Flatvision Industry News

Ultra powerful processors to enable safer internet surfing. Innovative CCTV analysis to cut crime on public transport. Cutting-edge research to combat computer viruses.

These are some of the research projects that will be the focus of a major UK cyber-security centre launched today.

The new £25 million Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT), based at Queen’s University Belfast, is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the Technology Strategy Board, Queen’s University Belfast and a range of partner organisations.

CSIT is unique because it brings together, under one roof, cutting-edge expertise in data security, network security, wireless network enabled systems and surveillance intelligence systems.

Harnessing this expertise, CSIT will help pioneer the concept of converged security – the use of IT systems to improve people’s physical security while protecting the systems themselves to ensure they can’t be hacked into.

CSIT is one of the first Innovation and Knowledge Centres to be established in the UK.

(See article at: http://www.cctvinfo.com)

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Up to 500,000 CCTV cameras could be used as part of a highly sophisticated plan to police the 2012 Olympics.

The Metropolitan Police (Met) force wants to pool its 10,000 cameras with traffic and congestion cameras across the city, BBC London has learnt.

The network would be operated from a command centre, in London, by military, police and intelligence services.

The force said it was looking at how various CCTV networks could be used but that planning was at an early stage.

Key role:

Earlier this week Olympic security coordinator, assistant commissioner Tarique Ghaffur, gave an update on the security planning he envisaged for the 2012 Games.

He said: “Efforts focus on the capabilities we currently have and how these can be used efficiently to make London safer both now and during Games time.

“A good example of this is how the current capabilities of various CCTV networks might be harnessed and integrated in London within the current legislative framework, to deliver greater effect in mitigating specific threats as part of the Olympic security effort.”

It is understood the command centre would remain in place after the Olympics.

Dee Doocey, London Assembly member, said it was important to be clear that CCTV cameras were not a substitute for officers.

“We must do everything possible to ensure both athletes and those attending the games are safe and CCTV (cameras) undoubtedly play a key role, but they are a tool, they are certainly not a substitute for police officers.”

(See article: http://news.bbc.co.uk)

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Lydiard Park in Swindon will soon have nine CCTV cameras to combat vandalism in the area.

In the past the Park has seen windows busted at Lydiard House and a bench set on fire.

The cameras will be installed by the end of 2008 at a cost of £30,000.

Swindon’s lead member for leisure and corporate services, Councillor Keith Williams, stated that due to some reports of vandalism the park decided to place the cameras throughout the area.

He also said the funding would come from the £5m that the park has received from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Despite the high cost, William said that the cameras would still be less costly than hiring security staff to work around the clock.

Lydiard Park offers a Heritage House previously occupied by the Bolingboke family, a children’s play area, 260 aces of parkland, and a walled garden that was restored from the 18th century.

Stuart Webb, the park manager, stated that the vandalism comes from being located on the boundary line of Swindon and that the park has experienced problems over the last few years.

He continued to say that the CCTV cameras are aimed at making people feel safe while visiting the park.

(See article: http://www.cctvcore.co.uk)

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Doping is a growing problem at equestrian events and Lord Stevens is taking action to make sure that the sport is clean before the upcoming 2012 Olympics take place.

One of his actions, meant to help clean up the sport and rid it of its drug problems, is the introduction of increased security measures such as CCTV at the venues where the horse races take place.

After an event in Beijing which sullied the reputation of equestrian horsing, Lord Stevens hopes placing CCTV and similar systems in the horse stables will keep control of the riders and jockeys.

Thus, the government and police can rest assured that all participants are legally taking part in the activities and that those who are not are properly punished.

In Beijing four horses had to be disqualified after it was discovered that they had been doped before the finale at the Olympics in 2008.

Lord Stevens said in a statement that they are aware people will not initially be receptive to the idea of placing CCTV in the stables and other areas of the venues, but that the racing administration and the government still feels that this is the best and only way to tackle the problem.

He said that if the proposals for CCTV in the stalls are passed, he is sure that the government and the Met can clean up the sport well before the Olympics.

(See article: http://www.cctvcore.co.uk)

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In an attempt to reduce the amount of child abuse and neglect in the UK, the British Government will soon allow 24 hour CCTV surveillance in thousands of homes that are considered to be the ‘worst’ in the country, according to the Children’s Ministry.

Currently, there are 2000 families in the monitoring program with an expected enrolment of 20,000 over the next two years costing the Government about £400 million.

Labour claimed that the monitoring devices place Britain in the list of countries who spy too much on their own citizens, but the Labour government still felt the additional monitoring of families was necessary to address problems such as malnutrition, truancy, and alcohol abuse.

Families that are monitored will be carefully watched to ensure that children are fed proper meals, have a reasonable bed time, and make it to school on a regular basis.

Ed Balls, the Children’s Secretary, said that this is a tough way to get families back where they need to be.

He also stated that the surveillance program, known as a family intervention project, should be available in all local areas to help support families that need it.

These projects are currently in existence in about half of the country’s councils, despite debate that the Government is using CCTV in too many locations, with the last uproar concerning CCTV cameras in the classroom.

Britain has about 4.2 million CCTV cameras which is about 20% of all CCTV cameras worldwide that are said to be used for safety reasons.

(See article – http://www.cctvcore.co.uk)

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Drones may be the answer to gang crime, if the new Unmanned Aerial Vehicles that are being utilised by some police forces work the way they were intended.

The drones operate with four carbon-fibre rotor blades which hold a camera that sends CCTV images back to the control unit, so that police can see what is happening at a scene where they are not physically present.

Each unit measures about three feet and can carry video, night vision pictures, still images, and thermal images.

Merseyside Police was the first unit to try out the drones, using them to fight gang crime and guns.

In the past they have also been used at festivals to detect crimes.

The little helicopter cameras are useful because they allow authorities to collect evidence on video that can be used to sort through varied versions of different events.

Derbyshire Police plan to use them at the Red White and Blue Festival to detect situations of disorderly conduct.

(See article – http://www.cctvcore.co.uk)

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Home Bargains is attacking the amount of in-store thefts that occur by starting an online campaign that will ask people to identify suspects who are wanted in connection with shoplifting.

Additionally, the store will begin to put up posters of shoplifters in stores much like a wanted poster.

The retail outlet has about 190 stores across the UK and speculates that shoplifting costs the chain about six million pounds a year prompting the need to attack shoplifters.

Throughout Britain shoplifting is thought to have cost retailers over £4.5 billion just last year alone.

Currently, by heading to the website of Home Bargains you can view six shoplifters from June and July.

Tjmorris.co.uk, which owns Home Bargains, also has added the same type of viewing system on its webpage, including CCTV images of shoplifters along with the location and date of the supposed crime.

In order to motivate people to report shoplifters, Home Bargains is offering rewards up to £500 for information that leads to the arrest of a shoplifter.

The program was started last month after the retail managers met with police to discuss the best way to prosecute and catch shoplifters without putting innocent people at stake.

(See article – http://www.cctvcore.co.uk)

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The French government is planning is triple its CCTV network over the next two years as part of the fight against terrorism and street crime.

By 2009, it is estimated that Paris will have 6,500 CCTV cameras on the public transport systems alone.

It is also proposed to introduce flying spy drones as a crime prevention measure. The flying drones, which are four feet long and powered by two electric motors, will carry day- and night-vision cameras.

They will be used to track rioters and fight crime. Gang violence is a growing problem in Paris, which has seen repeated clashes between rival gangs in recent months.

The security initiative in France was stepped up after the 2005 attacks in London’s transport system, which killed 52 people. It is considered that the video surveillance system in London is ten times more developed than that presently deployed in Paris.

(See article – http://www.cctvcore.co.uk)

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