Page 12 - Security Today, March/April 2023

A Comprehensive Nationwide Solution By Patrick Kelly
Across the United States, manufacturing facilities, dis- tribution centers, truck yards, parking lots and car dealerships all have a common concern. They are tar- gets for catalytic converters. In nearly every region, cases of catalytic converter thefts have skyrocketed. The National Insurance Crime Bureau reported an increase of more than 300% in claims related to catalytic converters in a single year (2019 - 2020), and The Justice Department announced a “takedown [of a] nationwide catalytic converter theft ring” in November 2022.
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Why is this happening? To put it simply, catalytic converters
are relatively easy to steal, and the value of the metals has in-
creased. Once removed, it can leave any vehicle owner shocked
and with an unexpected bill for replacement. For the businesses,
industries and areas previously mentioned – with numerous if not
hundreds of vehicles at a single location – that worry multiplies
detect a person or object entering an area from a set direction. along with associated costs.
IVA and the enacted rules mean reduced false alarms and accu- rate reporting of true events to a user.
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
Addressing this issue and many others starts from the outside
RECORDING AN EVENT
looking in. In other words – the perimeter. Securing a perimeter,
It is a concurrent operation – detection, initiation of an event’s whether there is a physical boundary or not, requires an end-to-
recording, and instant notice to a user on a single mobile device end solution. It is something that has the ability to deter criminal
or an entire monitoring center. Therefore, the video management behaviors like theft, detect suspicious actions, record the activity
solution is crucial to making it a smooth application, end-to-end. and instantly notify a user or location when an event triggers. For
A video management solution should be scalable, provide ac- perimeters, the technologies available are uniquely capable of do-
curate storage and fail-over actions, and allow management of ing this seamlessly, but that is not widely known, or understood.
the events and rules. It should simply provide real-time alerts, log We can break it down by individual components, but the impera-
files, live video, and recorded footage for review.
tive part to remember is that perimeter protection (and security in
When integrated with specific products, the video analysis side general) is about connection between elements.
can expand or include advanced AI at the server level to improve the detection of perimeter crossings. As this is the main interface for When you look at equipment specifically, a perimeter is typically
going to require a camera with a panoramic view or even complete
most end-users, it is essential that it is user-friendly across industries. 360 degrees. That sounds like multiple cameras, but there are singu-
There is not always a positive connotation surrounding the lar options that provide ultra-wide fields of view, flexibility and soft-
topic of perimeter security. It is possible that it evokes the con- ware features customized to a location. Not only are these cameras
cerns of thefts and intrusions, especially for those who have or extremely effective, but one device can perform the same work of
could be impacted by catalytic converter thefts. However, it is also many cameras, making them cost-efficient and less labor intensive.
possible that the reaction comes from the unknown; thinking that Selecting the right camera for a perimeter includes deciding
a perimeter system may sound complex or unattainable in certain whether that camera has a single sensor or multiple sensors. Often
industries or markets. That is certainly not the case.
a wider area will need a multi-sensor camera for complete coverage. These sensors can trigger a multitude of accessories for detecting motion, including illuminators like IR for recording, white lights to serve as a deterrent or speakers with voice-down capabilities.
Going beyond motion, IP cameras with intelligent video ana- lytics have even greater detection capabilities and environmen- tal analysis. Whether an intruder crosses an actual boundary (a fence) or a virtual tripwire (a laser), a camera can detect and clas- sify a person or vehicle in real-time. For perimeters and other areas, the possibilities for detecting unwanted behaviors can be- come even more precise. For example, capture and be alerted to a removed object from a zone, know if a person or object is ap- proaching the monitored zone even if it has not been crossed, or
It starts by learning that the right solution is more than one application. It is how components synchronize, scale and integrate with other parts. If a perimeter alarm occurs, there should be an in- stant ability to detect motion, light the scene, and quickly view the location. Sending an automatic and accurate notification provides quick results and action at a site. Perimeter protection, and many other forms of security, bring multiple technologies
and software together. They function as one in a powerful and cohesive system that is excellent for any industry’s peace of mind.
Patrick Kelly is director of IP Sales, Complete Surveillance Solutions, at Digital Watchdog (DW).
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MARCH/APRIL 2023 | SECURITY TODAY
PERIMETER SECURITY