Blog Archives




 

  • More on UTSA’s Wireless Camera System
    By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Monday June 22, 2009
    Last month we posted an update on how a new wireless mesh surveillance system at UT San Antonio is helping campus police beat crime and manage security. Recently, reporters at San Antonio’s KENS 5 Eyewitness news visited UTSA to hear more about the system from UTSA’s David Gabler, who talked about how video monitoring has made the campus safer and put a few suspected criminals on notice:                                                  

  • One More Redundancy
    By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Thursday June 18, 2009
    We recently talked to Mark Nelson, ADT’s manager of business development, about redundancy when it comes to mass communications systems .  He recommended sirens, computer-based text systems, outdoor voice speaker arrays and LED signage all used in combination to reach the maximum number of people with the most information during a crisis. But now he adds that a campus or city also needs to integrate these emergency communications systems with other security technology – particularly camera systems. Cameras allow law enforcement and other first responders to remotely view impacted areas.  This can be very helpful in emergencies requiring evacuations.  As Nelson points out, no agency would want to move people from one area...

  • Surveillance cameras play an important role in port security
    By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Friday June 12, 2009
    An increasing number of the nation’s largest seaports are adding video surveillance to protect precious cargo, monitor access and deter thieves. The San Francisco-area Port of Richmond has installed a security system that has already made a positive impact on security. To read more about the installation go here . Terrorism, theft and vandalism are major concerns for ports—vital points of entry and storage for everything from chemicals to cars and keeping it all secure can be a complicated challenge. To meet the challenge, the Port Authority at the Port of Richmond (Calif.), one of the country’s largest ports, has installed security cameras from ADT . Authorities chose a wireless mesh system to avoid the cost and...

  • Parking Lot Security
    By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Wednesday June 10, 2009
      When you park your car in a municipal or campus lot or garage, you assume that your vehicle and its contents will be safe.  But, are you really aware of the lot’s security procedures?  Here are a few items to be aware of: -  Hide or remove your valuables from plain view before leaving your car. -  Leave your engine running until you are ready to exit the vehicle. -  Check surroundings to make sure they look safe before you get out. -  When walking back to your car, keep your keys in hand, so you can enter quickly or use the keys as a weapon if needed. -  Before getting inside, check the front and back seats to make sure no one is hiding. -  Lock your doors once you get inside the car. -  If someone...

  • Better City Management with Security Cameras
    By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Friday June 5, 2009
      We are seeing more and more cities installing cameras to increase security and cut down on crime. As we have discussed, wireless technologies are making it easier to put up camera systems in remote areas where wired systems would be very costly. Municipalities can install cameras in parks, beaches and recreational areas that don’t have a lot of existing infrastructure. But while security and crime may be the drivers for the technology, city officials are finding a lot more bottom-line benefits, especially at a time when many cities are struggling with shrinking budgets and fewer tax dollars. These municipal governments have discovered that the security infrastructure can help them to better manage resources and keep down...

  • Poll Results on Arming Students
    By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Wednesday June 3, 2009
    There is not much that starts a spirited debate faster than talking about guns on college and university campuses.  Currently only Utah allows students and faculty over 21 to carry a concealed weapon on all public colleges and universities. Other states are trying to get on the list, however within the past month, legislatures in Texas, Louisiana and Missouri have defeated bills to do so. Patrick Fiel, public safety advisor for ADT and former head of security for Washington, D.C. Public Schools, said he recently conducted an unscientific, but interesting poll on the social media site, LinkedIn . "In only an hour, I received 284 votes, with more than 86 percent of those against allowing concealed weapons on campuses, ” he...

  • UT San Antonio Goes Wireless
    By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Friday May 29, 2009
    Cities and campuses across the country are turning to wireless mesh networks to transmit video surveillance data – often from places where a wired system might be very expensive or even impossible to install. The University of Texas at San Antonio is an example.  When administrators recently built a 600-space parking lot about a quarter-mile from the university’s main campus they faced a challenge—securing one of the campus’ largest parking lots in one of its most remote locations. To monitor security in the lot, UTSA chose a wireless mesh video system that campus police say has already helped solve several break-ins and auto theft cases.     Daniel Pena, UTSA assistant police chief said, “We chose the wireless mesh...

  • Is Campus Security Making the Grade?
    By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Wednesday May 27, 2009
    Is Campus Security Making the Grade? Midterms and finals may be coming to an end for students this year, but it’s time for test prep of a different kind for schools around the country. Before kids return in the fall for a new school year, it’s time to prepare for a campus risk assessment. Experts recommend that schools undergo a regular risk assessment as technology and times change, but what security issues should schools be concerned with? Patrick Fiel , public safety advisor for ADT, talked about how important it is for schools to take a hard look at the safety concerns of students, teachers, staff and parents. Fiel gave a quick list of important ‘must-haves’ before beginning the assessment: 1. A detailed campus...

  • Redundancy in an Emergency
    By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Tuesday May 19, 2009
    Emergency sirens begin to blare from atop poles scattered across a city or a university campus.  No doubt there is an emergency.  But is it an approaching tornado?  A flash flood?  A toxic chemical spill?   A terrorist attack?  It may be one of dozens of other scenarios, each of which might require a different response from citizens or students. According to Mark Nelson, manager of business development for ADT Security Services, sirens are very good for one thing – gaining a person’s attention.  But without more information, a siren may do more harm than good. “That’s where mass notification systems play a major role,” he said.  “And rather than relay on one single technology, it’s best to take advantage of...

  • City Camera Law Works
    By PublicSafetyWatch blog - Friday May 15, 2009
    About 20 months ago the Northern California city of El Cerrito enacted an ordinance requiring certain businesses to install and maintain a video surveillance system. The idea was to have access to the video to help deter, stop and prosecute crimes. Go here for more information on the ordinance. The idea started years ago, but came to a head when the city’s homicide rate (normally about one a year) shot up to three murders in one year. So far, El Cerrito police commander Michael Regan says that compliance has been good. He said that businesses had a year to comply and with rare exception almost all have systems up and working. “Compliance has been pretty good,” he said. “We only had about two percent that were...

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