tensor_cctvsurveillance, Author at CCTV Surveillance

Illegal CCTV Cameras

12th June 2008 11:26 pm Comments Off

Up to 90 per cent of surveillance cameras may be breaching the Information Commissioner’s code of practice laid down to stop cameras being used inappropriately. Even more seriously, a large proportion of the UK’s 14.2 million cameras breach the Data Protection Act and so are illegal.

It has been predicted that the illegality of many cameras will lead to future clashes in court and possible acquittals of suspects.

Research has shown that up to 90 per cent of CCTV installations fail to comply with the Information Commissioner’s code of practice, and that many installations are operated illegally. This has profound implications for the reputation of the CCTV and camera surveillance industry and all concerned with it.

CameraWatch, a non-profit making independent body, which commissioned the survey says that it is not against CCTV as a crime-fighting tool; surveillance pictures are as useful to police as DNA forensic evidence. Their concern lies with the increasing amount of CCTV camera installations that do not comply with the Data Protection Act.

Under the code of practice and according to the Data Protection Act, CCTV cameras must be visible with clear signs. In addition, camera operators have an obligation to stop images of individuals being seen by third parties. Operators most commonly breach these rules by not keeping recorded tapes secure, meaning they could potentially be stolen.

The rise of digital cameras opens up further problems because the images can easily be shared as digital files rather than remaining on a closed loop.

Defence counsels in court could theoretically question the legality of CCTV pictures in order to have the evidence dismissed or the case thrown out. Although the issue has not yet been tested in court, one such case could set a precedent throwing into doubt the whole surveillance network.

Responding to the new research, the Information Commissioner’s Office has denied that CCTV rules are being broken on a large scale.

Ken Macdonald, Assistant Information Commissioner for Scotland, said: "We welcome the initiative by CameraWatch to promote compliance with the Data Protection Act. We are not aware of any evidence that supports the suggestion that 90 per cent of CCTV cameras are not complying with the ICO Code of Practice. We don’t believe there is any such evidence. Where we receive complaints that CCTV is being used in breach of the Data Protection Act we will investigate. We have a range of enforcement powers at our disposal."

The Hidden Uses Of CCTV

21st May 2008 8:07 pm Comments Off

In business, you want a return on your investments. You buy your products and sell them for a profit. You hire the best people and expect the best from them.

Most shopowners who install CCTV surveillance systems do so to detect theft and protect against robberies. But did you know that there are other great reasons to install a CCTV surveillance system? So don’t skimp. Any one of these benefits could pay for your system!

Just about everyone has wanted to be a star. Give your customers some practice for their big break! In addition to simply installing CCTV cameras, you can install a Public View system. Public View, or more simply a video monitor, allows your customers and employees (and potential robbers and thieves) to see that you are recording them. This is a great preventative measure.

Most shoplifters say that they won’t steal if they know they are under surveillance. The losses you prevent can easily pay for your system within a year. A complete surveillance system with good camera angles and clear pictures can create quite an impression.

During an interview, potential employees try to put their best foot forward – it’s all about impressions. Once you’ve decided to hire somebody, it’s time to make some impressions of your own.

You’ve heard the saying, "When the cat’s away, the mice will play". What are your employees doing when you’re not around? Keep your employees honest by conducting Impressions of Control. An Impression of Control lets employees know that you are paying attention. Take ten or fifteen minutes to review video tape each day and take some notes.

Do you see your employees doing something wrong? Follow up with them. Tell your cashier that you were looking at the cameras and saw her forget to count back change to a customer, or forget to verify the signature on the back of a credit card. An even better idea is to catch them doing something right! Tell your shelf-stacker that you saw him on the camera pick up that piece of paper so no one slips on it.

By letting your employees know that you appreciate it when they do something right, you can reduce employee turnover. The absolute best way to use Impressions of Control is to watch your employees in real time. Call or talk to them right away and let them know what you just saw.

In today’s litigious society, you can get sued for looking at someone the wrong way. If you have customers and employees, then chances are one of them is going to get hurt. Many times accidents are caused by carelessness. Imagine having videotape surveillance of a customer climbing on a shelf, then falling. Do you think she’s going to tell you she was climbing before she fell? Probably not.

Did you know that there are people who go into businesses and stage accidents just so they can sue? An accident in your place of business can cost hundreds of thousands if not millions of pounds. One accident can wipe out an entire year’s profits! Having video surveillance footage of an accident can tip the scales of justice in your favour.

So go ahead and spend a few extra pounds on your video surveillance system. You’ll keep your customers and employees safer and more honest. Your CCTV system can help you catch your employees doing something right. And it can save you millions if you’re sued because of an accident. Now that’s quite a return on your investment!

Reducing The Personal Cost Of Burglary

29th April 2008 4:48 pm Comments Off

Despite the threat of prosecution, British homeowners are prepared to protect their homes and family from burglars using extreme measures. A recent survey has shown that 8 out of 10 people would use anything to hand to protect their homes if faced with an unwanted intruder. Men would go even further – 1 in 10 men would use a gun and 1 in 8 would use a knife.

There is clear support for some homeowners who take the law into their own hands: an amazing 83% of respondents think it’s unfair to prosecute people who protect their property with a weapon.

This dangerous and high-risk approach is not to be condoned, and shows that more needs to be done to increase awareness of the effective preventative measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of intruders gaining entry in the first place.

The Home Office reports the cost of burglary to the nation to be £2.8 billion each year. Official figures put the number of burglaries anywhere between 645,000 and 880,000 – or up to 100 burglaries every hour of the day and night.

Further Home Office research shows burglar alarms and CCTV to be the greatest burglary deterrents – over 80% of burglars are put off by these. However only a very small number of homes have them: less than 1 in 5 victims had an alarm system and only 1 in 30 had CCTV.

For many victims of break-ins it’s a case of being wise after the event. 65% added security to their property after being burgled with 1 in 4 people adding an alarm and the same number installing window locks. Only 1 in 13 added CCTV – a surprisingly low figure, given that previous research has shown that 67% of burglars avoid properties with CCTV installed.

Tips to reduce the risk of burglary include:

Close and lock all doors and windows to deter opportunist thieves.
Use timers to switch on your table lamps, radio and TV whilst you are away so it looks like you are home.
Fit a burglar alarm and make sure you fit an alarm siren box at the front and back of your home so they act as a deterrent to intruders.
Install a spy-hole or home CCTV system.
Fit security lanterns to your porch and floodlights in your garden. Any unwanted visitors will trigger the sensors, flooding the area with light.
Plant thorny trees such as holly under vulnerable windows or low walls to deter entrance.
Remove keys from locked windows and doors and keep them out of sight in a safe place.
Check who is at your front door before opening it and use a safety chain for added security.
When you go away on holiday, ensure you cancel your newspapers and milk and ask trusted neighbours to push through any mail that is left in your letterbox.

Reducing the personal cost of burglary – such as the loss of irreplaceable sentimental items, stress and anxiety of the intrusion and the hassle of dealing with police, insurance companies and tradesmen – can only benefit everyone, as well as reducing the huge cost to the nation.

For more information on digital home CCTV systems, please do not hesitate to contact us.

A Digital Video Revolution

16th March 2008 9:10 am Comments Off

There is a new wave of storage media sweeping over the CCTV world. DVR’s (Digital Video Recorders) are set to become the standard platform for recording and reviewing captured video over a CCTV network.

Older PC Video Recorders worked by recording to a PC that was susceptible to the flaws common place in such operating systems. Thus making it an unstable option, but unfortunately at the time, the best option. Although a significant step up from recording to analogue tapes, which produced footage that often fell far short of ‘evidence quality’ pictures, there was still a long way to go.

DVR’s have taken the next technological stride forwards. A DVR is a dedicated recorder with a specifically written program embedded on its hardware flash drive. Generic PC motherboards have been replaced by a purpose built integrated board combining video circuits, Ethernet connection and processors that reduce power consumption and provide a system it for 24Hr, 365 day operation.

Users of more ‘traditional’ CCTV systems however, will not feel like they have to learn an entirely new system. This is because a number of the new DVR’s designed to have the same ‘look and feel’ of their older systems. This is making the change over for many companies much easier than anticipated.

The advances made are not limited only to the higher quality footage achieved, but also include the way in which data can be reviewed. DVR technology allows the user to view and analyse both live and recorded video as before, as well as offering the ability to view ‘event based’ video clips, where only footage of things happening is shown. Countless hours of dead time can be quickly ignored so the users time can be better utilised.

The amount of time available to record to a DVR is obviously dependant on the model and disk size, but the weeks of storage available on some models offer a tempting alternative to stacks of old video tape recorders, all busy capturing sub-standard images.

With storage ever an issue, especially with the advances in camera quality, DVR’s can offer a readily accessible hard drive, but also have the additional option of a DVD writer, effectively offering unlimited, high quality storage.

The industry is also being revolutionised by functions found on DVR’s like the E-Mail and SMS alerts of unauthorised activity, playing the part of a operator watching live events unfolding.

Another storage friendly option offered up by these systems is the ‘pre-alarm’ recording function. The recording that is continuously being overwritten can be logged and stored separately in the event of an alarm being triggered, with footage before the event itself stored as well.

Companies around the CCTV world are also now benefiting from the remote access made easily available by the I.P. connectivity and remote monitoring functionality. Where this has been an option in systems before, it has never been as straightforward.

If you are looking to install a DVR based CCTV solution on your premises, or simply require further information or advice on security solutions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Big Brother Strikes Fear

23rd February 2008 5:50 am Comments Off

In the land that gave birth to "Big Brother", the future has caught up with a present in which drunks, hoodlums, litterbugs and other wrongdoers are being yelled at and lectured to – as well as watched – from lampposts.

Britain has 4.2 million surveillance cameras – a fifth of the world’s total – hanging off its infrastructure, and loudspeakers with microphones are being fitted to them in a government attempt to strike more fear into the hearts of miscreants.

In the northeast England city of Middlesbrough, disembodied voices bark out orders to "pick up that cigarette butt" or "put that candy wrapper in the bin," shocking people caught on camera in the act of crossing to the wrong side of the law.

Prime Minister Tony Blair’s government is spending nearly $1 million to link microphones and loudspeakers to its vast network of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras as part of its "Respect" offensive to try to control the burgeoning anti-social behavior that plagues the nation’s cities, towns and villages.

It works like this: When a CCTV camera spots someone breaking a window, say, or tossing a crumpled cigarette package to the sidewalk, the deed is monitored by local government officials based in control rooms who then bark a warning to the erring party to clean up their act, or else.

A dozen talking cameras have gone into service in Middlesbrough, and the Home Office – Britain’s interior department – is ecstatic.

Over past few weeks alone, it said, "fights have been broken up, litterers have sheepishly picked up their rubbish, and skateboarders have stopped rolling through traffic when told to do so" by the nearest loudspeaker.

In dealing with litterbugs, says Middlesbrough Council security manager Jack Bonnar, the talking cameras have "proven to be a 100 percent success." Drunkenness and fighting are more difficult to address, he said, but even then, "the speakers are coming into their own, and we’re recording about a 65 percent to 70 percent success rate for those kinds of offenses."

Officials said a verbal warning suffices most of the time. If it doesn’t, the videotape from the camera becomes evidence for arrest and prosecution.

So pleased is the government with the results of the Middlesbrough experiment that it will hang loudspeakers and microphones to CCTV cameras in another 20 designated trouble spots across the nation in the next few months.

Selecting the DVR Features You Need

1st February 2008 2:31 am Comments Off

Selecting the right system can be difficult for people who aren’t familiar with security camera installs. This can be due to the fact that every type of CCTV user has different needs and requirements.

These can be broken up e.g. the needs of a home user are different to the needs of a retails store. Basic requirements for all users of DVR systems are Triplex, the ability to back it up, strong technical support, and ease of playback.

Triplex DVR’s can record, backup and view live video all at the same time. Anytime you have to stop recording to view playback, you run the risk of something happening while the system is down. You also run the risk of a user leaving the system in a non-recording mode when they finish with it.

Backing up the video incase of an incident can be helpful if an incident occurs where police need to watch the footage to identify thieves. CCTV systems can also be useful in other legal matters or personal injury lawsuits because making a CD of an event could stop a costly lawsuit before it began.

Ease of playback has to be strongly considered. The reason tape systems are fading out is that trying to wade through days of footage to find an incident would take hours.

Strong technical support is very important. If the system isn’t working properly then there’s no protection. You trust the system to protect you therefore you need a company that will stand behind its products. You want to work with a company that is local to you or has strong support e.g. buying a cheap DVR from China might save a few pounds now but cost a lot more in the long run.

These are the very basics that all users should be looking for. If your system doesn’t meet these requirements it’s not going to help you very much.

For further information on DVR systems specific for your CCTV requirements, do not hesitate to contact us.

Selecting the DVR Features You Need

9th January 2008 11:12 pm Comments Off

Ease of playback has to be strongly considered. The reason tape systems are fading out is that trying to wade through days of footage to find an incident would take hours.

These are the very basics that all users should be looking for. If your system doesn’t meet these requirements it’s not going to help you very much.

For further information on DVR systems specific for your CCTV requirements, do not hesitate to contact us.

What Is A Video Server?

13th October 2007 10:56 am Comments Off

Converting your existing CCTV system into an IP network video system has become a reality largely thanks to the introduction of Video Servers.

A Video Server is a device that converts a signal from an analog CCTV camera into digital format, which is similar to IP network cameras. You can plug the server into your computer network, which allows you to record relevant video to a network device such as a PC or NAS (Network Attached Storage).

A Video Server can also be connected to the Internet allowing you to view live video from anywhere in the world and even record video to a remote video location.

Video Servers can run independently without using a PC as they have a built in web server. Some Video Servers can detect unwanted motion or track objects as they have a built-in motion detection or Video Analytics.

Video Analytics are being integrated into Video Servers allowing the Video Server to have smart motion detection, object tracking and object recognition. This allows the Video Server to monitor your CCTV cameras for you and you will be notified immediately if unwanted perpetrators or objects are found where they should not be.

Most Video Servers offer a Video-Output Jack. This allows you to integrate the Video Server into your existing CCTV surveillance system and also convert the signal from each camera to a digital signal. In doing this you can still view and record video on television but also view and record on your PC. Some Video Servers include Audio–in which allows you to record audio as well.

Although Video Servers have been around for years they are not at their full potential. Should you wish to upgrade your current surveillance system then it is highly suggested to integrate Video Servers into your current system or by upgrading your system to IP Network Cameras.

The price of a Video Server starts from around £50 and can cost thousands if you want specific features. They are becoming rapidly available from a wide range of manufacturers.

CCTV Sector Thriving

21st September 2007 7:37 am Comments Off

The results of a British Security Industry Association research initiative have revealed that business for the CCTV sector has increased for the second year running. The research covered the BSIA’s CCTV section members and was undertaken to find out more about the current state of the sector.

The figures show a thriving CCTV sector with 85% of respondents stating that their business had increased over the past twelve months and 15% asserting that business had remained the same. This confirms the growth which was predicted in the same piece of research in 2005. Significantly, 85% of respondents are once more predicting a business increase over the next year.

"The continued growth of the sector is testament to the essential role that CCTV is playing in modern society," says BSIA CCTV Section Chairman, Pauline Norstrom. "CCTV is becoming a key security solution for the police, public sector and commercial organisations. Since the London bombings of July 2005, 45% of respondents have received more requests for new or updated CCTV systems. I hope that CCTV can continue to make an important contribution to the fight against crime and terrorism."

The research showed a slight change in emphasis amongst the three top sectors of digital CCTV sales by value. The 2006 research sees town centre management schemes as the top sector (32%), followed by leisure/arts facilities (17%) and transport (14%). In 2005 the top three sectors were: leisure/arts facilities, retail and then transport.

Awareness of and compliance with standards is another encouraging area. 90% of respondents are very aware or reasonably aware of the new BSIA Digital Video Evidence Code of Practice, which has been prepared to assist companies and organisations in the specification, selection, installation and operation of DVR equipment, and systems, for the purpose of CCTV images to be used as evidence in a court of law.

The BSIA’s research also revealed that 95% of respondents are either very aware or reasonably aware of the British Standard for detector-activated, remotely monitored CCTV – BS 8418, with 80% complying with the standard.

Securing Employee Safety

30th August 2007 4:18 am Comments Off

British employment laws do not prohibit employers from installing CCTV cameras in every nook and cranny of an office to monitor employees. The only protection from intrusion of privacy comes from the Data Protection Act, which sets limits to the recording of material filmed on CCTV.

But the actual monitoring of CCTV at the workplace does not fall under the scope of the data protection law, which means the surveillance of employees is perfectly legal as long as cameras are not installed in restrooms or canteens, and that employees are informed they are being filmed.

Whenever the material captured on digital CCTV is recorded and stored, then it is considered as personal data which cannot be stored indefinitely. The recordings can only be used for security or the other administrative purposes, for which the cameras were installed.

"In places like banks, casinos, department stores and other establishments, it is common practice to have such systems in place. Indeed these systems may serve to protect the employees themselves," reported a data protection commissioner.

Normally the recordings cannot be kept for more than seven days.

In addition to the use of digital CCTV to monitor employees, in certain circumstances work email is also monitored. Since the use of the computer on the place of work is for business purposes, it’s up to the employer to decide whether an e-mail may be used for personal reasons.

Although the employer may not be precluded from viewing these emails, as a general rule the employer should not be looking into e-mail and other content in the worker’s PC. However, monitoring may be justified in exceptional cases, such as the use of e-mail for irregular activities by an employee, protection from viruses and in order to maintain correspondence when an employee is out of office.

In conclusion, if your employer has installed digital CCTV in your workplace, it is likely that it is there for your protection, and the only ones to worry about its presence are those that have something to hide.

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