What you see is what you get

In today's society, video has become attached to our lives in so many ways, Facetime, news media, home doorbells, dashboard cameras, video conferencing, etc. It is very important for a community to understand the positives and pitfalls of video. Here is a suggestion for determining if cameras are right for your community's needs. The video is a great investigating tool and accessory to completing your security plan. Before purchasing any system, ask the following questions.

Is video right for your community? Maybe your community is small enough to be self-managed and self-policed with little or no reasons for video surveillance, but you find that your property is increasingly being used by authorized individuals including realtors, service companies and delivery services. You may also find unauthorized pedestrians and vehicle traffic on your property to access additional parking for nearby businesses, beaches, events, etc.

What are your video needs? Property, People or Both - Before purchasing or upgrading your video surveillance system, a few items must be discussed. It is imperative that you have plan with a directive on how to move forward on coverage, placement, analytics, environments, clarity. In this day and age, our electronics have come to include artificial intelligence, in lieu of human interaction to start a plan of action, including calling the authorities, sending help, and restricting access. These features can be predictive, reactive and continuous, providing a customized plan to your specifications. New camera technology has allowed for quicker system setup and intuitive operation, and additional features like taking your temperature, overcoming intense backlighting issues, seeing in the dark, following moving subjects, subdue camera shake with built-in image stabilization, and many other features too numerous to name. New wireless technology has allowed for full coverage throughout your community, across large open areas and providing minimal changes to the aesthetics of your building.

Is remote-video surveillance part of your plan? With increased internet speeds, phone apps, and offsite video storage, the video market has exploded to include cloud-based services. Much like the doorbell cameras that many have today, you too can monitor offsite from anywhere with an internet connection. It is important to understand how your community may or may not use these features. Who will write your video policy? Who will administer and manage access to your system? This must be clear to all members of the community and may change when property managers, personnel and/or board members change? This feature allows users to keep up with events from the surveillance site, even from other locations. The software offers easy access to multiple systems, which includes live view and recorded playback options from one application. Your site may include front gate, multiple building complexes, lobbies, pools, beach clubs, tennis courts, parking lots, etc. The software allows for customizable video configuration, which may include all buildings' front doors on one video display and all buildings' elevators on another display, as an example. The customization is user defined.

Do you have the need for system integration? Camera systems can now be truly integrated for multiple tasks, almost seamlessly. Some basic integration can add value while creating a more efficient environment; turning on and off lights when rooms are occupied, providing energy savings, regulating air conditioning settings based on occupancy, building management system including changing camera recording features to be more suitable to your building's changing demands (example: night time recording may include exterior cameras on continuous recording and daytime recording may be provided on motion sensing only, saving recording space). Vehicle Access Control cameras allow you to authorize entry and exit to pre-authorized individuals through license plate recognition, in lieu of presenting credentials at a card reader. Facial Recognition cameras are becoming widely used for a secondary means of verification for access to sensitive areas. These cameras can also be integrated with Point of Sale allowing you to view real time transactions overlayed on your security cameras as they are processed, or active card use data by individuals with video (example: when residents enter front door, a video will be recorded and the actual authorization through access software will be overlayed on video for current or future review.) Staff timekeeping theft has been an increasing concern for employers and with video as part of your timekeeping process, you can save you thousands of dollars and remove any doubt when it comes to timekeeping fraud.

Be aware of pitfalls of cctv systems There are very few pitfalls in having cameras, however you should consult a professional for the proper application when it comes to your community. Improperly designed camera systems may provide a false sense of security under the wrong conditions for your residents. And selective coverage may not tell the entire story when reconstructing an event.

In our daily lives we are overwhelmed with video evidence during our news broadcasts, social media, and digital news media, thus proving that video is here to stay, and it has become more relevant, as videos are replacing the written word. They may provide a solid investigative tool, but more importantly they provide a pro-active approach to preservation of life and property.

Now is a good time to start looking into more enhanced security for your community. This article should help lay the groundwork for your future needs, may it be a housing community or a high-rise. The facts are the same. A pro-active approach can lessen the cost of liability and ensure your residents' security needs are met. It is important to put the right technologies in place to drive efficiencies and value for the owners and operators of your building, while creating the best possible quality of life for your residents. Buildings that keep up with technology will lead the way with better safety and security for their community.