E-Surveillance Essentials – CCTVs (Part II)

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If you want to protect your assets and information then there are few methods that you need to follow. If CCTV placed in the correct positions it can monitor, capture and record videos and images of everything that happens on your premises, so trespassers and others can always be made accountable should an incident occur.
Important Things to Remember About CCTV
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If you want to protect your assets and information then there are few methods that you need to follow. If CCTV placed in the correct positions it can monitor, capture and record videos and images of everything that happens on your premises, so trespassers and others can always be made accountable should an incident occur.Always install CCTVs with the option of remote monitoring, so that your e-surveillance partner will be able to see what’s going 24/7.

To make the most of CCTV surveillance systems there are some important things to remember, as well as common mistakes that you need to avoid.

Always:

  1. Make sure your Camera is positioned high above the ground and they are not within reach of criminals.
  2. Position your cameras so that they are visible. It’s important that people can still see them on your premises. The presence of CCTV has been proven to discourage criminal activity.
  3. Get a security camera that has infrared LED lights, which makes it ideal for night vision recording. The majority of incidents take place at night when no one is around, so night viewing is critical.
  4. Ensure optimum lighting in critical areas even after dark.
  5. Have hidden CCTV in critical areas may be behind one-way mirror. These areas can be the ATM Room, Safe Room and such places where cash or valuable goods are stored.
  6. Get Cameras with masking alerts. Criminals’ will often spray paints on Camera lens before attempting crimes.
  7. Get a DVR with Alarm output. This can be used to trigger alarm when DVR hard disk is not working.
  8. Store your DVR in a secured place that is protected by a good Alarm System.
  9. Ensure continuous power to DVR and all CCTVs through a reliable UPS with 12 hour battery back-up.
  10. Ensure adequate support terms with vendor.
  11. Ensure that DVRs and Cameras can be monitored for its working every day; On-Line Health check is critical.

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Never:

  1. Buy cheap cameras or DVR of questionable company and make that have no support in India. Remember the investment must be usable and not cheap to first install and not usable after 6 months.
  2. Leave your camera wires exposed. It is an invitation to tamper.
  3. Leave entry or exit points uncovered. This includes areas of the building that could be broken, such as the windows and also fire exits that are mostly ignored.

 Providing CCTV Evidence for Litigation, Proof of Burglary and Fraud
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The frustration of being robbed is nothing compared to the frustration of being told that your CCTV footage is of no use due to poor image quality or being told that the images are not available since the system was not working.

In order for CCTV footage to be available, as credible and usable evidence, the image should have ‘sufficient picture quality and detail to identify an individual beyond reasonable doubt’

This means the following:

  1. Ensure that all Cameras and DVRs are working by conducting a regular on-line Health check-up every day
  2. Ensure that DVR is recording
  3. Ensure that DVR has sufficient disk space
  4. Ensure that cameras used are of a minimum of 720 TVL
  5. Ensure that cameras have IR function to record at low light
  6. Record at a minimum of 6 frames-per-second (6 fps). If we record at 16 fps that is just too much and takes a large amount of disk space.  Use 16 fps for currency chests, Jewellery outlets and other such places
  7. Ensure that System Clock of DVR keeps correct and accurate time. Sync DVR regularly with NTP server.