18 SECURITY
Caught on Camera
A new personal video camera provides added protection for lone workers
In 2009/10 there were 249 reported cases of injury sustained by UK security guards following physical harm and 60 of those injuries were described as ‘major’. New, body-worn camera
D
VideoBadge could help to protect lone-workers. Offering both HD video and audio in a small package, it acts as a deterrent to criminals, provides footage suitable for use as evidence in court and helps to identify bogus insurance claims. Security equipment specialists
Edesix launched VideoBadge as part of the MyWitness security system last year. Attached to clothing with a clip or pin the wireless camera is only slightly bigger than a credit card and weighs less than five ounces. Despite its size, the camera has sufficient battery life to capture a full shift – eight hours – of footage before it needs to be recharged. “With VideoBadge you deal with less incidents because people tend to behave when they see a camera,” says Edesix business development manager, Andy Burke. According the Burke, the three main functions are to deter
criminals, capture evidence and act as protection for lone-workers. “Not only does it protect your workers from attacks and abuse,” he says. “It also gives them the confidence to back up their actions.” Edesix worked to develop the camera over several years, using
the latest technology to optimise power and capture the best images possible for use in court. The badges are easy to use, set to record with just the touch of a button, and include a bold yellow strip stating ‘CCTV in operation’, complying with all relevant data and protection legislation. The camera is robust and waterproof and so suitable for staff
required to spend periods of time outside patrolling the site. VideoBadge also has space to hold an ID badge, licence or
company logo, doubling up as a badge, as the name suggests. As well as security, it is also a useful tool in parking enforcement. “People tend to make spurious complaints when they get a
SHOPPING CENTRE June 2011
www.shopping-centre.co.uk
ue to the nature of work, security guards are often victims of workplace violence.
parking ticket,” explains burke. “They might say ‘your parking attendant said I could park there’ or ‘your attendant accepted a bribe’. “Tickets are less likely to
be appealed and if they are you can review the footage, resolving disputes instantly and resulting in
cost savings because there’s no lengthy procedure in looking into the
claims.” As part of this paperwork is
reduced and there’s an increase in time spent by operators in the field.
And officers wearing VideoBadge have been found to get 14 per cent fewer
complaints with the public gaining confidence in knowing that incidents and the actions of security staff are being recorded.
Burke also points out that for shopping centres with persistent offenders,
VideoBadge can be used to put together a compelling case for an ASBO or banning order. Another function is quality control. “If a
shopping centre outsources parking enforcement or security, it can be used to check that the company and their staff are doing their jobs properly,” explains Burke. Data is downloaded - at a rate of five minutes per hour of
footage – via USB to a base unit which holds seven VideoBadges, and recharges the cameras at the same time. Video Manager organises and protects the data, while secure web
retrieval system Video Vault (complete with encryption programme) takes care of security issues, and allows access from anywhere in the world. “VideoBadge can only be downloaded to the base system it’s
registered to,” says Burke. “So if it’s found in the street or if an operator has witnessed a big incident and wants to sell the content to the media, they won’t be able to access the data - it prevents information from getting into the wrong hands.”
Find out more: For more information, please contact the author:
mia.hunt@
jldmedia.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60