Helping Those in Need
Outdated equipment can create critical vulnerabilities and leave a facility unprotected
In the United States, nearly 20 people per minute are physically
abused by an intimate partner, equating to more than 10 million
in a single year. The Faces of Hope Victims Center is on
a mission to reduce this victimization with a safety net of crisis
services. Located in Boise, Idaho, Faces of Hope provides a
safe haven, where those affected by any type of interpersonal violence
can come to receive help without judgment, waitlists or fees.
Through a single door, the specialized multi-disciplinary team wraps
around an individual or family and provides crisis-intervention services
to stabilize them.
Fleeing in-home violence can be a dangerous undertaking for
many, fearing stalking or intervention by their abuser. For this reason,
centers like Faces of Hope rely heavily on video surveillance solutions
to increase their situational awareness and keep both victims
and employees alike safe from imminent threats.
The team at Faces of Hope reached out to Darren Braden, regional
sales director at Integrated Security Resources (ISR), an All-star
Dahua dealer, after noticing their aging analog video system was no
longer performing optimally. Braden had previously designed the solution
for the Faces of Hope Victims Center, and after meeting with
Dahua, who offered to donate all product needed, ISR donate their
time to implement the needed updates.
“It was clear that Dahua was eager to help us in any way they
could,” Braden said. “Upgrading the older cameras was a must for
the Victims Center, so the video surveillance equipment was a step
towards making this upgrade a reality.”
Another goal of the upgrade was to add accessibility features to
the video surveillance system. Employees needed to have the ability
to live-stream the surveillance video without manually connecting to
the DVR, located in the basement of the facility. In emergency situations
tapping into the video feed from a laptop, phone or tablet is
crucial for the safety of those at the center.
“After almost 13 years, the (old) security system had been pretty
beaten up,” Paige Dinger of Faces of Hope said. “Our technology
was outdated, and the cameras were capturing blurry images.”
HD over Coax (HDCVI) was used to give the system a muchneeded
upgrade, without having to rip and replace all existing wiring.
This saved time for the integrator, while only requiring a minor
disruption of service for the center’s camera system. To address the
concerns surrounding both day and night surveillance, ISR equipped
the center with a mix of 4MP IR 3.6mm Mini Dome and Mini Bullet
cameras featuring Smart Infrared (IR) and Wide Dynamic Range
(WDR) technologies.
These new cameras allow for the superior clarity of the realtime
4MP video, while simultaneously leveraging the existing legacy
infrastructure. The HDCVI technology guarantees the added benefit
of real-time transmissions over long distance without a loss of
video quality.
The next step was to tackle the accessibility issues faced by employees.
Integrated Security Resources installed a Dahua 4K Pentabrid
DVR to seamlessly integrate the new HD over Coax system.
With over 64 camera inputs available, the integration team allowed
for scalability within the system. This new DVR also enabled employees
of the facility to view security footage remotely, without needing
to physically connect to the DVR or use a monitor to view surveillance
footage.
Gaining the ability to better understand the situation when a victim
arrives was of the upmost importance, to see if they are being
followed and if the facility needed to lock down accordingly.
Smart IR illumination enables the capture of detailed images in
low light or no light scenarios. The technology automatically adjusts
the intensity of the camera’s infrared LEDs to compensate for the
distance of objects. This keeps the camera from producing “white
out” images when something comes too near to the camera. The need
for cameras to output clear video at all times of day was crucial.
“As partners in the building, the Boise Police Department, was
concerned that the old technology was too outdated, providing bad
picture quality,” Dinger said.
Also featuring true WDR, created specifically for applications
under complex dynamic range, the solution presents high-quality
images with clear details and accurate color rendition. WDR is also
responsible for ensuring the video surveillance system can produce
high-quality images in both bright and low light conditions.
Integrating the HD video solution with existing access control and
alarm systems was no issue for the team at Integrated Security Resources.
One of the most important aspects of the installation of the new
solution was the constant support they received. Dahua prides itself
on its technical support and services, helping their partnered integrators
in any way they can. The technical support is paramount in the
success of any installation.
“Any questions we had were always immediately taken care of.
The whole team is incredibly responsive,” said Braden. “Down the
road, something in electronics will inevitably fail. Dahua technical
support makes it so easy to fix these issues and will get you back on
track with minimal downtime.”
“Our clients are very pleased with how their new system has been
performing,” Braden said. “With all of the new functionalities provided
by the video surveillance system, employees feel that the center
is better secured.”
Providing a natural deterrent and keeping surveillance on the exterior
of the building, the new cameras allowed employees to more
safely asses a situation when a victim arrived. They found that this
allowed them a greater reaction time, with the ability to instantly see
the parking lot and entrance area. Having cameras securing the victims,
employees, and legal paperwork inside on the center has allowed
staff to better understand what is happening within the facility and
have better peace of mind.
As an added benefit, the newly installed cameras came in handy
when an incident took place next door. “A burglary took place at one
of the neighboring businesses; thankfully we were actually able to use
the security footage (from the new cameras) to help identify a suspect
for them,” Dinger said. “The new system is much easier to use, has
perfect picture quality and makes us feel safer.
Unlike deploying an IP system, which forces integrators to rip and
replace the existing infrastructure, the solution allowed for a simple
and quick installation.
“Deploying an HD over Coax solution always
makes our job easier,” Braden said. “These systems
have so many benefits, especially for those
who cannot have their video surveillance system
down for an extended amount of time.”
This article originally appeared in the April 2019 issue of Security Today.