April 4, 2007
Richmond plans for advanced video surveillance system
The police department in Richmond, Calif. is in the final stages of selecting a vendor for a proposed $1.5 million video surveillance network meant to curb violence and increase safety in the city's highest-crime neighborhoods. While members of the community have been asking for security cameras for years, the city feels its patience has paid off, with new technology offering cameras that are more effective and affordable than ever before.
The proposed plan would involve 25 wireless surveillance cameras strategically located throughout troubled areas. Some would be installed in visible locations in areas such as public parks, while other portable cameras would be placed in hidden locations.
With its police department understaffed, Richmond city officials are looking to the most advanced technology available to make up for the lack of officers, and also to lessen the need for continuous monitoring of the video footage. All of the cameras would include built-in video analytics with motion-sensing and behavioral-recognition capabilities. The police department plans on setting the cameras to initiate recording and automatically send alerts to specific parties when triggered by suspicious activity or motion.
The video surveillance system would also be expandable, in terms of both geography and future technological advancements. Police could eventually view security camera feeds from portable devices in their patrol cars for instance. Another idea is to equip the cameras with audible gunshot detectors.
The police department plans on making its final vendor selection in the coming weeks, at which point a formal proposal will be presented to the city council.
Read more in the Contra Costa Times...
Posted by Dan on April 4, 2007 9:29 PM | Comments (0)
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