Keeping Trouble at Bay

Manchester Public Schools deter theft, assaults and vandalism with IPVideo Corporation’s VMS

Challenge

As the school population continued to grow, it became a challenge for security personnel to maintain a watchful eye on campus activity across the district. With no video surveillance and no eyewitnesses to an event, investigating an incident became a protracted process. The Connecticut school district was looking for an affordable video surveillance system that could help staff detect problems and apprehend instigators by visually documenting events as they unfolded.

Solution

To minimize installation costs, Manchester Public Schools adopted a network-based surveillance system that they installed directly on the district’s existing high-speed fiber optic network with no need for additional cabling for the cameras and video management system. This solution combines strategically located fixed and pan/tilt/zoom network video cameras and an intuitive network video recorder (NVR) from IPVideo Corporation that allows authorized users to control cameras remotely as well as view archived footage on the fly. 

Key Benefits

Especially at the densely populated high school, the video surveillance system has enabled security to recover stolen property, provide irrefutable proof of events for disciplinary action, and quickly verify the whereabouts of students and staff in an emergency.

Like many school districts across the country, the massacre at Columbine High School was a wake up call for the city of Manchester, CT. The Hartford suburb had already invested in a robust fiber optic network to connect the town hall, library, schools and municipal buildings, but had yet to capitalize on this technology to address school security and safety.

“Before the cameras were in place, if we didn’t have any witnesses to an event, we had nothing to fall back on to tell us what happened,” explains Mark McKenney, senior security officer forManchesterHigh School. 

The challenge to campus safety and security was enormous. The high school alone houses nearly 2300 students. The sprawling campus contains an original quadrangle, two additional wings, athletic fields as well as a heliport. The remaining 5000 or so students in the district are divided among 10 elementary schools, a middle school and an alternative school. 

As an early pioneer in the adoption of network video technology, Manchester Public Schools began wide-scale deployment of video surveillance in late 2004. Eight years into continuous service, the highly reliable IPVideo NVR now manages some 175 cameras that keep watch 24×7 over the schools and four town facilities. The district processes and archives the video on an array of six multi-terabyte servers. 

Because the city has a high-speed fiber optic network that connects all the buildings, authorized users can monitor and manipulate all the network cameras remotely from one central location, in this case the Kennedy Education Center which also houses the Board of Education offices. Administrators at individual schools are only authorized to view and control the cameras on their own campuses.

 Customizing surveillance to improve security

McKenney especially likes that the intuitive IPVideo NVR allows him to configure the mosaic of streaming video that he watches on his high-definition monitor. “I can watch feeds from all 46 cameras at the high school simultaneously,” explains McKenney. “And I can arrange them to appear on the display in the way that I like to monitor each area of the school.” For instance, McKenney arranges the camera feeds from the second floor in a horizontal sequence that allows him to track someone walking down the hall from one camera’s field of view to another. 

The IPVideo NVR gives users the flexibility to organize the viewing mosaic by camera number, name or location. The VMS also time stamps recorded video to speed archive retrieval in an investigation. Administrators can copy video clips to CD for law enforcement or their own files, as well as print still images of a particular frame. 

Other features that the district has found especially useful include setting PTZ cameras on tour duty to rotate at specific intervals to cover high-traffic areas like the school parking lots. “The nice feature of the IPVideo NVR is that we can program the cameras to automatically return to guard tour if someone temporarily interrupts the rotation to look at an event in progress,” shares Dr. Bob Pease, K-12 Instructional Technology Specialist for Manchester Public Schools. 

Taking he-said, she-aid out of the equation

“Cameras make great eyewitnesses,” claims Mark McKenney. “They help us determine who, where and when. And the cameras don’t lie.” 

At the high school McKenney has used the video to recover $2,000 worth of school property and prosecute the thieves. In another instance, a student claimed his car was hit in the parking lot until McKenney pulled up the video showing that dent was already there when he drove onto school property. 

“The nice thing about the cameras is that it isn’t always about capturing the big event,” says McKenney. “One time we used the surveillance system to help a panicked student discover that the cell phone he carelessly left on the roof of his car was picked up by a friend for safekeeping.” 

Marc Montminy, Manchester Chief of Police, explained “The use of IP video cameras allows us to maximize our resources, and reduces the need to have a physical presence in every hallway.  The remote viewing capability of the High School system allows police to view internal cameras from the police station.” 

Taking the next step in advanced network surveillance

Manchester school district is in the process of upgrading its camera system to IPVideo’s more feature-rich Sentry VMS^© Video Management System. Among the enhancements they’re looking to implement are mapping, browser-based client, advanced compression technology and motion-sensor recording to affordably extend archiving from seven to 31 days. In addition, the district is looking to support an upgrade to megapixel cameras and implement more sophisticated archival searching. 

“We’d like to be able to do things like put a box around graffiti on a wall and have the VMS search the video to determine when that graffiti appeared and who put it there,” says McKenney. “It’ll be a really useful tool when someone denies they were involved. We’ll be able to quickly pull up the video record and show them that we know they were there and we have proof they aren’t telling the truth.” 

According the Bob Pease, “Upgrading our surveillance system will help us do our jobs even better.”

Linking Security Systems Protects Firehouse Staff and Property

Bay Shore Fire Department uses IPVideo Sentry VMS to integrate video surveillance and door access control

Challenge

Given its virtually flat budget for the past five years, the fire department in the hamlet of Bay Shore on Long Island, NY felt it was imperative to protect its community’s high-end investment in firefighting equipment and gear. Commissioners wanted to install surveillance cameras at the main firehouse and its unmanned satellite stations to augment its door alarms and identify who was using its key card entry systems. Administrators felt that integrating the three security measures would allow them to centrally monitoring access to the three sites, stem the loss of inventory and ensure the safety of firefighters and other personnel.

 Solution 

IPVideo’s Sentry VMS system integrated an array of network-based video cameras and door access control systems under a single physical security management system. A dispatcher can now remotely manipulate cameras at any of the three firehouses from the headquarters security office and verify the identity of anyone entering and leaving the buildings or loitering in the parking lots.

Key Benefits

Centralizing security management saves the district the cost of maintaining and staffing separate monitoring stations in each firehouse. Cameras operating 24/7 have put an end to “borrowed” supplies and tools, inadvertent damage to firehouse property and pranks with firefighting gear that could delay response times in an emergency. Cameras have also been a great deterrent in preventing firefighters’ cars from being vandalized while they’re out on a call.

Bay Shore Fire Department has been serving the communities of Bay Shore and Brightwaters for over 120 years. In addition to a bustling central fire station, the district maintains two unmanned, but fully-equipped substations to expedite emergency response. Bay Shore chose IPVideo Corporation’s Sentry VMS system in conjunction with Axis network cameras and an Identicard Premisys door system to centrally manage a fully integrated video surveillance and access control solution over a secure Internet connection.

With no increased tax base in the last five years, the Board of Fire Commissioners has worked hard to control costs. “Adding video surveillance to building security has reduced our liability and made our station houses a lot safer,” says Joel Moreira, district manager for Bay Shore Fire Department. “Now we can see who’s entering our buildings, who’s going into the recreation room or the storage areas.”

 Seeing the whole picture at a glance

The security project integrates over 24 door access readers and 60 high-resolution network video cameras strategically placed inside the three fire stations and around their exteriors. Using an intuitive user interface, IPVideo’s Sentry VMS displays exterior and interior maps on a monitor that interactively show door locations and allow a dispatcher to view live video from the cameras by simply clicking the icon on the map.

Moreira especially likes that he can easily customize the intuitive Sentry VMS to display the multiple video streams any way he wants. “I can watch all 60 cameras at the three fire stations at the same time,” explains Moreira. “Or I can arrange them across multiple displays in any order I want.”

The IPVideo Sentry VMS gives users the flexibility to organize the viewing mosaic by camera number, name or location. The VMS also time stamps recorded video to speed archive retrieval in an investigation. Administrators can copy video clips to CD for law enforcement or their own files, as well as print still images of a particular frame.

Creating a safer work environment

“Especially with our unmanned firehouses, it’s important for us to see who is going in an out and what they’re doing while they’re there,” shares Moreira. Though the doors are alarmed, without the visual verification provided by the cameras, unless the individual called to identify himself the dispatcher would assume the substation was being burglarized and call the police to investigate. This could lead to costly false alarms, an additional expense the fire department could ill-afford.

The fire department also uses the cameras to visual authenticate the identity of the person using the door access key fob. The Sentry VMS integrates video surveillance with door access so that a card swipe at the door can be captured and the corresponding video ‘bookmarked’ for easy retrieval. If a key fob is lost or stolen, the dispatcher can disable the fob from his PC at headquarters, eliminating the need to constantly re-key locks.

“Our mechanic often works alone in the satellite building. With cameras in place, we can keep an eye on him to make sure he’s safe,” states Moreira.

In addition to thousands of dollars in tools and supplies for the fire trucks, surveillance has become instrumental in keeping track of expensive firefighting gear. “It costs $2000 just to outfit a firefighter in pants and a coat. It costs $400 for the helmet and another $250 for a set of boots,” tallies Moreira. “So we can’t afford to have gear go missing.”

Discouraging distracting behavior

While Bay Shore has opted not to put cameras in recreation room, they do have surveillance in the hallway. According to Moreira, department uses the video to identify and discourage firefighters from leaving common areas in disarray.

“Knowing that we’re keeping an eye on things has kept pranksters in check, too,” says Moreira. He tells of one practical joker who thought it would be funny to drop a raw egg into fellow firefighter’s boot. “It was all meant in fun,” assures Moreira. “But when you’re responding to an emergency, time is of the essence. And frankly, we can’t afford these kinds of distractions.”

Moreira cites the clarity of the video images as a real bonus to the fire department. Not only is it helping Bay Shore identify people entering and exiting the building, but also any suspicious individuals hanging around outside. “We focus our exterior cameras on the back parking lots where the firefighters leave their cars,” says Moreira. “We want criminals to know we’ve got sharp eyes on the area and will catch them in the act if they try to steal anything while our guys are out at a fire.”

Con Edison of New York Selects IPVideo for Physical Security Management

Con Edison, one of the largest power companies in the US has selected IPVideo Corporation’s C3 Fusion as the centerpiece of the company’s new state of the art security operations center. The operations center went live early in 2008.

The power company specified IPVideo C3 Fusion as a solution that considered both current and future technology. The utility has a substantial investment in Pelco/Integral legacy equipment and required that this be integrated into the new system. The Video Wall and Display Application were to be provided by Activu.

Linking Security Systems Maximizes School Safety

Challenge

The Long Island, NY school district wanted to rapidly identify visitors and secure entry to the six schools in its township. Administrators felt that maintaining separate video surveillance and door access control systems would not only be inefficient but also more complex and costly to operate. They were concerned that the lack of integration could dangerously hamper response time while staff tried to gather sufficient data about the situation from two separate resources.

Solution

IPVideo’s Sentry VMS system fully integrated video surveillance and door access control under a single physical security management system. Authorized users can oversee door access and manipulate cameras at any of the four elementary schools, middle school and high school campuses remotely from any PC with access to the school system’s network.

Key Benefits

School administrators can now monitor and respond to security events in virtual real-time, locking down an entire campus or selectively locking down a building by floor, corridor or even a single room. The Sentry VMS also allows the Suffolk County Police Department remote access to the network cameras via a web browser during an emergency to gain critical situational awareness of ongoing events.

With threats to school security escalating on multiple fronts, schools often fall prey to their own good intentions. Responding with a proliferation of independent physical security systems – everything from video surveillance and door access control to fire alarms, intrusion alarms and other asset control system – may create a wealth of information about a triggering event. But to understand the situation fully and formulate an appropriate response, administrators need to consolidate the data from each individual silo. Sometimes it takes so long to compile the data that it’s too late to be useful.

South Country Central School District, some 50 miles east of New York City, wanted to unify these separate security systems under a single command and control system that could help them quickly spot trouble, resolve incidents and identify perpetrators. South Country Central chose IPVideo Corporation’s Sentry VMS system in conjunction with ISONAS Security Systems’ PowerNet to provide a fully integrated video surveillance and access control solution that could piggyback on the district’s existing network infrastructure.

“By moving away from proprietary systems needing separate wiring, installation, management software, training and multiple maintenance contracts, the school was able to realize significant savings,” says Chuck Crenshaw, CEO of ISONAS Security Systems, a Boulder, CO-based leader in network-based door access control.

Seeing the whole picture at a glance

The security project integrates over 1,200 door access readers and 850 high-resolution network video cameras strategically located throughout the six schools in the district. Using an intuitive user interface, IPVideo’s Sentry VMS displays exterior and interior maps on a monitor that interactively show door locations and allow users to view live video from the cameras by simply clicking the icon on the map.

To enhance security at school entry points, Sentry VMS correlates video from a camera and the associated access control door. “Because the software integrates video surveillance with door access, a card swipe at the door can be captured and the corresponding video ‘bookmarked’ for easy retrieval,” explains David Antar, President of IPVideo Corporation. “Searches based on card swipes will quickly display the video.”

If an entry card is lost or if a video shows an unauthorized person using a card to enter the building, authorized school personnel can immediately disable the card from any PC with access to the school’s physical security network. This feature helps the district provide a safe environment for students, faculty and staff while eliminating the need to constantly re-key locks.

Locking down an entire campus or only select locations

The IPVideo system provides administrators with complete command of all entry points to each school building. The moment a door alarm triggers, administrators can quickly investigate the situation by manipulating the cameras in the area of the event and decide whether to lockdown an entire campus or only select areas of the building. The lockdown command can be keyed into the system remotely and automatically within seconds from any PC within the district.

The VMS also allows administrators to monitor door status and correct most issues remotely. Administrators can set door entry permissions by individual, time and other factors so that a teacher’s entry card could open the school’s front door and their particular classroom door only within predefined timeframes.

This real-time monitoring and response system also allows police to remotely connect to the school’s surveillance cameras during an emergency through a standard web browser to gain full situational awareness before approaching the building. The management system also automatically sends notifications to appropriate personnel in the district when an event occurs that requires outside support and intervention.

Future-proofing school security

Because the video surveillance and door access control systems are network-based, IPVideo and ISONAS can easily upgrade the systems remotely with new features as they become available. Future-proof physical security over the network helps the district reduce its total cost of ownership for its systems.

Basing the security solution on a network infrastructure also leaves the door wide open to integrating other systems – such as fire and intrusion alarms, public address systems and other asset controls – into one unified physical security solution.

“Integrating each new system will add more control and flexibility to South Country Central’s overall physical security while driving down complexity and costs,” says Antar.

© 2011 Sentry VMS and C3 Fusion are copyrights of IPVideo Corporation. All other company names and products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. We reserve the right to introduce modifications without notice.

Lockheed Uses Sentry VMS Portable Camera System to Increase Security

The Sentry VMS rapid deployment portable camera system (RDPC) solves the logistical constraints associated with temporary installation of security cameras. The RDPC can be installed and operational on a central VMS system within minutes.

Lockheed Martin uses the RDPC to increase security in locations where threat levels have increased or temporary conditions required immediate reaction. The Lockheed Martin site is a multi-acre campus with a large number of buildings, including temporary trailer-type offices.  Campus security points are protected by cameras managed from the central Sentry VMS Enterprise system. When a request for temporary surveillance is received, the RDPC is brought to the location and the cameras are connected, via the WAN, to the central VMS.

The RDPC consists of four Mobotix M22 high resolution cameras and one Axis 215 Pan/Tilt /Zoom camera. The cameras are packed in a high impact Pelican rolling case and the system includes all cables, mounting gear and power supplies. Convenient magnetic mounts can mount any of these cameras to steel girders or framing in seconds.

All cameras are configured for power over Ethernet (POE). The RDPC includes PowerDesine high power POE injectors to operate the AXIS 215 camera under full duty touring as well as provide POE for the Mobotix M22′s. The Axis 215 PTZ camera is mounted on a NEMA box which houses the PowerDesine POE splitters. The box is also fitted with waterproof bulkhead RJ45 connectors completing the efficient package

Addressing network issues was the final piece of the RDPC design. System wide DHCP is preconfigured to provide IP addresses anywhere for the MAC addresses of these cameras. There is also a DNS server arranged to connect each camera to a preset domain name within the overall network. The Sentry VMS Enterprise  is preconfigured to connect with those domain names rather than with the IP address of the camera. Thus when any one of these cameras comes on line, it is immediately connected to the NVR without any user intervention. Adding another complete kit requires only that this process be repeated once.

The Sentry VMS RDPC allows Lockheed to deploy ad-hoc cameras anywhere in their facilities, on any subnet, in minutes rather than hours.

Megapixel Edge Solution for NYC DEP Dispatch Facilities

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection manages a number of locations where vehicles and equipment are stored and dispatched. These locations also provide fueling facilities for city owned cars and trucks. The properties are generally a large fenced yard with a garage building and attached offices. There is also a pump island for fuel. The buildings are older industrial structures with no network or structured cable infrastructure.

The DEP needed a cost effective video surveillance solution that would provide monitoring and recording of the activities in the yard. License plate recognition and the ability to read vehicle markings for identification of vehicles at the pumps was also a requirement. The DEP also wanted to have the option of centralizing the management of the video from the locations, when planned WAN links are installed.

IPVideo Corporation designed a solution for the DEP built around Sentry VMS Edge and Mobotix megapixel cameras. Each DEP location has 2-3 Mobotix MX-M12D-SE3D135C-D4 cameras installed, covering the desired field of view.   The Mobotix camera is a weatherproof (certified temperature tolerance from -30 °C to +60 °C (-22 to +140 °F), dual network camera with megapixel resolution and one telephoto and super-wide-angle lens each for simultaneous recording from two different perspectives.

The cameras are connected via a small network switch to a Sentry VMS Edge that can support up to eight cameras. The VMS supports a 27” monitor and is located in the supervisor’s office. A separate viewing client supports another large monitor that is displayed on the main dispatch area.

Sentry VMS supports megapixel resolution and can capture both video sources from the Mobotix camera. This feature allows the system to monitor two fields of view from one camera. An overall wide angle shot of the work yard and a megapixel telephoto shot of the entrances and gas pumps. The cameras are set to record on motion. Sentry VMS Edge has a digital PTZ function in the recorded archives that allows for high quality forensic analysis of the video, including identification of license plates. Incidents can be transferred to various standard file formats for distribution throughout the organization.

Two locations had existing analog cameras that were in working order. Axis 240Q video servers were used to convert the video to digital and incorporate these cameras into the edge VMS system. At one of the sites there were multiple structures and a wireless bridge was used to connect cameras at three buildings to the NVR.

Sentry VMS Edge  supports a number of remote viewing options which will be available to the DEP when WAN links are installed.