports talk about seeing an official looking patrol vehicle with emergency lights. The man inside was a former FBI Agent who is now a part of the private security firm hired by some of the residents a few weeks ago to provide an extra deterrent to burglars — and an extra sense of security for themselves.
The security patrol is not authorized to make an arrest. Rather, they check for suspicious activity, and record license plates of suspicious vehicles in the area. The unusual move of hiring private security has caught the attention of local police here. “They call us if they see something suspicious. That’s what we need. We need them to communicate with us,” Orangetown Police Lt. Donald Butterworth said. They are a group of neighbors going the extra mile to feel safe in their homes. Thus far about 15 households in the neighborhood have chipped in for the security patrol, which covers about 200 homes.
 

Demand for Mexican security firms’ services soars

Mexico’s private security companies saw demand for their services soar 25 percent in 2010 due to a surging crime rate and requests for protective services by businesses and individuals, an industry association said. Security companies’ payrolls grew about 25 percent last year because of rising demand in parts of the country that are doing well economically, the 150-member National Association of Private Security and Associated Industry executives said. “Housing units, shopping centers, security for trucks and bodyguards were the segments with the highest volume,” the trade group said.

Association members saw demand for security services rise in the states of Mexico, Nuevo Leon, Guerrero, Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, San Luis Potosi, Puebla, Morelos and Michoacan, as well as in the Federal District, the trade group said. Security was expanded by clients affected by burglaries, the theft of merchandise from shopping centers and department stores, truck hijackings and kidnappings. Security firms have grown by offering a complete portfolio of services, ranging from security guards to risk analysis and the installation of security systems, association president Arnulfo Garibo said. Providing protection for cargo trucks is the area with the fastest-growing demand because security firms helped prevent more than 300 highway robberies, association spokesman David Garcia said. Robberies fell 70 percent, Garcia said, adding that security firms worked with other industries and used satellite monitoring, armor plating and logistics techniques to protect trucks.
 

TDSi wins contract to supply access control equipment for Beijing Metro

TDSi has won the contract to supply access control equipment for 12 stations on the 22km Da Xing Line on the Beijing Metro. Working closely with STY, one of its reseller partners in China, TDSi has secured an order for its EX series controllers, EXprox VR readers and EXgarde PRO access management software system. Commenting on the contract John Davies, TDSi’s Managing Director, said: “I’m delighted that our equipment has been selected for such a high profile project. Having previously installed a similar solution for the Shanghai Metro and Tianjin Metro, we have the technology, the experience and the commitment to deliver the same successful outcome for Beijing Metro”. Installations have already begun on site with the project scheduled for completion in August 2011.
 

One CCTV for every 32 people in UK

The UK is being watched by a network of 1.85m CCTV cameras, the vast majority of which are run by private companies, according to the only large-scale audit of surveillance cameras ever conducted. The study, which involved police community support officers (PCSOs) physically counting virtually every camera in Cheshire, provides the first reliable estimate of how saturated with CCTV the UK has become. Details of the research come in the week that a government consultation document proposed a voluntary code of practice for public CCTV systems, but left private cameras largely unregulated.

It has taken more than two years for Cheshire PCSOs to interview the owners of every premise in the county. During the ongoing project they counted 12,333 cameras, according to an account of the research published in the magazine CCTV Image. The majority of these were inside premises, rather than facing the street, and only a relatively small number of Cheshire’s cameras – 504 – were run by public authorities.
The data from Cheshire was then extrapolated to the UK, taking into account rural and urban differences. The addition of the number of publicly-owned CCTV, and cameras on transport networks, brought the total estimate to 1,853,681. This translates to one camera for every 32 UK citizens. Cheshire’s deputy chief constable, Mr Graeme Gerrard, said the data undermined more sensational estimates, such as the widely-repeated but dubious claim that the average Briton passes under 300 cameras a day.

Another questionable estimate that received widespread coverage – including in Home Office literature – was of 4.2m cameras in the UK. The methodology behind this claim was also dubious as it derived from a 2002 study that extrapolated from the number of cameras spotted on two streets in Wandsworth in London. Mr Gerrard, who co-wrote the research with his constabulary’s mapping manager, Mr Richard Thompson, said that without comparable research from elsewhere in the world, campaigners could not reliably claim that the UK is the “most watched” society in the world.
 

Assa Abloy celebrates rich award harvest

Assa Abloy is celebrating after winning three high profile manufacturing awards in under six months for its innovative working practices. Assa Abloy recently received the National and Midlands Awards for Innovative Working Practices at the EEF Future Manufacturing Awards 2010, which showcases British manufacturing’s innovation and excellence.

The company, whose manufacturing operation is based in Willenhall in the Black Country, was also named Manufacturer of the Year 2010 at the Black Country Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards. The industry accolades were presented to Assa Abloy in recognition of the company’s innovative use of the latest information technology and best practice lean thinking to support the manufacture of a new multipoint locking system used in PVC and composite doors. This approach resulted in superior levels of customer service and quality, while significantly reducing inventory levels and empowering staff, Assa says. Assa Abloy also received the Midlands Region Runners Up Awards for Innovative People Practices and Environmental Sustainability at the EEF Future Manufacturing Awards 2010.
 

Freeport, Texas picks ADT for City Video Surveillance

The city of Freeport, Texas has selected ADT Security Services to provide and install the first phase of a wireless video surveillance system to combat crime in a public housing project and a marina, according to a top Freeport police official. In addition, there is a plan to deploy the system at both a large port and an oil storage facility, as well as at 29 chemical companies, the official says.

The project is being implemented in phases, with the first phase being a wireless mesh network to transmit video from Internet protocol (IP)-based cameras located throughout the municipality to recording systems in city hall while the real-time video is being monitored 24-hours per day by the Freeport Police Department. That phase is expected to take two months to complete. The first cameras are to be deployed at a large housing project, where drug trafficking, vandalism and illegal dumping are concerns. The system also will monitor Freeport’s public marina, providing boat owners with the capability to log onto an Internet site to check the security of their boats.

The second phase of the project will add cameras to monitor three bridges that provide the only vehicular access to the city located between the Gulf of Mexico and an intracoastal waterway, Freeport officials say. In addition, during this phase chemical companies are expected to link their surveillance cameras to the Freeport system. Later phases of the project are focused on expanding the system to cover a sports complex, area high schools and the downtown shopping district with the project expected to be completed during 2012.
 

ASIS establishes award for public-private partnerships

The ASIS International Law Enforcement Liaison Council (LELC) recently announced that it has established the Matthew Simeone ASIS Award for Public-Private Partnership Excellence. According to a statement, the award recognizes achievement by a private organization and a law enforcement agency to develop and implement a public-private initiative that enhances public safety. The award is named in honor of Matthew Simeone, who was a 24-year member of the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) in New York. Prior to his untimely death in 2009, Simeone was the commanding officer of the Police Commissioner’s Community Affairs Unit and a highly respected private sector liaison.

The award will be presented during ASIS 2011 in Orlando, Fla., at a luncheon to be held on Sept. 21. The application deadline for the award is May 20. A committee consisting of the ASIS LELC, an ASIS executive staff leader and a representative from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Private Sector Liaison Committee (PSLC) will select the winners, according to the statement.
 

Samsung focusing on IP CCTV cameras

Electronics brand Samsung is planning to meet growing demand for IP CCTV systems this year with the launch of several new products. A spokesman for the company said that Samsung was seeking to expand its market share in IP CCTV cameras. “We are planning to release 21 new IP cameras, including five-megapixel models, this year,” said Yoon Ho Ha. “We will be creating the world’s first and world’s best products in order to differentiate ourselves from competitors to ensure our leadership.”

Samsung expects IP video to account for 60 per cent of the European market by 2015, overtaking analogue in 2012. It intends to launch two and three-megapixel IP CCTV cameras in the first half of this year, followed by five-megapixel cameras in the second half. Meanwhile, research has revealed that of those businesses that have fitted or commissioned IP CCTV systems in the last year, some 88 per cent are satisfied with their installations.
 

Council overhauls CCTV network with Bosch MIC Series cameras

The UK’s North East Lincolnshire Council is carrying out a major overhaul of its CCTV surveillance infrastructure, selecting Bosch Security Systems rugged MIC Series pan-tilt-zoom cameras to be at the centre of its new surveillance network. The existing PTZ cameras have been operating for more than 16 years and are fast becoming obsolete. Following consultations it was decided to roll out a programme to replace each unit with MIC Series cameras from Bosch.

To date, three MIC Series 400 cameras have been installed in Grimsby town centre and a further nine are due to be replaced with the new MIC Series 500s in the spring. As well as the new cameras, the council is also installing a direct link from Grimsby Police Station into its new digital recording system. This will allow images from each camera to be retrieved more quickly should the police require evidence to support a conviction; a process that used to take hours can now be completed in seconds. The quality of the images captured by the MIC Series cameras has made identifying any offenders far quicker and easier and therefore more useful to the Police, Bosch claims.

From April last year, the cameras recorded a total of 440 incidents including 143 assaults, 150 thefts and 27 acts of vandalism, of which 184 were reviewed by Police. It is hoped the improved image quality and easy access to footage will significantly increase this conviction rate.
 

Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear threats spur business contingency plans into action

Events in Japan continue to unfold after a catastrophic earthquake. Many national and corporate entities are currently in the midst of coping with the impacts of events and several security professionals reiterate how important it is to have business continuity plans that prepare for worst-case scenarios. Many international companies operating in Japan have put their business contingency plans in action and everyone is keeping a close eye on events in Japan. For example, New York-based Citigroup isn’t currently planning to move staff out of the country, but is monitoring the situation, according to spokeswoman Naomi Watanabe.

An event of this scale demonstrates that companies are often not prepared to deal with true catastrophic events, said Mr Daniel Weiss, partner at McCann Global who has worked extensively as systems integrator on critical infrastructure projects. “Companies and facilities often are not prepared for total catastrophic events. They’re prepared for minor events, but not true catastrophes,” he said. Weiss has seen firsthand how businesses are often not prepared for even likely events. “We saw that with Hurricane Katrina and what happened in the New Orleans business community,” he said. The likelihood of a devastating hurricane in that area of the U.S. has always been a known threat that businesses and residents were well aware of, he said. But even with that knowledge, many businesses were “unprepared and caught scrambling and many didn’t survive the transition,” he said.

But why don’t companies, or nations for that matter, prepare for worst-case scenarios? “It’s hard to justify the expense,” Weiss said. Often companies cite the fact that there are so many scenarios it’s difficult to prepare for everything, he said. But, extensive preparation is often the role of the security professional. “From a security perspective, I think the key here is to be prepared for anything,” wrote Margarita Castillo, availability specialist with the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, in a LinkedIn thread on the events unfolding in Japan. Companies must focus on mass evacuation options, shelter in place options, but most importantly identify risk and threats through assessments and prioritize such risks based on likelihood, she wrote. And while the total impacts of the events in Japan are not known, security professionals should be evaluating their current plans. “Events such as the Japanese earthquake can bring to light gaps in our own plans,” wrote Castillo. “This is an opportunity to compare the current disaster situation with your current environment. How well would your plan respond?”
 

Romanian firm adopts Hikvision CCTV cameras

Hikvision CCTV cameras have been chosen by a building supplies chain in Romania to monitor staff and improve customer service. Black Sea Suppliers has installed IP-addressable speed domes and IR outdoor cameras in all of its retail outlets and linked warehouses. It will use the devices to assess staff behaviour and review customer care.
Remote monitoring of footage from the video surveillance cameras will take place in a control centre on the Black Sea coast. John Hanza, IT director at Black Sea Suppliers, said: “All our warehouses have a sophisticated computer infrastructure and it was vital to choose a manufacturer of IP surveillance cameras whose units could co-exist with our regular network.
“Hikvision’s use of the H.264 codec and the ability of the cameras to modify recording resolution according to location have been important factors in helping us to conserve bandwidth.” In 2010, Hikvision was ranked in the Security 50 market survey, which recognises the world’s top 50 security companies, for the fifth consecutive year.
 

Private security companies on standby to aid in evacuations from Japan

Private security companies that specialize in civilian rescue operations say that despite the horrific scenes coming out of Japan, the country is probably better prepared for disaster than almost any other nation in the world. Thousands of foreign nationals are trying to get out of Japan and away from its rising chaos and nuclear threat. And help is available - from private companies with experience in such situations.

Daniel Richards, CEO of Global Rescue, based in Boston, Massachusetts, said, “We obviously do know that the country, Japan, for a long time has suffered from earthquake and tsunami threats and that these events do sometimes occur. So, as a company that has clients who rely on us for these types of crisis response services in this region, we have been preparing for these kinds of events in this region due to the frequency with which they occur. Global Rescue has been involved in a number of large scale evacuations, most recently in Libya. The company currently has three clients in Japan, but unless the radiation threat from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant gets considerably worse, Richards feels Japan is well prepared. “The Japanese government was probably more prepared for this type of event than any other government in virtually any country in the world” said Richards. But even Japan is having difficulty coping in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that swept its northeastern regions. Food and fuel are in short supply. And there are growing fears of radioactive fallout from the overheating nuclear reactors.

Northcott Global Solutions in Britain also is monitoring the situation. It specializes in evacuations from remote or challenging areas, and employs former British soldiers to carry out operations. Northcott CEO Mr Ted Jones has advised the British government on evacuations and crisis management in Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, and now, Japan. Mr Jones said he has spoken to British officials about land, sea and air evacuation options, but so far Northcott is not involved on the ground in Japan. So for now, these companies remain on standby, waiting to see if the Japanese government can bring the nuclear problem under control while keeping roads and airports open.
 

Honeywell gets patent for Access Control System

Honeywell International has been assigned a patent developed by two Canadians for an “access control system with symbol recognition” that is used with video surveillance systems, says the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In addition to Honeywell, Canadians Jeremy Craig Wilson and David Black, of Delta, British Columbia are also listed in the patent document. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office abstract says, “A video camera is located at a secure access point and is connected to a computer network. The camera is used as a conventional security camera and also provides automated assistance with access control. “When an identity badge is presented to the camera by a person requesting access to the facility, a computer that is monitoring the camera recognizes a bar code or other symbols on the badge and accesses a database to locate information associated with that identity badge. This information is then used to determine if the person should be granted access”.