New Focus on the Classroom

New Focus on the Classroom

Prior to two weeks ago, as of this writing, I paid attention to cameras in the classrooms as they affected others. Then, on March 31, my granddaughter was enrolled in daycare. My wife and I are raising this 16 month old, and the first thing I did when touring daycare centers was look at access control, and the cameras in the rooms.

Shocked, I found that some day care centers do not have cameras in each room, and as far as locks on the front door, well, that’s another story. When we narrowed the list of where she should be enrolled, it came down to whom had video surveillance in each room, and what type of cameras they were using.

Maybe it was my old age; some daycare providers thought they could baffle me with their (lack of) knowledge of video surveillance. I listened and found I wasn’t completely happy with any of the daycare centers, though we had to choose one. Now, I find myself checking in to the shared video feed to make sure my little one is okay.

It’s been two weeks and it’s time for me to introduce the latest video surveillance technology to the daycare center. They need to install IP cameras, so I can clearly see what that baby girl is doing, and make sure she is treated like I expect my granddaughter to be treated.

It is amazing how security solutions become part of our lives, whether by security solutions at work, home or now, at daycare. I understand that there are still plenty of people who swear by an analog camera; I’m more convinced than ever before that an IP networked camera is the only way to go.

Mergers and Acquisitions

There have been some amazing transactions this year in the security industry. I’m anxious to watch them mature over the next few months. Surprising to me: the public offering of Axis Communications by Canon. I’m anxious to watch this solution evolve under the new ownership; it makes me think that Canon is excited to reemerge in the security vertical.

Milestone Systems was snapped up by Canon, in order to build up its surveillance brand.

“Canon is aiming to take a leadership position in network video surveillance and we are making an important strategic investment today to realize our objective to expand in this market,” said Rokus van Iperen, president and CEO, Canon Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Video Insight was also part of the action as Panasonic acquired all shares of the Houston-based company. Panasonic said the acquisition was to strengthen its North American presence in the education market solution business.

“We’re excited and honored to partner with the Panasonic Group,” said J. Robert Shaw, CEO of Video Insight. “We believe this partnership will help us accelerate innovation, enhance product development, and allow us to provide our customers with better security solutions for years to come.”

Perhaps the biggest surprise to me stemming from last year at ASIS, Eric Fullerton, formerly with Milestone Systems, has taken over at Vicon as CEO. Vicon acquired the assets and technology of IQinVision, and really, Fullerton is the right person for the job.

“IQinVision is a very good name for a camera company, and the continuing company is not just a camera company,” Fullerton said. “Vicon actually has 47 years on it, with a lot of knowledge in certain parts of the industry that has a value.”

Vicon plans to retain the name, using either “IQin- Vision” or “IQeye” as the camera brand. Which form it’s fully going to take has not yet been ironed out.

There have been numerous mergers and acquisitions, too many to name in this short space. I think the security industry at large will be keeping an eye on each business model to see how it plays out. I think it will be very interesting.

One Last Thing

Brinks, a security firm that hauls around a lot of cash for its clients, found an honest man, and the story is worth repeating.

Dan Kennedy, who lives in the Salt Lake City area, found a bag of cash (75 pounds) that had fallen from a Brinks truck on a local a freeway. Brinks offered Kennedy $5,000 because he returned the bag of cash. That bag probably had about $22,000 inside.

“My folks called me, told me they were proud of me,” Kennedy said. “It felt real good.”

Kennedy insists that almost anyone else would have returned the cash in the same situation. I’d be curious to know if that would be the case.

Two good things resulted: The two employees who were in the truck made it possible for steps to be taken to ensure that this doesn’t happen again. More importantly, a true gentlemen emerged in the form of Tom Kennedy.

This article originally appeared in the May 2015 issue of Security Today.

Featured

  • Smarter Access Starts with Flexibility

    Today’s workplaces are undergoing a rapid evolution, driven by hybrid work models, emerging smart technologies, and flexible work schedules. To keep pace with growing workplace demands, buildings are becoming more dynamic – capable of adapting to how people move, work, and interact in real-time. Read Now

  • Trends Keeping an Eye on Business Decisions

    Today, AI continues to transform the way data is used to make important business decisions. AI and the cloud together are redefining how video surveillance systems are being used to simulate human intelligence by combining data analysis, prediction, and process automation with minimal human intervention. Many organizations are upgrading their surveillance systems to reap the benefits of technologies like AI and cloud applications. Read Now

  • The Future is Happening Outside the Cloud

    For years, the cloud has captivated the physical security industry. And for good reason. Remote access, elastic scalability and simplified maintenance reshaped how we think about deploying and managing systems. But as the number of cameras grows and resolutions push from HD to 4K and beyond, the cloud’s limits are becoming unavoidable. Bandwidth bottlenecks. Latency lags. Rising storage costs. These are not abstract concerns. Read Now

  • Right-Wing Activist Charlie Kirk Dies After Utah Valley University Shooting

    Charlie Kirk, a popular conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, died Wednesday after being shot during an on-campus event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah Read Now

  • The Impact of Convergence Between IT and Physical Security

    For years, the worlds of physical security and information technology (IT) remained separate. While they shared common goals and interests, they often worked in silos. Read Now

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.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.