High levels of crowd activity, large open areas, and complex layout at transport hubs present difficulties when trying to find a balance between providing sufficient wide area observation and usable detail for evidential purposes.
Video surveillance is undoubtedly the best solution to prevent crime, improve law enforcement and counter terrorism threats in the transportation sector. However, this industry presents its own challenges to designing and implementing an efficient CCTV solution that provides a balance between providing sufficient wide area observation and usable detail for evidential purposes.
Traditionally, the solution has involved mass deployment of static cameras positioned at strategic areas like entrance/exits, ticket/check-in areas and waiting areas, these static cameras are then supported with manned PTZ cameras allowing security personnel to track individuals and monitor waiting areas.
The limitation of this configuration is of course when it comes to reacting to a reported incident minutes, hours or days afterwards, recorded footage from a PTZ will only show where it was pointed at that time. For example, if a passenger reports a bag stolen, the security personnel must hope that the PTZ was pointing in the right direction at the time of the theft or that the incident occurred within the field of view of a static camera and then hope there is sufficient resolution to provide facial identification.
With the advent of megapixel static cameras (typically between 2 and 6 megapixels), security operators do have additional resolution to allow some level of retrospective zoom, but again only within the field of view of the camera, this offers big advantages over conventional technology but still requires deployment of large numbers of cameras supported by manned PTZ.
The development of ultra high definition cameras operating at up to 21 megapixels allow for recording of wide angle images with sufficient resolution to allow retrospective digital zoom of up to 100x. In the image, which is of Victoria Train Station in London, there are 21 static and 5 PTZ cameras deployed within the field of view, requiring constant manning and observation and a complex support infrastructure of matrix switches and screen arrays.
With ultra high definition cameras operators can zoom into any area within the field of view during live observation but, more importantly, it offers the same level of digital pan and zoom on recorded footage. This allows detailed follow up of reported incidents of theft, left baggage or accidents, with an assurance that there is sufficient resolution for identification. As the image is totally digital, multiple users can be zoomed into different areas of the camera simultaneously, this opens up multiple applications for this technology within the organisation.
Traditionally, CCTV cameras have been solely the domain of the security department, however, with a totally digital image the role of the CCTV system can be opened up to different departments and used as a powerful network-based management tool. With simultaneous access available the operations manager can be monitoring staffing levels at passenger bottle-necks, while Health and Safety can monitor cleaning staff are observing correct procedures for H&S compliance, HR departments can also monitor staff for infringements and all this while the security personnel are tracking a suspect. This would not be possible with conventional PTZ cameras where only one operator can control the camera at a time.
The ability for all these departments to utilise the flexibility of ultra high definition imaging offers significantly higher return on investment and the ability to spread the CCTV budget across different departments.
For more information contact Gerry Dalton, Khuseleko, 086 111 2132, www.khuseleko.co.za
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