Hitting a Home Run
Little League World Series uses network cameras to ensure athlete and spectator safety
- By Fredrik Nilsson
- Dec 01, 2010
Every August, the Little League
International World Series
brings more than 300,000
visitors to the small town of
South Williamsport, Pa. With
a population of 6,000, the
community’s resources could easily be overwhelmed
by providing ample security for athletes,
visiting dignitaries and spectators. Even
though the venue hires auxiliary security staff
for the event and receives additional support
from the FBI, the Bureau of Prisons and a
host of other volunteers, Little League baseball
believes that video surveillance is an essential
element of its total security program.
For 12 years, Lenel Systems International,
a Rochester, N.Y.-based provider of turnkey
security systems, has donated products and
services for the event’s access control and
digital video security systems. The solution includes
more than two dozen Axis Communications
network cameras deployed around the
stadiums and dormitory complex. Lenel’s intuitive
video management system allows security
staff to control the cameras remotely, spot
suspicious packages and vehicles, help locate
missing people and verify badge holders’ IDs
when they swipe their access control cards.
In keeping with the carefree, family atmosphere
of the Little League World Series,
the subtle presence of video cameras has
been instrumental in maintaining crowd control,
finding lost children in a sea of spectators,
preventing unauthorized entry into the
dorms and measuring crowd size. With the
advanced technology in place, the South Williamsport
stadium transforms from a rural
ball field into one of the safest sports venues
in the country.
“Axis cameras are an integral part of our
total security program,” said Jim Ferguson,
director of security for Little League Baseball
and Softball International. “Without them,
ensuring the security and safety of our players
and fans would be much more difficult.”
Protecting the Diamond
The Little League World Series -- the largest
youth sports program in the world -- draws
teams and families from around the globe, as
well as high-profile spectators such as heads
of state and international dignitaries. Keeping
participants, family and fans safe during
the two-week competition requires a massive
coordinated effort involving local, state and
federal law enforcement in addition to a contingency
security force hired specifically to
patrol the complex during the playoffs.
“We house our athletes on-site in the Dr.
Creighton J. Hale International Grove, which
includes dorms, dining halls and recreational
facilities for players and coaches,” Ferguson
said, “so we need to monitor our complex
24-7. Even with extra law enforcement and
security in place, without video surveillance
it would be impossible to maintain the level
of security parents expect when they entrust
their children to our care.”
To augment permanently installed Axis
network cameras, Little League International
relied on Lenel Systems to set up several dozen
more network cameras donated by Axis
Communications to expand surveillance during
the series.
To cover the heavily wooded area surrounding
the International Grove, Lenel
installed AXIS Q1910-E thermal network
cameras for fence line perimeter detection. To
supplement guards, metal detectors and access
control badges at the gates, Lenel integrated
fixed-dome network cameras with an image
database to verify the identity of cardholders.
Flagging Suspicious Behavior
Lenel also installed PTZ network cameras
to continuously sweep the crowd, looking
for potential hot spots, such as large groups
congregating in a single area. High-powered
optical zooms, coupled with Lenel’s On-
Guard IntelligentVideo software, alert security
to objects left behind -- such as a cooler
near the bleachers -- enabling officers to scan
video quickly, locate the owner in real time
and identify the contents without having to
raise an alarm.
“We treat these threats seriously,” Ferguson
said. “But at the same time we don’t
want to cause a panic or make people feel
like they’ve entered a prison yard. This is a
family-friendly venue. If we’re doing our job
right, nobody should know we’re there.”
Lenel also deployed a number of network
cameras with two-way audio that allows the
operations center to communicate with security
guards patrolling the premises.
“It bridges the gap between physical and
electronic security,” Ferguson said.
Finding Lost Children
With the sheer volume of people attending
every game, lost children and medical emergencies
are bound to occur. Using video
analytics, security searches camera feeds by
clothing color and highlights anyone matching
that description.
“We’ve actually been able to find quite a
few missing people with the camera system
before physical security guards were able to
spot them,” Ferguson said. “It’s really reduced
our time-to-find, which, I can assure
you, is a big relief to anxious parents.”
Ahead of the Curve
“Every year we get bigger, better and more
efficient,” Ferguson said.
This year Lenel rolled out Axis thermal
cameras to spot intruders lurking in the
shadows, Axis High PoE PTZ cameras for
360-degree endless pan and crystal-clear 35x optical
zoom, and advanced analytics for tighter
integration between
surveillance and access
control.
This article originally appeared in the issue of .