Homeland Security


Mexican State Uses IP Video Technology For Multi-City Surveillance

Chihuahua State in Northern Mexico has deployed a wide-area distributed surveillance system based on IndigoVision’s IP video technology.

FBI Report: Violent Crimes Drop For Third Consecutive Year In 2009

According to the figures released recently by the FBI, the estimated number of violent crimes in the nation declined in 2009 for the third consecutive year. Property crimes also declined in 2009, marking the seventh straight year that the collective estimates for these offenses dropped below the previous year’s total.

TSA Announces Award To Rochester International Airport

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today announced an award of $938,000 to Rochester International Airport (RST) for the construction of new in-line baggage handling systems designed to enhance TSA's efforts to strengthen security at airports.

NIST Releases Initial Set Of Smart Grid Cyber Security Guidelines

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued recently its first Guidelines for Smart Grid Cyber Security, which includes high-level security requirements, a framework for assessing risks, an evaluation of privacy issues at personal residences, and additional information for businesses and organizations to use as they craft strategies to protect the modernizing power grid from attacks, malicious code, cascading errors and other threats.

Research: Hostage-Taking Incident At Discovery Communications Meets Criteria Of Terrorist Act

A new report by terrorism researchers at the University of Maryland concludes that the deadly hostage-taking incident at the Discovery Communications headquarters in suburban Washington, D.C. meets the criteria of a terrorist act -- a rare one for media organizations and the nation's capital region. Hostage-taking, though, is a familiar pattern in capital-region terror, the researchers add.

Compliance Director Says DHS To Quicken Pace Of Site Inspections

The agency has reviewed more than 38,000 Top Screens and 6,000 Security Vulnerability Assessments and is planning on conducting between 30 and 40 preliminary authorization inspections per month.

Smiths Detection Wins Contract To Provide Chemical Threat Detection, Video Management System For Washington, D.C. Metro

Smiths Detection recently announced the award of an additional five-year contract by the Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) to upgrade and maintain the company’s PROTECT and FirstView anti-terrorism detection and software systems.

New Product Of The Year Award Winners Announced

Security Products magazine, the only integrated product magazine reaching the entire security market, announced the winners of its 2010 New Product of the Year Award at the publication’s premiere Virtual Event today.



On Approach

South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach International Airport serves more than 1.5 million travelers each year to and from one of the most popular golfing destinations in the United States. The airport is host to six major U.S. airlines. To accommodate the growth the area has experienced, the airport replaced its legacy security system, which was no longer servicing its needs, with intelligent field hardware and smart-card readers with bidirectional encryption. Airport officials reviewed five security management systems in detail prior to making a selection for their new system. Based on scalability, ease of use and operation, along with the lower cost of maintaining the system, they chose AMAG’s Symmetry SMS. Airport officials highlighted how secure the system was from end to end and the enhanced video integration that the new system offered. They replaced their old analog video system with a digital system that is seamlessly integrated. The IP solution is one of the first all-digital security systems in the southeastern United States.

Total Site Security

A bewildering variety of technologies is available in the security market, and determining which will meet both future regulatory requirements and your budget can be difficult. The first step is to review your facility and define the various areas that require security. Examples are perimeter security, gate security, access control, visitor and contractor management, building security, live monitoring and an audit trail. There are many products designed to address one or more of these requirements.

New Threats, New Arsenal

When entering an airport, travelers can’t help but reflect back on the events of Sept. 11, and how things have changed since then. In recent years, travelers have gained the ability to check in for their flight online, change their seat and download an electronic boarding pass to a PDA. It’s also possible to check the flight status from a PDA before leaving for the airport. The rapid advancements in technology have enabled passengers to be more efficient and informed. But has airport security changed or evolved?

Getting a Handle on TWIC

The Port of Wilmington, which opened in 1923, is the busiest port on the Delaware River and the leading North American importation site for fresh fruit, bananas and juice concentrate. It also was the first seaport to use the TWIC card, beginning with the TWIC Technology Phase pilot program in October 2003. TWIC is designed to add a layer of security at ports by ensuring that workers in secure areas have received a background check and do not pose a national security threat.

Axis Cameras Part Of Security Solution Protecting Little League World Series

Axis Communications recently announced that, as part of a comprehensive and discreet security solution put together by partner Lenel Systems International, it has contributed more than two dozen thermal, fixed dome and PTZ network cameras to this year’s Little League World Series being held in South Williamsport, Penn.

A screen capture of the FirstView chemical threat video management system being installed at the Port of Providence, R.I.

Providence Port to Receive Chemical Threat Warning Installation

"By integrating live video, data management and immediate warning capabilities with fixed sensors in critical areas, FirstView and Athena will help protect against intentional or accidental chemical incidents,” said Smiths Detection Vice President Jamie Edgar.

FLIR To Acquire ICx Technologies

ICx Technologies Inc., a developer of advanced sensor technologies for homeland security, force protection and commercial applications, has entered into a definitive merger agreement with FLIR Systems Inc. pursuant to which ICx would be acquired through a cash tender offer, followed by a merger with a subsidiary of FLIR, for a price of $7.55 per share in cash.

TSA Announces 100 Percent Of Domestic Air Cargo On Passenger Aircraft Now Screened

The Transportation Security Administration recently announced the airline industry has met a key requirement of the 9/11 Act by screening 100 percent of air cargo on domestic passenger aircraft.

What's In Your Future?

The typical access control system in use today, in all too many cases, is installed in stages. As a result, it is comprised of different brands and disparate products, many of which do not integrate into the same system or talk with each other.

Lurking in the Shadows

Mal-intended people operate under the cover of night, knowing that darkness makes it hard for them to be detected and identified. While it is difficult for humans to see in darkness, our eyes compensate by opening the iris. But a wide-open iris is easily blinded by sudden, direct illumination. Video cameras work in a similar way.

Tipping the Scales

The southern border typically receives more media attention and employs stricter security measures than the northern border. However, the United States and Canada share more than 5,000 miles of border, while the United States and Mexico share 1,900 miles. The Canadian border is a prime throughway for people and drugs.

Inside and Out

While airports worldwide struggle to maintain security and regulate access to restricted areas, some facilities have found a solution by implementing the most advanced and accurate identification technology available: biometrics.

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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

  • 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. 3

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.” 3