Sunday, July 12, 2009

CCTV Systems, How One Little Device Can Secure So Much Property

By Ben Sparks

Ever since the advent of small affordable CCTV systems, protection of property has been a paramount use. Originally most of the CCTV systems were located indoors and utilized as a deterrent against shoplifters. As CCTV systems, particularly cameras have become smaller and more inexpensive, the CCTV cameras have moved outdoors and now provide property owners an added measure of security in protecting their property.

It is difficult today to enter any store and not see at least one CCTV camera that is part of a CCTV system present. What many people don't realize is that CCTV cameras are also present outdoors also. These cameras provide 24 hour surveillance of gas pumps, store parking lots, entrances and perimeters to plants and warehouses and the lobbies of public buildings. These outdoor cameras provide physical property protection for the building owners.

Cameras that are mounted out in the natural environment can come in all size and shape. Some cameras are self contained in their own housing. Some are contained in an environmental housing. These environmental housings can be rectangular or inside of a dome. A smoked glass or a glazed cover protects many cameras mounted inside of a dome. The smoked glass or glazing permits the camera to see out but the person on the ground to not be able to see inside. The cameras mounted inside the dome are often mounted on heads that have the ability to pan and tilt. Additionally these cameras are equipped with zoom lenses that have a telephoto capability. This head permits the camera to scan the entire area around the dome. If an intruder is detected, the automatic scan can be halted and the camera positioned manually. The telephoto lens can be zoomed in on the intruder and identification made.

CCTV camera housings are often subjects of vandalism or outright destruction. Vandals attempt to damage the camera and housing. Trespassers who are intent on robbery try to disable them to deny the security personnel the opportunity to intervene in the robbery. To combat this several manufacturers provide ballistic rated housings. These housings are built to absorb and withstand a bullet fired from a gun and continue working, providing the images of the area that they are trained on. While these housings are more expensive initially cameras that are located in vandal prevalent areas that have ballistic rated housings do not have to be replaced as often as those in non ballistic rated housings.

Personnel costs are a major budget factor for any business or company. The utilization of CCTV systems permits the owners to decrease the onsite security staff and use the CCTV system to provide the security for the area. This reduction in staff saves on payroll and the use of a CCTV system insures constant reliable surveillance of the area around and inside the plant or buildings. Additionally many insurance companies recognize the value of CCTV systems on the premises and provide lower rates for those facilities that do have CCTV system coverage.

CCTV systems today can even be monitored remotely through the Internet. This ability permits the owner to no longer have a full time security staff at the plant after hours. Should motion be detected the images from that camera are transmitted to the central station where they can be viewed and remedial actions determined. CCTV systems still protect against shoplifting, however the job of property protection has expanded for CCTV systems and will continue to expand in the future.

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