Page 41 - Security Today, October 2018

than small silos, we’re starting to see facilities include additional pieces, such as risk and threat assessment, social media monitor- ing, IoT security, and cyber terrorism within each of these agencies.
Data incorporation. Almost all of to- day’s devices on the network are driving big data; the amount of information available to command centers will only continue to increase, and as analytics improve, effective data aggregation must follow. Cities and mu- nicipalities generate a ton of data on a daily basis, which means processes need to be in place to analyze and act on this information in real-time. The command center of the fu- ture will include dashboards that aggregate this data so that stakeholders can make sense of a large amount of information and put it in a digestible format to drive streamlined decision-making.
Network. The wall between cyber and physical security has begun to come down, as stakeholders realize the need for collabora- tion to protect the entire enterprise. Visual- ization platforms in command centers, such as overview video walls, will take advantage of the growing and valuable network archi- tecture, resulting in less hardware, more re- dundancy, and more reliability.
No longer are the days when all decision makers are in the same area as the command center. They are spread out across build- ings, campuses, or even greater distances. Communications must include the ability to send a shared perspective of real-time con- tent about a situation from within the four walls of the command center and beyond to first responders and stakeholders—no mat- ter where they may be—to make informed
decisions and implement responses. In gov- ernment environments, this also means the potential of sharing critical information with other agencies. With such an abundance of information, including mobile surveillance applications, crowdsourcing platforms and social media, all of which provide additional intelligence and can be used to streamline investigations, one user interface in a com- mand center can make all the difference be- tween a successful or failed response.
Artificial Intelligence
Today’s security threats to metropolitan ar- eas require a predictive and preventative stance, and emerging technologies such as analytics and machine learning allow se- curity operators to stay ahead of the game. Artificial intelligence (AI) enables the ability to learn behaviors, making the detection and communication of anomalies easier and re- sponsiveness more comprehensive.
For example, as a video camera watches a street corner day in and day out, machine learning software can aid the computer in learning patterns for passersby. As the ma- chine learns what “normal” behavior is, it also learns to detect anomalies in the envi- ronment, such as a backpack or loitering
individual. This information can be relayed back to an operator in a command center to alert officials and activate the appropriate response protocols. Tools that automate situ- ational awareness and integrate platforms can provide operators with more timely and accurate information upon which they can base their decisions.
In a command center environment, this means that operators can easily identify critical breaches within a facility, following standard operating procedures to respond accordingly in line with the agency’s overall emergency management plan. AI and ma- chine learning facilitate the conglomeration of enhanced data to streamline this response.
Government entities and agencies rely on their SOC for communicating with opera- tors and first responders on a daily basis and in times of an emergency. As risks become more severe, a complete situational picture is necessary. Convergence and AI, among other emerging technology, will allow operators in government facility command centers to achieve this by promoting automation, aware- ness, and rapid responses for operators.
Dan Gundry is the director of national con- trol room sales at Vistacom Inc.
A Closer Look: Traffic Management in Philadelphia
The City of Philadelphia recently activated their new Traffic Operations Center (TOC), which serves as a traffic control nerve center, receiving live traffic cameras and roadway monitoring data from around the city. The mission of the TOC is to monitor the traffic in real time so the Streets Department can adjust signals, signs, and throughways in case there is a massive influx of vehicles or pedestrians in one area. The Streets Department can then push the information to PennDOT and other agencies, who can adjust electronic messaging signs to notify people to move in different directions.
The TOC includes a 10-monitor video wall to display traffic cam- eras and signal management software within the center. Tying into Philadelphia’s federated video management system allows the TOC to send and receive critical information between and to other agen- cies and stakeholders.
The engineers in the TOC collect traffic flow data to better time things such as traffic lights. Live video streams from a network of more than 5,000 cameras owned by the city, PennDOT, the Philadel- phia Police Department, SEPTA, and other agencies are accessible to help facilitate better decision-making and more efficient responses. Also available are various mapping and GIS data, social media analyt- ics, and other diagnostic information.
The TOC leverages a number of new and emerging technolo- gies to create a comprehensive picture of real-time traffic condi- tions that not only make the city safer, but bring information about events to first responders and other officials as they occur. This innovative technology opened a new chapter in maintaining a safer Philadelphia and supports the mayor’s vision for high efficiency and innovative service.
WWW.SECURITYTODAY.COM GS15