High Profile Events

Keeping the network secure helps protect Boston Marathon runners

Boston is not only Massachusetts’ largest city and capital; it is the largest city in New England. With a territory stretching 48 square miles and an estimated population of 645,966, it holds the title of the 24th largest city in the United States.

The city is an important manufacturing hub, port and cultural center. Its many colleges and universities have made the city an international center for higher education, as well as a world leader in medicinal innovation. Additionally, Boston’s rich history attracts an astounding number of tourists each year. The colonial-era Faneuil Hall alone draws more than 20 million visitors annually.

Since the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, officials at sports facilities and special events throughout the country have increased their focus on public safety. In addition, city officials have sought to provide enhanced coverage for events like the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which attracts nearly 750,000 people.

Realizing the need for stronger surveillance in high-profile locations such as the marathon route, the city of Boston decided to increase civilian protection. The new security measures included doubling law enforcement personnel to about 3,500, the addition of bomb-sniffing dogs, and a SWAT team provided by the FBI.

The Boston Police Department worked with experienced companies to install a robust IP-based surveillance network to enhance video coverage in high-risk areas. Efficient security for events such as these requires shared visibility of common areas in public-private partnerships. Participants included LAN-TEL Communications, a Norwood, Mass.-based contractor; Sonet Electrical Systems of Woburn, Mass.; and Motorola of Schaumburg, Ill.

Officials leveraged DVTEL’s enterprise-class Latitude Network Video Management System (NVMS) and associated cameras to safeguard more than 30,000 runners and nearly one million spectators along the 26.2-mile course. Equipment was positioned strategically in various areas surrounding the parade with live video feeds from the cameras streaming instantaneously back to Boston Police headquarters. Latitude NVMS was chosen to merge existing, standalone DVTEL video surveillance systems in the Metro Boston area into a single, unified system for routine monitoring, scene recording and general investigation that will achieve new levels of intelligence.

More than 30 quick-deploy cameras were designed into a system by a skilled team of technicians in the weeks prior to the events. The devices, specifically designed for this type of deployment, each carried NEMA enclosures housing a camera, network switch, and power supply. The pre-configured units were deployed for pole mounting on street and traffic lights and wall-mounted on the sides of buildings throughout South Boston.

This approach provided the police with a direct overview of the parade route, while delivering live video to command center personnel for immediate monitoring. The security installation also integrated the monitoring of all cameras via DVTEL’s Latitude Network Video Management System. In addition to the cameras, Shot Spotter’s gunshot detection solution was integrated into the video management system. DVTEL Cloud Services was used to monitor all system health components.

Boston’s investment in a robust IP-based surveillance platform via DVTEL has allowed the city to minimize potential security risks and build a proactive approach to preventing threats to public safety. This comprehensive and effective approach to gathering intelligence has ultimately created a higher level of security for Boston’s residents and visitors.

Law enforcement and race officials monitored activity from multi-agency command centers to maximize efforts, while ensuring collaboration between law enforcement, event organizers, and other aligned stakeholders. DVTEL’s Latitude NVMS provided global situational awareness by linking several separate camera networks to a single entity for greater visibility, and to provide more insight into safety and security operations.

Following the success of the 2015 Boston Marathon, other race and special event organizers are looking to Boston for inspiration on how to best address their own security challenges. This year’s race is a testament to the capabilities of today’s surveillance technology, as well as the power of collaboration between police, event organizers and other stakeholders.

“Since the bombing at the 2013 Boston Marathon, race officials throughout the country have made security a number one priority,” said Yoav Stern, CEO of DVTEL. “DVTEL is proud to be a part of Boston’s efforts to ensure safety, while providing law enforcement with greater visibility to effectively and efficiently respond to incidents. This year’s collaborative efforts were deemed a success, and other race and special event organizers are now looking to Boston as a model for their future security endeavors.”

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

Featured

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

New Products

  • 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.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.