Municipal Security


Justice Apologizes For Iowa Court System Authorizing Security Vulnerability Testing That Led To Break-Ins

Justice Apologizes For Iowa Court System Authorizing Security Vulnerability Testing That Led To Break-Ins

At a legislative hearing Friday, court administrators answered questions about their decision to hire “penetration testers” who were arrested for burglary last month.

Changing the Look of Security

Changing the Look of Security

Video analytics have been around almost as long as CCTV itself, rescuing security operators from the nearly impossible task of continuously and effectively monitoring video surveillance feeds.

Men Arrested For Breaking Into Iowa Courthouse Were Hired to Conduct Security Testing

Men Arrested For Breaking Into Iowa Courthouse Were Hired to Conduct Security Testing

While the two “penetration testers” were given permission to attempt to break into courthouses, local law enforcement were not informed of the tests. Now, the men are facing charges.

Connecting Mass Notification

Connecting Mass Notification

The Internet of Things continues to grow, offering new possibilities for organizations to communicate messages and automate processes. This can be especially helpful when dealing with safety issues.

Paving the Way with Analytics

Paving the Way with Analytics

Technology—from street lights to telephones—has been at the heart of modern cities for more than a century.

Considerations for Infrastructure

Considerations for Infrastructure

Security is top of mind for consumers around the world and businesses across industries.

Making Cities Smarter

Making Cities Smarter

Safe cities attract businesses, foster innovation and provide countless opportunities. By working collaboratively, both public and private sectors can contribute to a solid foundation for the success of these great cities and their citizens.

vegas strip

Las Vegas Tests Cameras, Sensors To Measure Collision Patterns on One-Way Streets

The city partnered with Dell, NTT and the Nevada state government for a year-long pilot program to help reduce vehicle accidents.



St. Louis County Police Department To Become Largest In Missouri With Mandatory Body Cameras

St. Louis County Police Department To Become Largest In Missouri With Mandatory Body Cameras

By April, the county police department will outfit nearly 700 officers with cameras. But the city’s department of 1,300 does not have a parallel program in the works.

At Least Four People Killed in Shootings at Festivals in California and New York

At Least Four People Killed in Shootings at Festivals in California and New York

The Gilroy, California police chief credited his department’s robust security operation with stopping the shooter in his tracks.

william barr

Attorney General Revives Feud With Tech Companies Over 'Warrant Proof' Encryption

Security experts and lawmakers say that creating a “backdoor” to unlock devices and messages would make those products vulnerable to hackers.

amazon building

Orlando Police Department Ends Facial Recognition Pilot Program With Amazon

The city was never able to get the software, Rekognition, to consistently work with its video surveillance cameras over the course of 15 months.

highway video cameras

Illinois Law Creates Camera Program To Investigate Expressway Shootings in Chicago

Following a rise in expressway violence, law enforcement will add about 35 cameras to look into shootings that are notoriously difficult to solve.

baltimore city hall

After Fired Employee Easily Gains Access, Baltimore Increases Security at Municipal Buildings

Since a May breach, the city has added security personnel at several buildings and plans to increase employee awareness of how to report suspicious activity.

police vest

Massachusetts Lawmakers Debate Proposal to Create Statewide Rules for Police Body Cameras

The proposal includes a controversial measure that would exempt police footage from being accessed and released through public records laws.

Security App Connects Law Enforcement Institutions to Reduce Response Times

Security App Connects Law Enforcement Institutions to Reduce Response Times

IN FORCE 911 allows staff to quickly launch an emergency alert and facilitates quick communication between victims and police.

detroit police car

Opposition to Government Use of Facial Recognition Technology Grows in Detroit

A recent public meeting exposed tensions about how a city-wide video surveillance system is being used to identify crime suspects in Detroit.

Workplace Violence Is Leading Companies To Adopt Stricter Security Measures

Workplace Violence Is Leading Companies To Adopt Stricter Security Measures

Employers are becoming more vigilant about workplace security, implementing intensive screenings for job candidates and electronic badge systems for employees.

Gunman Opens Fire on Dallas Courthouse

Gunman Opens Fire on Dallas Courthouse

According to the police, the suspect, a 22-year-old male has died after exchanging gunfire with federal officers. The suspect opened fire outside the Earle Cabell Federal Courthouse in Downtown Dallas.

Heathrow Airport optimizes security check with new 3D scanners

Heathrow Airport Optimizes Security Check with New 3D Scanners

London’s Heathrow Airport is implementing new 3D scanners that eliminate the need for passengers to remove liquids from their bag as they go through security.

Featured

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. 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.

  • 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.”

  • 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.