New Video Surveillance Center Helps Crime-Fighting Efforts in Washington

New Video Surveillance Center Helps Crime-Fighting Efforts in Washington

The nation’s capital can feel a little safer now when traveling about the city. A new security operations control center (SOCC) is proving extremely useful to the Metro Transit Police Department in solving crime across the public transportation system.

Inside the $3.6 million SOCC is security camera footage from the system’s busiest platforms is displayed on massive screens on the front wall. Flat-screen televisions cycle through a list of faces for whom MTPD are on the lookout for. In a higher area overlooking the floor, dispatchers and call takers log emergency complaints and text tips and feed them to the officers in the system.

The transit system has been under scrutiny because of an increased amount of brazen attacks committed by groups of teenagers. For example, six high school students were recently arrested in connection with an attack that delayed morning rush-hour trains. One of the teenagers reportedly struck a 35-year-old man while he was getting off of the train, resulting in a small brawl before the teenagers rush onto the train just before the doors close. Surveillance footage was able to help the police pinpoint the location of the teenagers and help them to verify who they were.

The control center allows transit police to act quickly when incidents occur. The Digital Video Evidence Unit has processed more than 6,200 requests for footage last year, drawing from thousands of security cameras placed inside and outside Metro’s 91 stations.

The control center’s capabilities were offered before, but not all in the same room. Whereas previously Metro’s call takers, dispatchers, detectives and video technicians were housed separately, now the groups are able to seamlessly communicate with one another. This process saves time and ultimately leads to more arrests.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Security Risks for U.S. Retail Chains

    Interface Systems, a provider of security, actionable insights, and purpose-built networks for multi-location businesses, has released its 2024 State of Remote Video Monitoring in Retail Chains report. The detailed study analyzed over 2 million monitoring requests across 4,156 retail locations in the United States from September 2023 to August 2024. Read Now

  • Gaining a Competitive Edge

    Ask most companies about their future technology plans and the answers will most likely include AI. Then ask how they plan to deploy it, and that is where the responses may start to vary. Every company has unique surveillance requirements that are based on market focus, scale, scope, risk tolerance, geographic area and, of course, budget. Those factors all play a role in deciding how to configure a surveillance system, and how to effectively implement technologies like AI. Read Now

  • 6 Ways Security Awareness Training Empowers Human Risk Management

    Organizations are realizing that their greatest vulnerability often comes from within – their own people. Human error remains a significant factor in cybersecurity breaches, making it imperative for organizations to address human risk effectively. As a result, security awareness training (SAT) has emerged as a cornerstone in this endeavor because it offers a multifaceted approach to managing human risk. Read Now

  • The Stage is Set

    The security industry spans the entire globe, with manufacturers, developers and suppliers on every continent (well, almost—sorry, Antarctica). That means when regulations pop up in one area, they often have a ripple effect that impacts the entire supply chain. Recent data privacy regulations like GDPR in Europe and CPRA in California made waves when they first went into effect, forcing businesses to change the way they approach data collection and storage to continue operating in those markets. Even highly specific regulations like the U.S.’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) can have international reverberations – and this growing volume of legislation has continued to affect global supply chains in a variety of different ways. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • 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

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis. 3

  • 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. 3