U.K. Council Reduces Crime with Latest IP Technology

Thurrock Council, a unitary authority in Essex, U.K., recently reduced the amount of time council staff and local police need to spend reviewing footage thanks to state-of-the-art IndigoVision IP technology. As a result a number of crimes, from theft to anti-social behavior, have been detected.

Thurrock Council is dedicated to reducing anti-social behavior for the benefit of the community. As one of the first councils in the UK to use wireless technology for CCTV, it has consistently been at the forefront of surveillance technology, and was keen to replace its aging network with the best equipment available.

The old system had 220 cameras in 28 locations, linked to local recorders with fixed storage capacity. As the cameras were motion activated, memory was quickly full in busy locations and important footage often overwritten. IndigoVision’s authorized partner ClearView Communications was managing the fixed solution and understood the challenges and the limited budget available for upgrading. They worked with Thurrock Council’s CCTV manager Gary Weatherly to develop a cost-effective but high quality solution, using IndigoVision’s technology.

The original analog cameras have been retained and linked to a new central back-up system with over 30 terabytes of memory. Live and recorded images are viewed over a wireless LAN network, on new plasma screens in the council’s control room. Five re-deployable cameras have also been added and can be sited anywhere they are needed. The footage is transmitted to the control room using 3G mobile networks.

The new IndigoVision system offers better resolution and framerate, and the amount of storage required is significantly reduced because of IndigoVision’s advanced compression technology and the use of its unique Activity Controlled Framerate (ACF) feature. ACF controls the framerate of the video stream based on the amount of motion in the scene.

IndigoVision’s advanced motion search capabilities allow police to quickly pinpoint time and images on recorded footage, letting them get to the evidence they need quickly. As the police require 50 – 100 pieces of footage a week, this saves a considerable amount of time. Police can also access the CCTV control room at any time day or night, and target a specific area. The new system also includes an audit trail, printing images onto DVD using LightScribe optical disk recording technology and a template that includes a unique reference number. Three copies are generated so there is less chance of lost images.

“The upgrade with IndigoVision’s technology has seen a significant improvement in the quality of CCTV evidence and ease of operation. Management and operators alike are delighted with the outcome, and the support that we’ve received,” said Gary Weatherly.

The project was completed ahead of time – in two years, instead of three – and reuse of the cameras kept costs low, allowing the upgrade to be covered by the council’s operating budget. Due to IndigoVision’s scalable architecture, more cameras can easily be added and the system expanded when needed in the future, with no system downtime required.

Featured

  • The Key to Wellbeing in the Office

    A few years ago, all we saw in the news was the ‘great resignation.’ Now we have another ‘great’ to deal with. According to CBRE, 2023 was the start of the ‘great return’ as office workers returned to their normal offices after working from home. The data shows that two-thirds of all U.S office buildings were more than 90% leased as of Q2 2023. Read Now

  • Failed Cybersecurity Controls Costing U.S. Businesses $30 Billion Yearly

    Panaseer recently released ControlWatch and the Continuous Controls Battle: Panaseer 2025 Security Leaders Report examining the cost of cybersecurity control failures and the impact of growing personal liability for security failings on security leaders. The report analyzes the findings of a survey of 400 security decision makers (SDMs) across the US and UK. It shows that security leaders feel under increasing pressure to provide assurances around cybersecurity, exposing them to greater personal risk – yet many lack the data and resources to accurately report and close cybersecurity gaps. Read Now

  • The Business Case for Video Analytics: Understanding the Real ROI

    For security professionals who may be hesitant to invest in video analytics, now's the time to reconsider. In a newly released Omdia report commissioned by BriefCam (now Milestone Systems), the research firm uncovered a compelling story: more than 85% of North American and European organizations that use video analytics achieve a return on investment within just one year. The study, which surveyed 140 end users across multiple industries, demonstrates that security technology is no longer just for security — it's a cross-organizational tool that delivers measurable business value far beyond traditional safety applications. Read Now

  • Survey: 54% of Organizations Cite Technical Debt as Top Hurdle to Identity System Modernization

    Modernizing identity systems is proving difficult for organizations due to two key challenges: decades of accumulated Identity and Access Management (IAM) technical debt and the complexity of managing access across multiple identity providers (IDPs). These findings come from the new Strata Identity-commissioned report, State of Multi-Cloud Identity: Insights and Trends for 2025. The report, based on survey data from the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), highlights trends and challenges in securing cloud environments. The CSA is the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings. 3

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file. 3

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening. 3