School's starting again; how's your security?

With the new school year starting up, various articles and blog posts have shown up on the radar indicating that 2008 may be the year of the security-conscious campus. The stories are linked below:

• Schools take steps to tighten security - "...a virtual security guard that grants or denies people access to the building based on whether they are registered sex offenders."
• Efficiency, high-tech tools mark new year - "'e' is not just for effort, but also for efficiency."
• Carnegie Mellon System Thwarts Internet Eavesdropping - "A user who thinks he is linked to an airport or coffee shop 'hot spot,' for instance, might actually be linked to a laptop of someone just a few seats away."
• Cleveland school security connect to police dispatch - "Officers in zone cars can listen and respond immediately to a school."
• New security measures in place in Manchester Local Schools - "He was impersonating a sheriff deputy at the (local) McDonalds prior to this..."
• Homeland Integrated Security Systems Expects Sales Boom Following Passage of House Resolution 3179 - “Being added to the GSA Schedule and GSA Advantage has really opened a lot of doors for our company.”
  

Metro St. Louis Procures Onboard Surveillance Cams

From TMCnet.com

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August 22, 2008

Metro St. Louis Procures Onboard Surveillance Cams

By Raju Shanbhag
TMCnet Contributing Editor

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Looking to install onboard surveillance camera systems on 50 new Call-A-Ride paratransit vans, the Metro transit agency in St. Louis, Missouri has awarded an approximately $250,000 sole-source contract to Safety Vision, a provider of mobile digital video solutions. Eligible riders in the St. Louis area will now get curb-to-curb public transportation from the agency’s Call-A-Ride program.

The new contract was approved by the agency in June 2008 and was partially funded by a Department of Homeland Security Grant. Installation is scheduled to occur in two shifts: the first 25 vehicles this month, the second 25 in October. For 11 years, Safety Vision, a 16-year veteran of the mobile surveillance industry, has supported Metro’s transit security efforts.

Each new Call-A-Ride vehicle will be outfitted with four mobile-rated security cameras, including microphones, impact sensors, and the Safety Vision RoadRecorder 6000 PRO mobile digital video recorder (MDVR). Apart from recording video, audio, and system health data in a secure, encrypted MPEG4 format, the MDVR also supports up to 10 interior and exterior cameras. The PRO features more camera frames per second, tripled storage capacity, wireless connectivity, and streamlined data management and builds on earlier generations in the RoadRecorder series.

The Safety Vision onboard camera systems are also being used by transit authorities in other major metropolitan areas including Washington, D.C., Chicago, Illinois, and Portland, Oregon to increase operator safety, enhance public security, mitigate transit authorities’ risk, and strengthen criminal prosecutors’ cases.

Safety Vision Account Executive John Major says, “We’ve installed camera systems on hundreds of Metro’s transit buses and light-rail vehicles. As we move into the paratransit vans, we’re extending our mobile safety net to encompass all of Metro’s ridership, driver/operators, and rolling assets. This project is also of note as one of our largest installations of security cameras in a paratransit fleet.”

He continued, “Along with Broward County Transit in Florida, St. Louis Metro is one of our oldest transit customers. We’ve shared their longstanding commitment to improving the safety and security of their personnel and the public, and we’ve learned together over the years. The Safety Vision team takes pains to ask the right questions of these and other transit customers, and to listen carefully to their answers. Our in-house engineering staff then designs solutions according to customer input, yielding the most technologically advanced yet user friendly systems available today and into the future.”

Raju Shanbhag is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Raju's articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Eve Sullivan

GE Security Explosives Detection Systems Help Protect Homeward-Bound Olympic Athletes and Visitors Using Beijing Capital International Airport

Twelve GE Security CTX 9000 DSi Inline Checked Bag Screening Systems Now Operating at BCIA's Terminal Three in Time for Departing Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Visitors, Athletes

Taken from MarketWatch.com

BEIJING, Aug 22, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- GE Security, Inc., a business of GE Enterprise Solutions today announced its Homeland Protection business installed twelve GE Security CTX 9000 DSi advanced baggage screening systems at Beijing Capital International Airport's (BCIA) Terminal Three as part of the city's infrastructure investment for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

GE Security's CTX 9000 advanced technology explosives detection systems are helping BCIA better protect visitors and athletes returning home after the Olympic Games. They are configured to optimally accommodate the 43 million air passengers and 170,000 flights per year for which the terminal was designed and also serve as a model for inline baggage screening systems throughout the country and region.

"GE Security is pleased to be the provider of this reliable and advanced security technology for this state of the art airport terminal that is currently supporting travelers returning home from the world's premiere sporting event," said Dennis Cooke, president and CEO, GE Security's Homeland Protection business. "This deployment of advanced explosives detection capability to Beijing Capital International Airport underscores our commitment to providing integrated, real-world security solutions that are helping protect and secure Beijing 2008 Olympic Games athletes and visitors as well as all air travelers."

"Our investment in GE's aviation security solutions is helping to make our security operations more effective, more efficient and more convenient for our passengers," said Mr. Yuan, vice president, BCIA expansion headquarters.

The GE CTX 9000 line of CT-based inline explosives detection baggage screening solutions is designed to integrate with airport baggage handling systems (BHS). The CTX 9000 system is TSA-certified and is often well suited for fast-paced airport environments.

With construction of the new Terminal Three beginning in 2004, China has invested approximately $2 billion USD to develop it as a modern gateway to accommodate increased international visitation to the Chinese capitol. The terminal's development is part of an unprecedented $40 billion USD infrastructure investment ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games, which host city Beijing anticipates to be among the most profitable and well attended of recent Games.

Designed for ease of operation and service, with multiplexing capabilities and a low false alarm rate, the CTX 9000 system can be an excellent investment for high-volume airports. Its advanced technology can assist customers to efficiently and accurately identify the most challenging threat substances.

The new Terminal Three opened to the public earlier this year. It consists of three concourses with a combined total area of some 1,000,000 square meters. Concourse C accommodates domestic and international check-in, domestic departures, and domestic and international baggage claim. Concourse D is temporarily dedicated to charter flights during the Olympic and the Paralympics Games. Concourse E is for international departures and arrivals.

About Beijing Capital International Airport

The Beijing Capital International Airport terminal officially opened on October 1, 1999, marking the 50th anniversary of Chinese Communist rule. This new, bright and airy terminal, built at a cost of $1.1 billion, is a welcome replacement for the former facility, which started operating in the 1950s, and has become increasingly cramped and dingy with the rise in the number of passengers visiting China.

The new four-story terminal (including basement level) covers an area of 336,000 square meters -- three times the size of the former terminal -- and puts much more emphasis on passenger comfort. The complex also includes a large-scale public parking building and a cargo station.

When this state-of-the-art terminal goes into full operation, it will be able to handle 190,000 flights, 35 million passengers, and 780,000 tons of cargo a year. The building has 51 elevators, 63 escalators, and 26 moving sidewalks to make moving around the airport easy.

Beijing is served by international carriers such as Northwest, United, Canadian Airlines, Lufthansa, SAS, Dragon Air, Japan Airlines, ANA, British Airways, Malaysian Air, Austrian Airlines, Air France, Alitalia, Korean Air, Pakistan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai International, Air China, China Southern and China Northern.

About GE's Security Business

GE Security, Inc., a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of the General Electric Company is a leading supplier of security and life safety technologies, with operations in more than 35 countries and $1.8 billion in annual sales. GE Security offers one of the industry's broadest product portfolios, including access control, explosives detection, fire detection, intrusion, key management and surveillance. GE Security's products are used to protect people and property across a wide range of industries, including aviation, banking and finance, education, government and military, healthcare, law enforcement, residential, retail, stadiums and event venues, and transportation.

GE Security was honored with Frost & Sullivan's 2008 North American Video Surveillance Solutions Company of the Year Award for its industry leading video portfolio and integration strategy vision and execution. For more information about GE Security, please visit www.gesecurity.com.

GE Security, making the world safer.

About GE and the Olympic Games

GE is the exclusive provider of a wide range of innovative products and services that are integral to staging a successful Olympic Games. GE works closely with host countries, cities and organizing committees to provide infrastructure solutions for Olympic venues including power, lighting, water treatment, transportation and security, and to supply hospitals with ultrasound and MRI equipment to help doctors treat athletes. In addition, NBC Universal, a division of GE, is the exclusive U.S. media partner of the Olympic Games, with its partnership also extending through 2012. For more information, visit www.ge.com/olympicgames.

SOURCE: GE Security, Inc.

Edelman for GE Security
Niamh Grano, +1-202-312-8256
niamh.grano@edelman.com
or
GE Security
Steve Hill, +1-510-857-1132
steve.hill1@ge.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008

Maryland Park Police Department Deploys Mobile Video Camera System

From Security Products Online

June 11, 2008

Brekford International Corp., a provider of homeland security technology products and services, recently announced completion of installation of 20 Panasonic Toughbook Arbitrator mobile camera systems for use in police vehicles by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

Mobile vehicle-mounted camera systems provide audio and video recordings of police activities to maintain chain of custody for evidence collection. The recordings can be used to provide information for use in court, for officer training, tracking, surveillance and a range of other applications to increase safety and effectiveness for police and the public.

“Demonstrating to the marketplace the high return on investment provided by vehicle-mounted video systems, which can reduce legal and insurance exposure, is an important next step in our strategy to provide fully integrated vehicle upfitting solutions,” commented William A. Shafley, CEO of Brekford International. “We believe these projects further validate the reputation we have earned for providing value to public safety agencies throughout the Mid-Atlantic.”

Brekford’s Upfitting division develops integrated, feature-rich, “office-in-the car” rugged mobile communication solutions that enable police officers, security personnel and first responders to obtain and exchange information in real-time. The Company’s growing client list includes branches of the U.S. military, the National Security Agency and critical security and public safety agencies in the State of Maryland.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Uses Digital Surveillance As Part Of Crime Fighting Plan

From Security Products Online

June 9, 2008

Sheriff’s deputies at Century Station, part of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, are now using “digital eyes” to protect citizens on the streets of Lynwood, Calif. and the surrounding unincorporated areas.

As part of its Advanced Surveillance and Protection Plan (ASAP), the department has deployed a wireless video surveillance network enabled by Firetide. The deputies have already made several arrests as a direct result of this surveillance, including one when deputies spotted a drug deal in progress in the park next to a neighborhood school.

“Wireless video surveillance is changing the way we serve and protect the community,” said Capt. James Hellmold of Los Angeles County Century Sheriff's Station. “It is a very effective force multiplier and officer safety tool. The quality of video is truly evidence-grade, which will serve us well not only to deter crime, but to help our district attorneys prosecute crime.”

The 13-square-mile area served by Century Station -- which is home to over 300,000 residents -- has twice the national average of violent crime. Gang violence, prostitution and drug dealing are frequently discussed at the community’s town hall meetings, and the citizenry is vocal in its support of the department’s taking whatever actions are necessary to make the streets safer.

“Our residents deserve the best law enforcement officers and the most advanced tools to fight crime and strengthen public safety,” said Sheriff Leroy Baca of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “The Century ASAP program seeks to augment the dramatic crime reduction already made possible through the dedication and hard work of the men and women of Century Sheriff’s Station and the Gang Violence Task Force.”

Video cameras have been deployed at key intersections, near schools, and near two hospitals. The broadcast-quality (30 fps) video is transported in real-time over the Firetide wireless mesh network directly to the integrated video and 9-1-1 dispatch command center, where watch deputies guide teams on the ground as they respond to calls for service. Fifteen deputies have already been trained in the use of the new video surveillance system, which allows them to control the cameras and pan, tilt and zoom into images, track suspects and assess situations as reports of crimes in progress come in.

Oklahoma City Unveils Wireless Mesh Network For Public Safety

From Security Products Online
June 5, 2008

Oklahoma City recently unveiled its wireless network -- the largest city owned and operated municipal Wi-Fi mesh network in the world.

The network is used for public safety and other city operations. At this time it does not provide wireless Internet access to the public.

Tropos Networks president and CEO, Tom Ayers presented a plaque to the Mayor and City Council recognizing the City of Oklahoma City for successfully building and implementing the world’s largest municipal wireless broadband network. Tropos Networks provides the network infrastructure equipment.

The wireless mesh network covers 555 square-mile area with 95 percent service coverage in the city’s core. Wireless Tropos routers are installed on city siren towers, traffic lights, buildings and other places. Tropos’ mobile routers are mounted in city vehicles, extending the network coverage area.

“We’re proud to receive this award and claim this distinction,” Mayor Mick Cornett said. “Our state-of-the-art wireless communication system allows City government to be more efficient and provide a higher level of service to our citizens.”

The wireless network is an extension of the City’s information technology infrastructure. City staff now has access from the field to more than 150 software applications.

Police officers are equipped with a laptop in patrol cars that gives them better access to advance criminal information in real time and allows them to download photos, file reports and even do paperwork in the field. In addition, police officers and fire fighters have access to over 300 video cameras, giving them a real time, around-the-clock, birds-eye view of key locations throughout the city.

Fire battalion chiefs are now able to locate water hydrants, review site maps, building floor plans and hazardous materials information while en route to a fire or accident; enabling them to tell incoming response vehicles how and where to set up.

The Wi-Fi mesh network system took more than two years to implement. Strong security measures and policies the city put in place have worked well protecting the network and meeting performance needs.

“We’ve been so pleased with how the wireless network system has improved the coordination and service delivery in our public safety operations that we’re now using it in other City operations,” City Manager Jim Couch said.

Former UK Law Enforcement Official Says Public Surveillance Cameras Work

From Security Products Online
By Brent Dirks · June 6, 2008

Public surveillance cameras in the United Kingdom work, but there are a few caveats. Sir Chris Fox, former president of the National Association of Chief Police Officers and 34-year veteran of British law enforcement, made the case for surveillance in a recent presentation.

“Community safety cameras work when they are planned, designed and implemented properly,” said Fox, who spoke at an ADT-sponsored event in May in Berkeley, Calif. “They work and are a good thing.”

The use of surveillance cameras in the United Kingdom stretches back to 1964 when the new technology was first used by retail and shops. Currently, there are a staggering 4.2 million plus cameras in the country -- one for every 14 people.

Fox said there were a number of reasons for the camera explosion without any outcry from civil liberties groups.

While, with the exception of the Sept. 11 attacks, the United States has been shielded from terrorism, violence from the IRA was a very real occurrence in the United Kingdom. Thanks to government funding in the 1990s and that constant threat of violence, the “community safety” cameras were welcomed in the country.

“In our environment, as it was, cameras were seen as a good thing,” he said. “Every day, I would get a request from a neighborhood saying we want some cameras. I never got a request saying take them away, it was an invasion of our privacy. The mentality was totally different; it’s changed a little bit, but then it was totally accepting.”

Currently, a typical CCTV system in the United Kingdom covers both high-risk and high-crime areas. Run by a city council, the system is not monitored by police but by trained users who are in contact with police via telephone and radio. All images are recorded and kept for 30 days.

Fox stressed that the notion of privacy doesn’t extend into a public place. But he said the system can’t target an individual without judicial approval.

Cameras in the country, Fox said, play a major role in the effort to reduce crime. When cameras are installed, the technology deters offenders and detects crime, eventually leading to more public vigilance and making communities feel safer. In the United Kingdom, citizens are now safer than they have since 1981.

But for the technology to work, Fox said, communities need to set goals and define success before installing the cameras -- as well as update the justice system with the compatible technology and hire enough police to respond to incidents caught by the system.

Fox’s presentation highlighted a number of successes thanks to the cameras -- including the July 2005 bombings that killed 52 and injured more than 700. Fox helped coordinate the national police response to the incident.

By using the cameras, police were able to identify the bombers and learn from the incident. Eventually, more than 194 other suspects were identified and arrested.

The cameras also were instrumental in identifying suspects in a failed attack against London transportation two weeks later.

And despite the cultural and other differences between the United Kingdom and United States, Fox said cameras also could work in America, especially with the advent of video analytics and intelligent surveillance systems.

“What I would tell my fellow police authorities and officials in the United States is to get your act together and be very specific with what you want and go to the private sector and ask ‘What can you do?’” Fox said. “They need to be thought through very carefully and analytically before saying ‘We want some of that.’”

Speaking of ADT, I recently was able to tour a wireless mesh surveillance system installed by the company in the city and port of Richmond, Calif., a Bay Area suburb. I’ll have more on the setup and technology behind it in the homeland security section of September’s Security Products magazine.

About the author

Brent Dirks
Brent Dirks is e-news editor for Security Products magazine.

Cincinnati’s Use Of Automated License Plate Recognition Pays Off

From Security Products

By Brent Dirks · May 2, 2008

The Cincinnati Police Department is using automated license plate recognition from Federal Signal PIPS and seeing strong results.

Using the technology to identify stolen vehicles and wanted suspects and to serve as a crime analysis tool and deterrent, the city has ordered seven more installations of the technology with plans to expand in order to include fixed camera installations throughout Cincinnati.

“We’re not doing dead-end leads anymore,” said Capt. Jeff Butler of the Cincinnati Police Department. “We’re going with a purpose because there’s a high likelihood that someone is going to be there.”

In the first five months of deployment, more than 300,000 license plates were read. Of those, 8,000 vehicles were of interest to law enforcement and 300 suspects were taken into custody -- including a homicide suspect and bank robber.

Beyond locating vehicles of interest, city officials also have found dividends with the investigative use of Federal Signal PIPS Back Office System Software (BOSS).

Copper theft has swept the nation and is turning into a major problem for urban law enforcement. With the BOSS system, police used an eyewitness account of a vehicle leaving the scene of a copper theft to nab the suspect. Using the vehicle’s license plate number, law enforcement tracked down when and where the suspect had been seen around the city. With a cluster of locations from the data, police set up surveillance and were able to make an arrest.

BOSS also provides data sharing and multi-jurisdictional search capabilities with other law enforcement agencies that use Federal Signal PIPS systems.

“Federal Signal’s advanced ALPR technology, which is widely deployed in Europe, continues to gain traction here in North America,” said Michael K. Wons, vice president and general manager of Federal Signal’s Public Safety Systems Division.

About the author

Brent Dirks
Brent Dirks is e-news editor for Security Products magazine.

Mall security: Where do we stand?

Securityinfowatch.com has a good article on mall security in light of the recent events in the Omaha mall tragedy.

Mall security: Where do we stand?

Following the Omaha mall incident, an overview of where mall security stands today

Geoff Kohl, editor
SecurityInfoWatch.com

On Wednesday afternoon, an apparently troubled young man opened fire upon customers and employees at the Westroads mall in Omaha, Nebraska. Eight customers and employees were dead, and another five injured before the gunman took his own life. The incident seemed early similar to a shooting at a Salt Lake City mall almost a year earlier, which had ended with a law enforcement officer gunning down the shooter before more loss of life could occur.

SecurityInfoWatch.com caught up with Jon Lusher, the principal consultant and executive vice president of internal inspection and compliance for IPC International. IPC provides security services to shopping centers and malls in the U.S. and the United Kingdom, including security officers, technical services, as well as security training and consulting. Lusher shared his thoughts on the current state of mall security and how such incidents as the Westroads mall shootings affect retail security postures.

SIW: Can we prevent mall shootings like what happened in Omaha this week?

Lusher: I don't think it is possible to literally prevent such shootings as long as there are such disturbed individuals or terrorists committed to such attacks. Through a combination of skilled security personnel, law enforcement liaison and technology, some such incidents may be deterred and many more minimized.

A similar attack occurred in Salt Lake City in 2006. What can be learned from analyzing these incidents?

It is useful to know that the presence of law enforcement officers will continue to be an integral and important part of security at shopping centers. Further, these incidents validate the type of training now widespread in the industry, which deals with observing behaviors indicative of violent activity, as well as how to handle the incidents themselves to minimize injury, loss of life or property loss.

What is the current concern and thinking from mall and retail owners regarding this type of incident?

I know them to be very concerned, and yet confident that they are isolated incidents that cannot be absolutely defended against.

What about the possibility of metal detectors and X-rays?

We know that such techniques are technically possible, that the technologies exist. However, the industry feels, along with the vast majority of society, that we do not want to institute such draconian measures.

What should be the role of mall security officers in these situations, since they are almost always unarmed?

Their chief responsibility will always be to minimize harm to those in the mall. Thus, immediate inclusion of law enforcement and execution of plans in place to react to such occurrences are the first priority. Certainly, provision of first aid and crime scene maintenance would be included in these plans, as well as possible evacuations, reliance on emergency exits, etc.

Does technology like video surveillance even become a benefit here (for active prevention), considering such events are usually over within 5 minutes?

Video is unlikely to be a deterrent to this type of offender, but certainly may help security and law enforcement to manage and minimize harm. Secondarily, video may provide useful documentation and explanation of the incident.

Are store owners often trained in how to lock down their locations?

Most malls encourage this type of training, and assist stores in obtaining specific training. Further, security does work to coordinate the plans individual stores may have in place.

Does the fact that there is a security staff for the mall and individual security staffs for stores make it more of a challenge to create a unified security response and presence, especially since the staffs have historically been instructed to not rely on the other for communications and back-up?

It is perhaps more difficult if there is some hesitancy on the part of a store to coordinate [with mall security], but far from impossible. It takes some skill to coordinate the differences, but it is routinely accomplished.

In the area of mall and retail security, do you think we are getting better at sharing information among different private security staffs?

I do believe so. I would note that we have not found the information sharing from Federal authorities on terror-related issues to be much improved.

This incident occurred in the midst of a busy holiday shopping season (not unlike the Tacoma, Wash., mall shooting in 2005). Do you expect this incident to impact retail sales in shopping centers?

Generally, we see (anecdotally) that retail is not substantially decreased. We believe shoppers recognize these are isolated incidents that can and do occur in any venue, and are not deterred from living their lives, including shopping!

- The Hackett Security Team