The burglary was caught on camera. The footage shows a figure in a hood, at a distance, in the dark, for four seconds. It is of no use to anyone. Many CCTV systems are installed to reassure rather than to work, and their weaknesses only become clear on the day they are needed.
Start with the purpose
Every camera should have a job. Some are there to deter. Some to observe activity across a car park. Some to identify a face at a doorway clearly enough for the police. Those jobs need different cameras, positions and lighting. We design or review systems camera by camera, so each one does what it is there to do.
Footage that stands up
For evidence to be useful, images need to be clear, correctly timestamped and retrievable quickly by someone who knows how. We look at image quality, recording settings, retention periods and the process for exporting footage securely.
Within the law
CCTV that captures people’s images is subject to data protection law. Businesses and, in some circumstances, homeowners need to think about signage, what is recorded beyond their boundary, how long footage is kept and who can see it. We help clients get that balance right, which also avoids disputes with neighbours and employees.
Advice first, installation by specialists
We do not sell cameras. We design and specify systems around your needs and work with specialist installation partners to put them in.
Cyber security for cameras
Internet-connected cameras can themselves be a way into a network or a window into a home. We check that systems are configured securely.
Combine CCTV with intrusion detection and access control for a coherent system. Ask for a review.
