Source: The West Australian

Axis network cameras stop community trouble makers and vandals in their tracks.

Mission
The City of Belmont is a vibrant community located 6 kilometers from Perth with a population of around 31,000. The city aims to provide an environment that is attractive, safe, healthy and prosperous by working closely with the local police service and the Office of Crime Prevention to ensure a collaborative and coordi- nated approach to crime prevention. Part of this initiative includes operating a security patrol service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The City of Belmont's security patrol service was using analog cameras that did not allow in- formation to be shared quickly. The city needed a solution where it could collaborate with different areas of law enforcement to better protect local residents.

Solution
ETCorp installed its GPAC SystemTM which consists of AXIS 214 PTZ Network Cameras, an AXIS 241 Video Server/Encoder and analog cameras. The network cameras combine a high-quality color camera with the flexibility of remote pan/tilt/zoom through operator control, to provide real-time video from the top of each security patrol vehicle.

The video encoder, including powerful event manage- ment capabilities, converts the analog signals from the existing analog cameras to digital, so the live video in- puts can be transported anywhere digitally.

Result
The installation of the Axis network video solution on the security patrol vehicles allows real-time collabora- tion with law enforcement and community watch groups, all of which has prevented graffiti and vandal- ism, and has been critical in detecting and prosecuting offenders. Speaking in the West Australian Newspaper, Mayor Glenys Godfrey recognized the advantages of the system's ability to directly respond to events as they occurred, with no need for operators: "When an event is triggered, the system will notify our Neighborhood Watch security guards by SMS and email the last few minutes of footage to our security control room, while also allowing police and security to log directly into the triggered camera."

"When an event is triggered, the system will notify our Neighborhood Watch security guards by SMS and email the last few minutes of footage to our security control room, while also allowing police and security to log directly into the triggered camera." Glenys Godfrey, Mayor, City of Belmont.

From analog to IP
Preventing graffiti and vandalism, and detecting and prosecuting offenders are key tasks for the City of Bel- mont. During 2008, 15,295 incidents of graffiti were reported in Belmont, up from 9,955 the previous year, at a clean-up cost of AU$212,779*. The City of Belmont, like most local authorities, had used traditional CCTV systems to combat crime, but such cameras only allowed monitoring of a small area and were not flexi- ble. The city's vehicles were fitted with analog cameras and a DVR to record incidents but had no way of quick- ly sharing data. One of their major problems is that crime does not always occur in the same area at the same time, so monitoring systems need to be flexible in order to be able to respond effectively.

Shaun Nancarrow, Coordinator of the City's Crime Pre- vention and Ranger Services, recognized that current resources were ineffective and set about looking for system allowing remote access to the vehicle cameras. Such a system would let the Belmont security patrols work effectively with government agencies and security services alike.

Simple implementation
While looking for a suitable solution, Shaun was intro- duced to the ETCorp GPAC System by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) officer, Ken Raine. DEC was already successfully using the GPAC System to stream live data from cameras and chemical sensors al- lowing online environmental monitoring. The City's "Eyes on the Street" vehicles were thus retro-fitted with the GPAC System. ETCorp's GPAC System is a unique platform that allows remote monitoring of any fixed or mobile camera. The system uses the AXIS 214 PTZ Network Cameras and an AXIS 241Q Video Server/Encoder. The cameras combine high-quality color video with the flexibility of remote pan/tilt/zoom. The 18x optical motorized lens with auto focus also makes it possible to zoom in on a small or distant object with exceptional clarity.

An AXIS 241Q Video Server/Encoder was installed to allow conversion of the existing analog video output to digital. ETCorp completed the installation in just two days, enabling the operators to continue to serve the people of Belmont with minimal disruption.

When the Belmont rangers are on patrol, the GPAC Sys- tem enables them to record real-time video of incidents and share the footage instantaneously with internal and external stakeholders such as the police, allowing fast response and capture of quality evidence. Monitoring can be controlled remotely as well as from within the vehicle and personnel can be notified via SMS or email of any trigger, event or system failure.

Effective results
Shaun Nancarrow believes the GPAC System has been a wise investment of City resources. "We were going to invest $1 Million in CCTV infrastructure; however now with the GPAC System we can achieve so much more because of the networking capability, less cabling and less engineering." The City of Belmont's installation has resulted in better graffiti prevention and more success- ful prosecutions. Cameras can be set to record only upon sensing activity: "The GPAC System has removed the need for continual videoing or stake outs, meaning we can obtain data from areas previously not covered by CCTV and capture quality evidence."

Shaun cites ease of connectivity and configuration as key new capacities offered by the GPAC System. The system is easily extended to adapt to future changes; new cameras and devices can be added and configured within minutes. The City now has the option to connect into other digital security cameras, add GPS duress alarms and head-cams and is currently looking to ex-tend the GPAC System to cover fixed installations. The GPAC System has provided the City of Belmont with a fast, reliable and cost-effective solution to the problem of monitoring wide areas for criminal damage. The benefits are being felt by all who live and work in Belmont's cleaner, safer environment.