By Lizzi Goldmeir

Optimize investigations. Conserve budgets (and resources). Work smarter.

If you ask police chiefs around the country what their three biggest challenges are, there’s a good bet that the aforementioned is what the majority of them would list – at least from a departmental standpoint.

What’s more is that these three challenges are all related to one another: For instance, the longer an investigation takes, the longer the necessary resources have to be allocated to the investigation.

Discovering ways to work smarter and more efficiently can help accelerate the investigation timeline, thereby keeping budgets (and resources) better in check.

So what’s the solution to overcome these problems?

Enhancing video surveillance with Video Content Analytics (VCA) is one-way police are achieving their goals of optimized investigations, budget conservation and efficiency.

VCA technology helps police transform reaction into proactive response.

Here’s a closer look at how this sort of video analytics can help police overcome their top challenges:

The True Value of Video Intelligence

When you’re conducting a police investigation, video evidence is obviously important.

But it’s not exactly an efficient tool if you’re forced to sit behind a monitor and watch hours of footage looking for clues.

That’s where a high-end video analytics system can help, as intelligent features allow hours of video to be condensed into minutes.

Shortening video review time better allows law enforcement to identify people and places that can assist them in their investigation.

With today’s intelligent systems, video can be filtered according to people, gender, vehicle types, animals and other more intricate features like bags and colors.

Thanks to these features, certain video analytics systems have been credited with helping responders in New Orleans promptly solve more than 100 cases in less than a year since implementation.

Similarly, detectives at the Hartford Police Department, have credited Video Content Analytics technology with helping them quickly ID a suspect’s vehicle in a fatal shooting based on eyewitness reports, allowing officers to quickly apprehend the suspect.

(Police in Hartford, Connecticut, are using the latest video technology from Milestone Systems* (also a 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Award Winner), Axis Communications * (also a 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Award Winner)and BriefCam to ensure a Safe City. Here, he shows Milestone CTO Bjorn Eilertsen how the BriefCam video synopsis puts intelligent video analytics at his fingertips: hours of video with collapsed time tracking can gather the evidence of all foot traffic paths to buildings for fast overview. One house has such volume of foot traffic to its door that it’s obvious – within just minutes – where the drugs are being sold. In the past, detectives had to stake out suspected locations, freezing for days and nights on end in cars or on rooftops. Now: both time and resources are saved; crime is addressed and reduced. Courtesy of Milestone Systems and YouTube.) 

It’s estimated that advanced video systems permit officers to investigate incidents up to 10 times faster, which streamlines the process and conserves resources.

Here’s a look at some other ways video can help law enforcement do their jobs better:

Proactive policing:

• While many people think of law enforcement as reactive (i.e., responding to emergency calls), today’s systems offer smart alert features that allow police to work more proactively.

• Alerts can be set to provide real-time notifications of suspicious activity, such as loitering, jaywalking, fare evasion, people entering restricted areas and more.

• This enables officers to be more responsive and proactive as situations develop.

Actionable insights:

• Today’s high-end video systems can also help detect trends, such as traffic flow and crowd traffic, to help assess any areas of concern or where safety may be jeopardized.

• This allows for actionable response, can help reduce incidents and can lead to a safer overall city.

• By understanding the typical events that take place in a city, police can be more strategic in responding to situations and emergencies, and improving local safety and quality of life.

Because police officers have such an important job, it only makes sense for them to incorporate technologies that will allow them to work smarter and faster.

Video analytics systems can do just that, while also keeping budgets and resources in check.

It’s why a good city-wide video surveillance system and video analytics technology can be a big win for police departments.

(This video shows a police officer from the City of Hartford Drug Task Force, who shows and explains how they use the Milestone XProtect VMS with Briefcam integration to catch drug dealers. The officer states that it has taken him a minute to covertly idenitfy a drug house where before it would have taken more than 32 man-hours. Courtesy of Milestone Systems and YouTube.) 

SEE BELOW TO DOWNLOAD A GUIDE TO VIDEO CONTENT ANALYTICS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT 

BriefCam Takes Home the Gold in the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program

BriefCam

• Best Video Analytics Solution

• BriefCam Video Analytics

 

The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is specifically designed to honor distinguished government and vendor solutions that deliver enhanced value, benefit and intelligence to end users in a variety of government, homeland security and public safety vertical markets.

Over 130 distinguished guests representing National, State and Local Governments, and Industry Leading Corporate Firms, gathered from across North America, Europe and the Middle East to be honored among their peers in their respective fields which included:

• The Department of Homeland Security
• The Federal Protective Service (FPS)
• Argonne National Laboratory
• The Department of Homeland Security
• The Department of Justice
• The Security Exchange Commission Office of Personnel Management
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection
• Viasat, Hanwha Techwin, Lenel, Konica Minolta Business Solutions, Verint, Canon U.S.A., BriefCam, Pivot3, Milestone Systems, Allied Universal, Ameristar Perimeter Security and More!

The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program highlighting the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking security solutions coming onto the market today, to ensure our readers have the information they need to stay ahead of the competition, and keep our Nation safe – one facility, street, and city at a time.

The 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program is Proudly Sponsored by ATI Systems, Attivo Networks, Automatic Systems, and Desktop Alert.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland SecurityAwards at https://americansecuritytoday.com/ast-awards/.

Comprehensive List of Categories Include:

Access Control/ Identification	Personal/Protective Equipment	Law Enforcement Counter Terrorism
Perimeter Barrier/ Deterrent System	Interagency Interdiction Operation	Cloud Computing/Storage Solution
Facial/IRIS Recognition	Body Worn Video Product	Cyber Security
Video Surveillance/VMS	Mobile Technology	Anti-Malware
Audio Analytics	Disaster Preparedness	ID Management
Thermal/Infrared Camera	Mass Notification System	Fire & Safety
Metal/Weapon Detection	Rescue Operations	Critical Infrastructure
License Plate Recognition	Detection Products	And Many Others!

Don’t see a Direct Hit for your Product, Agency or Organization?

Submit your category recommendation for consideration to Michael Madsen, AST Publisher at: mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.

2018 Champions Edition

See the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Champions Edition – ‘Best Products of 2018 ‘ Year in Review’ for in-depth coverage of the outstanding products and services of firms receiving American Security Today’s 2018‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards.’

Enter Early to Maximize Media Coverage of your Products and Services at Kickoff, and Get the Recognition Your Organization Deserves!

And be sure to Register Early for the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon at ISC East 2019 to ensure your place at this limited- space event!

Why the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program?

American Security Today’s comprehensive Annual Homeland Security Awards Program is organized to recognize the most distinguished vendors of physical, IT, port security, law enforcement, and first responders, in acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to ‘Keep our Nation Secure, One City at a Time.’

Why American Security Today?

American Security Today is uniquely focused on the broader Homeland Security & Public Safety marketplace with over 70,000 readers at the Federal, State and local levels of government as well as firms allied to government.

The old traditional security marketplace has been covered by a host of security publications that have changed little over many years.

American Security Today brings forward a fresh compelling look and read with our customized digital publications that provides our readers with solutions to their challenges.

Our Editorial staff provides a full plate of topics for our AST monthly digital editions, AST Website and AST Daily News Alerts.

The editorial calendar and AST’s high drawing website features 23 different Technology and Marketing Sectors such as Access Control, Perimeter Protection, Video Surveillance/Analytics, Airport Security, Border Security, CBRNE Detection, Border Security, Ports, Cybersecurity, Networking Security, Encryption, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Campus Security, Security Services, Corporate Facilities and Emergency Response among others.

These sectors are part of the new integration, where these major applications communicate with one another in a variety of solutions to protect our cities and critical infrastructure.

AST has Expanded readership into vital Critical Infrastructure audiences such as Protection of Nuclear Facilities, Water Plants & Dams, Bridges & Tunnels, and other Potential targets of terrorism.

Other areas of concern include Transportation Hubs, Public Assemblies, Government Facilities, Sporting & Concert Stadiums, our Nation’s Schools & Universities, and Commercial Business Destinations – enticing targets for extremist or lone wolf attacks due to the large number of persons and resources clustered together.