Remote Video Monitoring: A Great Way to Keep Your Building Secure

Remote monitoring is an effective – and cost-effective – security solution

It’s 2 AM-ish – alley-side of a closed-for-the-night skyscraper. A security guard finishes his scout of the area and strolls back inside. Two hooded figures scamper up the base of a loading dock, right past the security cameras. They’re about to put a pair of bolt cutters to use when…

 

…A voice crackles through the darkness: “To the two men on the loading dock. Your actions are being monitored and recorded. Leave the area immediately. The police will be dispatched to your location.”

 

Criminals depend on chance and complacency. And while cameras are deterrents, the bad guys know they’re not always monitored live. They recognize patterns in your security and bank on the fact that they’ll hold true.

 

Unfortunately, the expense of adequate onsite security – including 24/7 monitoring of surveillance feeds – can be prohibitive. Add to that the difficulty of finding room to comfortably house additional staff, and you’ll start to understand the case for remote video monitoring as an efficient solution.

The benefits of remote monitoring

Remote video monitoring combined with analytics software can improve response times, staff safety, and, of course, backup onsite security. Security experts have found a litany of ways to put remote monitoring and analytic technology to use. Here are some examples:
 

• Action profiling. The latest analytic programs employ algorithms to assess body language. These systems are able to analyze video feeds to detect signs of suspicious or predetermined behavior and then alert security personnel. The program can be customized to look for specific shapes and movements to avoid false alarms. For example, the algorithm can distinguish between a newspaper blowing in the wind, a house cat, and a person who shouldn’t be there.

 

• Littering, vandalism, trespassing. In high-crime areas, remote monitoring and analytics can help stop problems before they begin. Digital trip wires can be created around the perimeter of vulnerable areas by simply tracing a line on a screen. If the border is breached, an alert is triggered. The alert can then notify security personnel, as well as activate an alarm, remote speakers, or security lighting.

 

• Augmented security. Traditional security measures – such as alarms, video cameras, and guards – have their limitations. A guard can’t patrol and monitor video feeds at the same time, and alarms are too binary; they’re either off or on, often with no indication of the type of threat. Remote monitoring provides expansive monitoring and enables rapid response times.

 

• Remote visitor management. Access control that is managed off-site is a cost-effective option. Remote monitors can authenticate employees and visitors, open doors, and dynamically restrict access inside the building.

 

• Beyond security. The analytic algorithms are also capable of counting people. This can be especially helpful for buildings with heavy traffic. Counting functions can be used to ensure occupancy limits aren’t surpassed, and to keep track of the number of customers or other visitors during a specified period of time.

 

What happens when something goes wrong?

Storms strike, computers crash, and sometimes, even the most robust equipment fails. When a building’s security system is down, everything and everyone are exposed. Not only do building managers need to do everything possible to prevent such events, when failures happen, repairs must be fast.

 

A comprehensive service plan can keep security systems up-to-date on maintenance, and provide the fastest repair times with loaner equipment, if necessary. To learn more about what an effective service plan should include, check out our recent blog: “Why Security System Service Contracts Offer Better Protection For Your Business.”