As the concern for homeland security continues to rise, citizens are looking to state and local government officials for answers. Crime prevention has been a top priority for law enforcement for years. But recently, conversations about security and public safety have gone beyond that. The discussion has now extended into the notion of creating “Smart Cities.” A Smart City refers to the idea that a metropolitan area can be thought of as a business entity where its customers are its residents (and business owners to a certain extent). The primary goal is to “serve its customers” through continuous evolvement to improve the quality of living for its citizens. Two key factors that affect this goal are public safety and security. Making a city safer through technology utilization to drive collaboration between separate departments, agencies and stakeholders, directly enhances a city’s “smartness.”
Partnerships between law enforcement and security agencies has never been more important. The road to achieving “smart policing” and building a Smart City is a hard one, however, with the advanced security technologies that are available to police today, it’s possible. Let’s take a look at some of the innovations driving increased accountability, situational awareness and collaboration in the public safety sector.
Proactive video monitoring
There have been several great advancements in video surveillance camera technologies and video management software (VMS). For surveillance cameras, in addition to the continuous improvement of resolution and image quality, thanks to more advanced and sophisticated image sensors cameras today can utilize built-in algorithms to gather intelligence without the support of a back-end server. In the past, cameras could only record “dumb footage.” Now cameras are smarter and can analyze what they’re capturing. You can proactively monitor an area. For example, if your system has motion and intrusion detection sensors, it can alert staff of a trespasser, notify the control room operator of the area to carefully observe, and give a security guard the opportunity to intervene before the situation escalates.
Additionally, a VMS can aggregate several separate security systems including video, audio monitoring, access control and even gunshot detection. This integration creates an overall smarter security solution. As the sensors become smarter and the systems become more sophisticated, the possibilities surrounding their uses for public safety continue to grow. Advances like these make things like automatic notification, real-time mobile video footage and preventative action feasible for first responders.
Interoperability and the multi-band radio
Since the tragedy of 9/11, data accessibility and multi-agency interoperability has become a major cause for concern when it comes to states of emergency in the U.S. We have since painfully learned that the more public safety departments are aligned with one another, the faster first responders can take action, and with greater efficiency, which ultimately means a higher level of public safety. So, how are the aforementioned entities taking action to address this concern?
One simple, yet effective solution is the use of multi-band radio systems for all first responders. The multi-band radio system not only allows various agencies to communicate with one another in real-time, but it also keep first responders up to date with critical information about the emergency as it unfolds.
“In law enforcement and public safety, the most valuable thing we have is good information, and the information becomes more valuable the quicker we can get it,” says Brian Smith, Deputy Chief of the Washington State, Port Angeles Police Department. Only with access to the pertinent data available do agencies have the ability to perform as a self-sufficient entity and Smart City agency.
Mobile innovation and the body-worn camera
Mobile video technology has also played an instrumental role. “We have gotten more value from the mobile app we use than any of the heavier video machinery that is currently in place,” Smith says. Mobile technology has made it possible for officers to view events in real-time, play back footage on scene, and manipulate cameras with the touch of a smartphone.
Speaking from personal experience, Smith explained that in some instances one officer can now do a job of four or five. For example, the containment of a fleeing suspect would normally command multiple officers set at various locations surrounding a specific area. With a VMS that supports mobile applications, one officer can ensure containment simply by monitoring the feeds of a handful of strategically placed cameras with his or her smartphone.
In addition to real-time surveillance, mobile apps also allow law enforcement to use their smartphones to perform tasks that would have previously needed to be done on their in-car computer. With mobile apps as an additional resource officers can reserve their PCs for more intensive inquiries.
With the correct video management system in place, footage from a body-worn camera can be broadcast in real-time to local dispatch, supervisors and other officers, allowing for real-time awareness to the situation taking place.
In addition, body-worn cameras supply undeniable evidence in the courtroom and address the public’s need for agency transparency. Adoption rates of body-worn cameras are subject to a number of challenges, the primary one being the storage requirements multiplied by hundreds or even thousands of cameras that can be potentially deployed by a single local agency.
“Some states require retention of video footage for up to 90 days for body-worn or in-vehicle cameras, and up to 30 days for stagnant video surveillance footage,” Smith says. This standard makes having an efficient data storage center and electronic filing cabinet just as much a necessity as having the cameras themselves.
Not to mention, storing the amount of data this legislation requires could force law enforcement agencies to spend up to 10 times the amount it cost to purchase the cameras in the first place. In essence, laws such as these are hindering the departments that wish to utilize the mobile technology the public and media are demanding.
Despite all of the criticisms, debates, and budget challenges, it is safe to say that body cameras will not go away any time soon. If this is the case, should more money be allocated to facilitating their use in the field? Should legislation be changed to adjust retention laws and alleviate the immense amount of data storage that is currently required? It is likely that these questions will have to be answered by public officials in the very near future.
The field of law enforcement is changing with technological advances that require research and analysis to conclude their optimal adoption and ideal utilization. What is important for agencies to remember, as Smith so eloquently states, is “Someone else has already solved a lot of the problems you are facing. There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel.”
Creating a true Smart City requires full collaboration and constant and consistent communication. Being flexible and open when it comes to trying new public safety technologies and asking for help can go a long way. ■
