Surveillance Technology Tracks Crimes in Real Time

Surveillance Technology Tracks Crimes in Real Time

While I’m not sure if Americans have gotten more comfortable or just more tolerable with traditional surveillance cameras being deployed throughout cities, here comes a new generation that is so powerful it can track every vehicle and person for several hours at a time across an area that is about the size as a small city. This allows police, businesses and private individuals to watch and monitor a specific person’s movements throughout the space. The kicker? The cameras are airborne.

Ross McNutt, president of Persistent Surveillance Systems (the Dayton, Ohio company that designed this system) and a retired Air Force officer, who assisted the military in designing a similar system for surveillance in the skies above the city of Fallujah, Iraq, hopes to convince others that mounting cameras on fixed-wing aircraft can provide more useful data than police helicopters and for less money. In fact, $1,500 to $2,000 per hour covers the use of 12 commercial Canon cameras mounted in an array, flight time, operation of a command center and analysts’ time for assisting with investigations.

Besides seeing drops in crime with the use of this surveillance technology, McNutt has identified some other positive side effects:

  • Rising property values,
  • Better schools,
  • Increased development, and
  • Lower incarceration rates over time as this type of surveillance helps deter people from committing crimes.

Of course this brings up the concern of civil liberties and if people’s privacy is being invaded illegally. But, if you look at it from the perspective of Persistence Surveillance Systems, it is possible to track crime in real-time, as it occurs, which would in theory provide a safer environment for all. And, to address all those with privacy concerns, McNutt consulted and sought advice from the American Civil Liberties Union in drafting a privacy policy. This policy includes how long data can be kept, when images can be accessed and who can see them, noting that police officers are only supposed to access the data after a crime has been reported.

Featured

New Products

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • 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.

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.