Security Cameras for Law Enforcement Offices in Florida
To protect and serve. This is the motto amongst all of our law enforcement agents. Theirs is a job that requires commitment, sacrifice and bravery. Nobility and valor are qualities constantly shown by these heroes. The dangers of being in law enforcement don’t only exist beyond the walls that are erected to house and serve as their base for the day to day operations. Emitting dangers also may lurk within the buildings from criminals, visitors, espionage and fellow staff. To ensure correct procedures are followed, safety & equality is served to everyone, security surveillance is also found in law enforcement establishments. So what are the tools of the trade to protect and aide them? What are some of the things we’ve done to help alleviate the ever growing crime rate? In our pursuit of these answers, let’s look at the following:
Security Cameras for Our Law Enforcement Establishments
We’ve all seen it at one time or another. Unimpressive video footage from a surveillance system. Without the story being collaborated with these poor images, we could only gape and try to fathom what we are seeing take place. Anyone who watches the news or frequents sites like YouTube have seen compilations of these clips. So what good is a surveillance system if you cannot capture identifying footage? The thing you need to understand is the video quality is based on the technology found in the cameras and recorder. Inferior, improper installation and/or outdated material will render any CCTV useless. Just like the systems found in convenient stores and shopping outlets, the capture and record quality is depict by the cameras and recorders combined capabilities. An adequate system will provide clear footage quality allowing the chance to identify and evaluate what took place. Another important factor are unique options available beyond the expected “capture & record” of the system, creating a convenient experience. Innovative features such as email alerts, FTP & cloud backup, snapshots and SMS alerts allow for an efficient experience in security monitoring. A lot of the industry, including our Government and Law Enforcement agencies, are making the transition from analog to mega pixel HD quality. HD mega pixel quality allows for robust & detailed footage, leaving no mistake or doubts in what’s captured. Mega Pixel technology offers vibrant and comprehensive resolution value, both live and recorded footage.
Security Cameras for Vehicles
Calling all cars, calling all cars! The law enforcement vehicle is outfitted with so many features. Tools of the job include:
- Interior & Exterior lighting
- Prisoner transport
- Cargo storage
- Consoles
- Gun racks
- License Plate Readers
- Partitions and Barriers
- Power distribution
- Radar
- Sirens
- Mobile Surveillance
The mobility of video & audio recording is crucial for both the public and our officers. All accusations and incidents can be properly disputed or dismissed by the capture and documentation of this implemented security. Cop car surveillance also have captured inadvertent confessions from suspects in or near the vehicle. Now, police are legally bound to remind people of their right to remain silent during apprehensions, so this recorded testimony is fully admissible in court. Another cool camera gadget is the ability to run license plates with an ALPR camera. This an attractive way to locate and apprehend criminals, identify stolen vehicles, and fight
terrorism.
Community Involvement
Crime watch has been around a long time. It’s a community of involved individuals making an effort to look after one another, notifying and informing the public of events or out-of-ordinary sightings. An emergency alert broadcasting system has been created solely for the notification and awareness of missing children in surrounding communities. Broadcasted on the radio, TV, highway digital signage and other media outlets (faxes, emails, beepers). This alert system is even incorporated into company procedures like Publix, Target, and Nordstrom when a child is pronounced missing. This system is commonly known as the Amber Alert. The origins of the Amber Alert service came into creation from the disappearance, assault and death of a 9 year old girl; Amber Rene Hagerman. Even a nationwide program, Americas Most Wanted, was inspired from a disturbing and saddening event stemming here in Florida. The shows founder, John Walsh, lost his son to an unknown individual. Had there been more organized methods like the America’s Missing Broad Cast Emergency Service (amber alerts), the chances of finding Adam Walsh and Amber Hagerman shortly after their disappearance is said to be exponential. Working together we can help ourselves and each other from being victims. Understanding the ways we can interact and communicate can help law officials stop/solve criminal activity before it escalates to fatality proportions. Opting in to SMS Amber alerts and involving ourselves in our community crime watch are all ways we can help serve or fellow man.
What we can do
Our role in the assistance to law enforcement agencies is the acquisition and implementation of security surveillance. From cities to business/corporations and home owners alike, everyone has their part to play. With a multitude of knowledgeable material readily available, we can benefit from this great investment. Our combined cooperation can capsize the exponential crime rate. A list of what we can implement and accomplish with a little communication, commitment, and time:
- The involvement with public agencies and other organizations (neighborhood-based or community-wide) on solving common problems.
- Protect domestic violence victims (and their children) through policies as well as laws that offer them prompt and meaningful response to calls for help and appropriate legal repercussions.
- Setting up or involving oneself in a Neighborhood Watch or a community patrol, working with police. Make sure your streets and homes are well guarded including: Lighting, barriers and security surveillance.
- Build a partnership with police, focused on solving problems instead of reacting to crises. Make it possible for neighbors to report suspicious activity or crimes without fear of retaliation.
- Clean up your neighborhood! Involve everyone from teens, children and senior citizens. Litter, abandoned cars, and run-down buildings are all telltale signs criminals see telling that you don’t care about where you live or each other. Call the city public works department and ask for a change in cleaning up.
- Ask local officials to implement new ways to get criminals out of your building or neighborhood. These include enforcing anti-noise laws, housing codes, health and fire codes, anti-nuisance laws, and drug-free clauses in rental leases.
- Ensure that all the youth in the neighborhood have positive ways to spend their spare time, through organized recreation, tutoring programs, part-time work, and volunteer opportunities.
- Work with schools to establish drug-free, gun-free zones; work with recreation officials to do the same for parks.
- Develop and share a phone list of local organizations that can provide counseling, job training, guidance, and other services that neighbors might need.
- Report a crime upon witnessing it or something you suspect might be a crime. Agree to testify if needed.
- Learn about hotlines, crisis centers, and other help available to victims of crime. Find out how you can help those who are touched by violence to recover as quickly and completely as possible.
- Consider a public event that lets children turn in weapons, especially those that might be mistaken for real firearms, in exchange for public thank-yous, donated non-violent toys, books, or coupons from local merchants.
- Start a discussion of neighborhood views on weapons in the home, use of toy weapons by children in play, children and violent entertainment, and how arguments should be settled.
- Educate yourself on state and local laws on firearms. Insist that these laws be enforced vigorously but fairly. Support police, prosecutors, judges, and other local officials who enforce laws designed to prevent gun violence.
- Emphasize prevention as the preferred way to deal with violence. Inquire what schools, law enforcement agencies, public health agencies, libraries, workplaces, religious institutions, child protective agencies, and others are doing to prevent (not just react to) violence. What policies do they have to prevent weapons-related violence? How can they help the community?
- Volunteer time to mentor young people who need positive enforcement from adults. Programs ranging from Big Brothers and Big Sisters to Adopt-a-School include mentoring as a central ingredient.
- Speak with children in the neighborhood about what worries or scares them and about where and how they have felt threatened by violence. Interview teachers, school staff, crossing guards, and bus aides.
- Promote public service advertising that offers anti-violence programs and services. Get several groups to cooperate in this effort. Include programs to help kids headed for trouble.
- Organize to help clean and repair the parks and report suspicious and/or illegal activity to the police. Well kempt play equipment and organized activities can attract people back to the parks in large enough numbers to discourage illegal activities. Residents should insist that local government maintain parks, immediately repairing/replacing vandalized/stolen equipment.
- Adopt a school. Help and educate students, faculty, and staff on how to promote a sense of community in the school and with the larger community through involvement in a wide range of programs and activities.
- Join with school and law enforcement in creating and sustaining safe corridors for students traveling to and from school. Help with efforts to identify and eliminate neighborhood trouble spots.
- Help students with opportunities such as job skills development, entrepreneurship opportunities, and internships.
- Encourage employees to work with students in skill training, youth group leadership, mentoring, coaching, and similar one-to-one and small group activities. Make your facilities available for these activities when possible.
- Provide anger management, stress relief, and conflict resolution training for your employees. This can help build an anti-violence environment at home, school, and in the community. You might gain a more productive working environment as well!
- Rally support of funding and effective implementation of programs and other resources that help schools develop an effective set of violence prevention strategies.
- Offer your professional skills in educating students on costs and effects of violence in the community (including their school). Public health personnel, trauma specialists, defense/prosecuting attorneys, law officers, security specialists and judges are among those with important messages to deliver.
- Help employees who are parents to meet with teachers by providing flexible hours or time off; encourage employee involvement in sponsoring or coaching students in school and after-school activities.
- Development of an anti-violence competition; including speech, dance, painting, drawing, singing, instrumental music, acting, play-writing, and other creative arts. Make it a community celebration and even have the youth to help suggest prizes.
- Report crimes or suspicious activities to police immediately. Encourage employees and families to do the same.
- Establish business policies that explicitly reject violent behavior by employees or others on the premises.
- Report any and all crime immediately to school authorities or police.
- Help to strengthen relationships between school services and the network of community services that may help students and families facing problems.
- Educate children from elementary grades to senior high in solving the violence problems in the school and community. Encourage them to teach violence prevention to younger children, reach out to educate peers, work with adults on community-wide problems, and identify and tackle community conditions that they are concerned about. This enlistment can be very intuitive and life strengthening.
- Educate and raise awareness the importance of CCTV in establishments we all frequent. This also includes keeping them well maintained or updated to today’s technology standards. The following places or high orientated to criminal activity:
- Community centers
- Gas stations
- Grocery markets
- Malls
- Schools
- Club houses
- Highways
- Public Roads
- Convenient stores
- Airports
- Post Offices
- Outlets
- Parks
- Parking Lots
- Banks
Thank you to all the men and women who risk their lives every day to keep us safe. Let us all do what we can to assist our fellow man.
