Issue link: https://securitytechnologyexecutive.epubxp.com/i/870734
30 SECURIT Y TECHNOLOGY E XECUTIVE • September/October 2017 • www. SecurityInfoWatch.com be shared by every stakeholder. However, the cost of procuring , configuring , and maintaining such a sys- tem that would meet the needs of each stakeholder is prohibitively expensive. A more cost-effective and sustainable solution is to have individual stakehold- ers maintain access to their own open platform sys- tem with the option to share access with others in the municipality when there are compelling reasons to do so. Public Safety's Impact on Quality of Life A public safety initiative that includes effective col- laboration between stakeholders and integrated tech- nology can dramatically improve the quality of life within a city. For example, by connecting together all the surveillance systems in an area, the data collect- ed can be used for a variety of purposes, including investigating crime, understanding why traffic backs up on certain streets at specific times and confirming that a pothole has been fixed. Security personnel and businesses around the world already use video surveillance to monitor and protect businesses, buildings, infrastructure, and people. Many work under the basic belief that, when it comes to preventing , mitigating , or investigating crime, more and higher quality footage is always better. This means that similar video surveillance systems are being deployed by organizations, includ- ing private enterprises and municipal governments, throughout most cities. These systems are collecting an almost unfath- omable amount of data all with the goal of reduc- ing crime. If contributing to crime reduction and prevention was all they did, we would regard these systems as having good ROI and being successful. About the Author: Bob Carter is the Business Development Manager at Genetec Inc. Increasingly, however, when we encourage stakehold- ers to break free of their siloed thinking , we see that these systems can, in fact, contribute so much more. The Role of Video Surveillance The first step to realizing public safety in our cities is to get ubiquitous coverage by taking advantage of the video systems that large and small businesses already use to monitor activity both inside and out- side of their premises. These systems are installed with the single intent of protecting the security of buildings, employees, and patrons. But, as part of a larger integrated system, these same cameras can now drive business by helping to create safer shared spaces. Through collaboration with law enforcement, these cameras can become essential tools for promot- ing public safety within a community. For law enforcement, the vast quantity of data col- lected by these connected private security systems can be an invaluable source of information. With an integrated system, police officers would be able to pull up information that previously was impossible to access, was of poor quality, or simply took too long to get. Having the data readily accessible can make all the difference when responding to a call. By improving access to information, cities increase the probability of solving a problem while officers are responding. And, if the case needs to be taken up by investigators, they also have access to more informa- tion, which can be stored, analyzed, and used more effectively during the judicial process. The end result is greater public safety because the city's police force is able to operate more efficiently. Collaboration and Integration on a Large Scale The benefits of collaboration and integration can also be seen when considering private enterprises, like sports stadiums, whose activities have a major impact on multiple stakeholders within a metropoli- tan area, including law enforcement, local govern- ment, and the transit authority. When it comes to hosting large-scale events, there are many factors to consider to ensure public safety. In addition to mak- ing sure that people behave in an orderly manner, it is also important to provide adequate and timely public transportation for the crowds, to control the flow of traffic around the stadium, and to maintain access to hospitals and shopping districts. By undertaking a collaborative approach to public safety, existing traffic cameras in an area, for exam- ple, could continue to be monitored by the munici- pality on an ongoing basis while law enforcement could watch a separate feed only when events were scheduled at the stadium. This would allow police to SECURED CITIES When all stakeholders are brought together to collaborate on planning for the future, they can ensure that efficiency, quality, and safety are taken into consideration.