BRINGING VIDEO SURVEILLANCE INTO FOCUS

An attorney friend once told me that the worst development in courtroom advocacy was the creation of legal and evidentiary television programs – the CSIs and Law and Order shows of the world. In the middle of a grand jury proceeding, a juror asked, “Was there any trace evidence test done, an assumption that such a test existed. He had bought into the myth that everything that occurs on television must surely be possible in real life, not to mention the fact that this was a minor felony case, not worth the cost of extensive testing.

The same is true in the security world of surveillance and its associated equipment, i.e., cameras. The business and residential applications are flooded with different kinds of cameras with many different price tags. Are any available applications right for your property? The short answer is no. The more precise answer is, it depends.

Following are things to keep in mind when thinking about adding video surveillance to your business property.

Foremost, commercial and business property owners should ask themselves the question – do I really need camera surveillance for my property. Is the property in a high-risk area, or is the property large enough to warrant the expenditure?
If the answer is yes, then the word expenditure becomes the focal point (excuse the pun) of the project. As mentioned earlier, camera systems have all kinds of price tags. Avoid the temptation to fund this project on the cheap. Optics can be cheap, but good optics are not. The worst feeling in the surveillance world is trying to secure visual evidence of a crime or vandalism, and the video record is too fuzzy to be of any use. Don’t find yourself uttering the phrase, “If only….”
If your investment is worth protecting, then installing a camera and video recovery system deserves the use of experts. While home security has expanded greatly into the plug-and-play world, the commercial world has not. Rely on your consultant to determine types of equipment, lines of sight, and other technical issues. Overwatch Security Advisors (OSA) has experts in this field and partners with some of the best subcontractors in the business.
Finally, if your business does pursue the installation of a video surveillance system, these other factors warrant careful consideration.
What legal aspects are involved in the use of video in your state. The laws very from state to state.
Do you want to record or just conduct live monitoring?
Do you use analog or digital technology?
Do you want to include audio in some locations?

As you might have ascertained at this point, the decision to install a video surveillance system deserves, perhaps requires careful consideration. OSA stands ready to assist should you decide to move forward.