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Secure surveillance system at school

Night-time intrusion and the inability to keep track of vehicular traffic at Van Riebeeckpark Primary School in Kempton Park prompted the school management to issue a tender for the installation of a high-quality surveillance system and a licence plate recognition solution.

Quintin van den Berg, CCTV product specialist at Regal Distributors, says that systems integrators Keystone were selected by the client to provide an upgraded IP solution to replace the existing, obsolete analogue system. Plagued by poor image definition and a lack of adequate response to any events, the system was severely outdated and had absolutely no functionality.

Quintin van den Berg, CCTV product specialist at Regal Distributors.

Prior to moving on to site, Keystone was required to provide a two-week proof of concept which entailed installing cameras to monitor the large perimeter of the school. The fact that no perimeter breaches were detected during this period and that any movement was immediately picked up and identified was a deciding factor for the school.

Due to the sheer size of the school property, a wireless system was required. Keystone elected to acquire the required Hikvision products from Regal Distributors, based on a long-standing mutually beneficial relationship between the two companies. For the head end, Regal proposed the adoption of Hikvision 32-channel NVRs due to the available eight hard drive interfaces, alarm input and output, stability and excellent value for money.

Hikvision’s EXIR infrared, fixed lens cameras were selected for the perimeter surveillance, providing an infrared detection distance of up to 50 metres, a critical pre-requisite for the large open areas at the school. Digital wide dynamic range (D-WDR) Hikvision IP66 dome cameras are installed in the school corridors and classrooms and the IR capabilities provide surveillance up to 30 metres and high­definition close-up shots.

The licence plate recognition cameras have a 2,8-12 mm varifocal lens feature and offer two-lane detection with the focal point adjusting to the required distance.

The one-month project was awarded in May 2014 and was designed to be rolled out in a phased approach. Weekly progress checks ensured that all phase goals were achieved and recorded. All Hikvision products provided by Regal have a three-year warranty, a specific non-negotiable requirement stipulated by the client.

The two specific goals of the project were to provide high quality true night-time pictures of the perimeter and to monitor all incoming vehicular traffic in order to maintain a record of the movement of people within the school’s boundaries. Both of these goals have been adequately met and the remote monitoring and response provides objective backup for any alarms that are triggered and logged onsite.

The school’s management is very satisfied with the performance of the system and attributes the success of the project to the knowledgeable and experienced systems integrators, Keystone, coupled with superior products from Regal Distributors and a high-quality communications network. Van den Berg advises clients to ensure that a proof of concept is insisted on prior to committing to any contract award, to ensure that not only is the technology suited to the application, but that the system integrator is suitably qualified to design and implement such a system. The system should be future-proofed and be able to integrate with any existing legacy systems.

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