SpyGearCo: Spy and Surveillance

As the holiday season gets underway, malls and shopping centers become busier and more chaotic by the day. From pop-up shops to increased foot traffic, the difficulty of managing security for an entire mall with physical personnel can become overwhelming. Security cameras can assist your staff with theft and vandalism prevention and investigation. Additionally, these cameras can also help minimize the likelihood of other security concerns, like vehicle break-ins and physical violence. Read on to learn more about how our security cameras can work with your staff to make your mall a safer place for employees and shoppers, while protecting store inventory.

Protect inventory

Whether they think they’re blocked by the crowd or that there simply aren’t enough eyes to watch everyone, shoplifters seem to become emboldened by the holidays. For retailers, 37 percent of their annual shrinkage occurs during the period between Black Friday and Christmas Eve, with the bulk of this loss due to shoplifting and employee theft.

Prominently displayed security cameras discourage theft by employees and shoppers alike, so their mere presence will result in fewer incidence for your security team to respond to. When thefts or shoplifting does occur, your surveillance cameras can help police identify the perpetrators quickly and prosecute them.

Curb vandalism

Security cameras can also deter vandalism in your mall. From tagging to broken windows, preventing vandalism not only creates the sense of a safer environment for shoppers, but it also saves companies thousands of dollars in repair costs related to damage caused by vandalism. When these acts do occur, security camera footage can also help to ensure that the vandals are caught.

In the parking lot

Ranging from minor property theft to assault, more than 11 percent of property crimes occur in parking lots or garages, and more than seven percent of violent crimes occur in these areas. With parking lots being such a hotspot for these issues, security cameras provide a valuable resource for reducing these crimes and ensuring these perpetrators are caught when crimes occur.

Video security when you need it most

The holidays can bring out the best and the worst in people. With malls and shopping centers drawing so many visitors each day, you are bound to encounter some of both. Security cameras can help you protect employees, shoppers, and property, while also preventing crime and assisting in the identification of perpetrators.

Whenever possible, security camera footage should be monitored in real-time, allowing security personnel to be dispatched and respond to situations as they happen. CameraSecurityNow.com offers surveillance cameras with a variety of features, including license plate and facial recognition, infrared imaging for night time and low light recording, and wireless connectivity. With more than 30 years of experience, our expert security camera installers and technicians can answer any questions you may have about surveillance camera needs for your mall. Get a quote for all of your plant security camera needs.

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Gyms attract more than 70 million Americans every year – coming and going at all hours of the day and night. Gyms in nicer neighborhoods or those that offer exclusive membership often attract higher income members and, along with them, the attention of those prone to committing theft, assault, and muggings. One of the best ways to deter crime in your gym is to install quality security cameras that allow you to monitor the safety of your members. Now that you’ve decided that your gym needs a camera system, here are a few tips that will help make your gym more secure.

Benefits of security cameras

The mere presence of visible cameras in your business is often enough to make a potential criminal think twice. Criminals will know that their actions will be caught on video and that footage turned over the police – increasing their chances of getting caught. You may even find that members will choose your gym over others because you are showing that you’re serious about the safety of your clients.

Security where you need it most

You’ve probably kept track of areas of security concerns or issues that you’ve experienced in the past. Maybe you’ve had guests report assaults in the parking lot or you often have people loitering in obscured areas of the lobby. You’ll want to make sure that your security consultant knows about these areas so that they can get these areas covered first during installation.

Other high priority areas may include detached buildings and other areas that are not often monitored by staff members. These areas may include buildings where off-season items are stored and storage rooms with excess equipment. Security cameras can help you keep an eye on areas without having a physical presence in every room of your gym.

Mind entrances and exits

Gyms see hundreds of people entering and exiting their doors every day. In larger gyms, keeping track of who is in your building at any given time can be a difficult task. Security cameras let you keep track of everyone who passes through your doors so that you are always aware of members that are in your building.

Keep an eye on cash

Just as in most businesses, your gym probably handles at least some cash transactions. Whether at your snack bar, vending machine, or gift shop, anywhere that cash is exchanged is a prime area for potential thefts. Cameras in these areas not only protect your gym members and staff in case of a robbery but can also help you prevent staff thefts and inventory losses.

Tips

Gyms can be hard on equipment. From tennis and basketball courts to humid pool and spa areas, you’ll want to make sure that you select the right equipment for each area. Additionally, taking extra precautions to shield cameras from potential hazards like an errant baseball can prevent a costly replacement down the road.

Avoid putting in security cameras in areas such as locker rooms, bathrooms, showers, and changing areas in order to protect the privacy of your members. Also, in many states, audio recording is illegal without the express consent of those being filmed. Sticking with non-sound recording cameras in public areas is your best bet to stay on the right side of the law and protect your guests.

Helping you protect your members

When you decide to invest in security cameras for your gym, you’re getting so much more than just monitoring capabilities. Security cameras allow you to ensure the safety of your members while also deterring criminals and keeping an eye on staff members. Whether you have a personal trainer who is slacking on the job, a loiterer who is thinking about robbing a member, or someone taking money here and there from the cash drawer, a security camera system can help you keep an eye on things even when you’re not there.

Ready to talk, but not sure exactly what to need next? The professionals at Security Camera Now offer a free one-hour site visit and consultation to review your security camera needs and give you a recommendation of camera types and placement that fit your budget. Get a quote for all of your security camera needs and schedule your free consultation today.

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Dealing with long wait times on your docks? Reduce delivery driver frustration and make your dock operations more efficient by installing motion detecting security cameras on your docks. From getting alerts when drivers are approaching a delivery dock to using surveillance footage to evaluate your staffing needs, our security cameras can help you make your operations more efficient. Learn more about how our motion detecting security cameras can benefit your dock operations.

Control wait times

Do you frequently field complaints from drivers about long wait times to be helped? When your dock operations aren’t running efficiently, you lose time and money. Motion detecting security cameras at each loading dock ensure that you know when drivers arrive and allow you to guide waiting trucks safely to the next open loading dock as soon as it becomes available.

Your delivery drivers will thank you too. Unexpectedly long wait times at docks costs drivers between $1,281 to $1,534 per year, an annual loss of $1.1 to $1.3 billion for the industry as a whole.

Prevent unauthorized access

Often find unauthorized truck drivers entering your plant to find somebody to help them unload their trucks? Not only does this increase the wait time for the driver and decrease your dock efficiency, but it can also leave you open to potential liability if an unauthorized person is injured in your plant. Motion detecting security cameras will alert your staff anytime a truck is approaching the dock, reducing the chances of unauthorized drivers entering your plant.

Staffing issues?

If you’ve been debating whether or not to add additional staff to your loading dock, reviewing truck wait times based on surveillance camera footage can provide the basis of your decision. If your camera footage shows abnormally long wait times, you may need to consider adding additional staff to your receiving area.

Detecting objects in motion

CameraSecurityNow.com’s motion detection security cameras can alert you when trucks enter a given area, such as when a truck pulls up to your delivery dock. Our expert technicians will install all of your equipment and can answer any questions your IT department may have. Using the most current video compression standards, we can also provide long-term storage for all of your dock security footage for reference, training, and compliance purposes. Get a quote for all of your dock security camera needs.

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Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced the launch of the Water Security Grand Challenge, a White House initiated, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) led framework to advance transformational technology and innovation to meet the global need for safe, secure, and affordable water.

Deciding to install a video security system in your workplace is a big step for any business. A solid security consultation can help answer any questions you might have and give you a better idea of the solutions needed to address your security concerns. Before you request a site visit from a security consultant, you need to take some time to think about your security needs and to get a better grasp of the scope and budget for your camera installation project. Read on for our tips on preparing for your next security camera consultation.

Know your budget

Every project should start with a budget. Our sales and security experts work hand-in-hand with you to recommend the right equipment to accomplish the goals of your project while also staying on budget. With our free site visit and consultation, our security professionals can help you develop the solutions that best fit your business’ needs. More than just a sales call, our experts review your entire site and provide a 100 percent accurate quote for your security camera needs.

Site plan

Make sure to have a copy of your site plan ready when your security consultant arrives. Your site plan should include locations of interior walls, significant machinery or equipment, and elements that might obscure the line of sight of security cameras.

Where and what you’re watching for

On your site plan, be sure to indicate any particular areas that you want to watch. You should also make a list of any particular security concerns you want your cameras to address so that your security consultant can have a full picture of your camera needs.

Not sure where to place your cameras? Working with your site plan and knowing your areas of concern, our security experts can develop a comprehensive recommendation for your surveillance camera needs.

What kind of recording you need

Does your business operate 24/7? Are your security concerns employee-related or do you worry about after-hours break-ins? Do you want to monitor certain areas only when someone has entered the room? Knowing the answers to these questions can help your consultant determine the kind of recording you need. From 24/7 monitoring to motion recording, our team of professionals can help you determine the best solution to meet your needs.

Consider storage options

Do you need to store video for weeks, months, or years? Workers’ compensation, OSHA incidents, and theft or vandalism investigations are just a few reasons why your company may need store video long-term. Camera Security Now can offer an informed recommendation on the RAID storage solution that best meets your application and budgetary needs.

Special feature cameras

Now that you know where you need your security cameras and what issues you hope to address with them, it’s time to think about any special feature cameras that might help you achieve those goals. From license plate recognition and motorized zoom capabilities to fisheye and pan-tilt-zoom, cameras with special features can help you meet your security needs. Our security experts can help you decide if cameras with bonus features are right for your project.

Remote viewing

If you have a worksite with expensive equipment or areas where employees frequently work with minimal supervision, remote viewing offers you the opportunity to keep a better eye on these areas. The ability to keep tabs on your business from your iPhone or tablet can give you the sense of security you need while ensuring the security of your workplace. Since remote viewing requires a high-quality and reliable internet connection, our security consultants can help you review your internet speed to establish the remote connection you need.

The Camera Security Now difference

Our free one-hour site visit and consultation is the ideal opportunity for you to discuss your concerns with our camera security experts. We work with you to offer the best options for your security camera installation while keeping your project on budget.

If you’re looking a one-stop shop for your security camera needs, look no further than the experienced professionals at Camera Security Now. Our camera service installation professionals deliver the camera solutions that your company needs, helping you ensure the security of your business, employees, and customers. To find out how easy it is to keep your company secure, request a quote today.

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When it comes to keeping students and staff safe from vandalism, theft, and other types of destructive incidents, Pelco goes above and beyond to create industry-leading surveillance solutions.

You may have chosen to install security cameras to ensure the safety of your employees and physical workplace, but you can use those same cameras for so much more. Companies have millions of dollars invested in capital equipment to produce their goods. Why not use your security cameras as an eye in the sky to help evaluate significant capital expenditure requests? Read on to learn more about how your security cameras can help you with more than just security.

Understand your equipment needs

To help your business run efficiently, you need to provide your employees with the right equipment. Since the people who make the decisions on high price purchases often aren’t on the plant floor day-in and day-out with employees, so they rely on the recommendations of their front line managers. Sometimes what seems like a shortness of equipment is actually the result of inefficient use of your existing stock of machinery, and other times there truly is a shortage. Without objective data on equipment utilization, you are forced to rely on anecdotal evidence from the shop floor.

Let’s take this example: A shift manager reports that a new forklift is needed to meet production. Your security camera footage can be audited to see how frequently your current forklifts are used and how much time is lost to waiting for a forklift to become available. If your audit finds that significant time is lost due to downtime, you can make your new forklift purchase with confidence that it will help increase work production. However, you may also find that you just need to implement a more efficient pattern of use with your existing equipment, or that the wait time for your existing forklift is being overstated by shift manager. Regardless of what you find, your decision to purchase or not to purchase is backed up with hard evidence.

Keep an eye on aging machinery

If your existing equipment is beginning to show its age, you can put your security camera system to work monitoring equipment downtime. You can use real data to determine if additional maintenance on existing equipment is the right choice, or if it may be time to start thinking about replacing older machinery. You’ll be able to identify which machines take up the most time for your maintenance teams and be better prepared when scheduled planned maintenance. You can also audit your maintenance teams to ensure they are keeping up on all of the maintenance that is required. Again, rather than relying on word of mouth, you have the ability to evaluation the situation for yourself.

Cameras provide more than just security

Security cameras can be a significant investment for your company, so you need to make sure that you get the most out of your purchase. Office staff and an interns can review the footage for you and track all of the times when a piece of equipment is being utilized, down for maintenance, or when an employee is waiting for equipment to become available. Utilizing your security cameras to track the usage of machinery and equipment can help you ensure that your company is performing at peak production and help you know when to make a significant expenditure.

CameraSecurityNow.com offers motion detecting, infrared, fisheye 360º, and Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras and cameras with audio recording abilities. Our expert technicians will install all of your equipment and can answer any questions your IT department may have. Using the most current video compression standards, we can also provide long-term storage for all of your plant security and equipment monitoring footage for reference, training, and compliance purposes. Get a quote for all of your dock security camera needs.

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Your DVR or NVR box is the heart of your security system – receiving data, converting that data to a file, and storing your surveillance video for safety, loss-prevention, and compliance purposes. As the lifeblood of your security apparatus, securing your DVR or NVR is a must. We previously provided advice on the top spots to hide your box to prevent thieves from stealing it. While that article contained some great tips, we now realize that the jig is up – we gave away our secrets to potential intruders at your business. We want to make sure that we help you keep your DVR or NVR box secure, so read on for our advice on how to protect your box even if a thief makes their way into your building.

Locker or Safe Box

The simplest way to keep your NVR secure is to get serious about protection with a locker or safe box. These molded gauge steel boxes are built to withstand brute force attacks and limit access to your footage. Only those associates that have keys to the safe box will be able to access the main settings of your device. You don’t have to worry about accidental or intentional shutdowns of the unit or erasure of valuable video files. When bolted to a beam or stud, safe boxes provide a simple and effective means of preventing the theft of your DVR while also preventing unauthorized access by employees.

Access control

The ultimate in NVR protection, a locked room with an equipped access control system provides a log of every time your NVR storage area is accessed and by whom. You decide who received access to specific areas and can even limit entrance into the DVR area to specific times of the day. This can be particularly important if your business runs a second or third shift when senior-level IT or security personnel aren’t onsite. Whether you opt for a key card, voice reader, code entry, or biometric entry, an access control system provides an extra layer of protection for your NVR that prevents strangers from slipping in undetected.

Backup systems

Want another layer of security? We can also provide a second hidden or secure network attached storage (NAS) device. Or you can make it essentially impossible for any intruder to destroy or steal your security camera footage by using high-speed internet connections to establish a Cloud backup solution. Our team of expert technicians is happy to discuss which backup system makes the most sense for you.

Protecting your security footage

A security camera system with a DVR or NVR is a significant investment for any company. You want to protect the security of your products, employees, equipment, real estate, and customers. Taking steps to protect your DVR from theft and interference will help protect your investment while ensuring you meet your security needs.

With more than 30 years of experience, SecurityCameraNow.com can answer any questions you have about surveillance cameras and securing your DVR or NVR. Get a quote for all of your security camera needs.

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Global Security Operation Centers, or GSOCs, are a valuable tool in supporting an enterprise’s global business goals and operations.

Pipe bomb. The words conjure horrific images of an everyday scene punctured by shrapnel from an exploding pipe.

Time card fraud can cost your company thousands of dollars in lost profits every year. Utilizing security cameras to help you monitor your time clock areas, entryways, exits, and parking lots can help you combat the actions of dishonest employees who are clocking in co-workers or reporting their own time inaccurately. Learn more about how time card fraud can affect your business and how you can use security cameras to help combat this activity.

Buddy punching

With 59 percent of the American workforce paid on an hourly basis, the prevalence of time card fraud isn’t that shocking. A 2017 study also found that of the 1,000 surveyed hourly employees, 16 percent admitted to punching a coworker’s time sheet, otherwise known as buddy punching.

Buddy punching occurs in businesses where employees believe that management or supervisors won’t notice the buddy punch occurring or the late arrival of the co-worker. Whether a co-worker is running late for the morning or taking a longer than permitted lunch break, this system relies on the clock in area being unmonitored or unattended for periods of time throughout the day.

Leaving early

Sometimes employees may need to leave work early to attend to personal matters, but don’t want to use personal or flex time to offset the working time they will miss. This can lead to an employee leaving early without clocking out and later claiming that they left at the regular time. Like buddy punching, this form of time card fraud depends on the employee knowing that the time card area, entrances, exits, and parking lots are not monitored.

Dollars and cents

While it may seem like no big deal when an employee claims three or four minutes on their payroll that they didn’t actually work, those costs can add up quickly. Let’s say you have 20 employees who are on the clock for even 10 minutes of time each day that they actually were not working, the costs can quickly add up. If they earn the median hourly income of $18.12/hour, you will end up overpaying the following:

$302 each week

$1,208 each month

$14,496 each year

That’s money that you could have reinvested into your company, paid out in raises or bonuses, or used to secure the future viability of your business. And that’s just for one company. Research in 2017 suggests that buddy punching alone may account for more than $373 million dollars in fraudulent payroll expenses every year.

The snowball effect

Time card fraud and other discipline issues can often affect the culture of your workplace, spilling over into other areas of your organization. From clocking a friend in a few minutes early, your employees could quickly graduate to theft of physical items from your business.

To combat time card fraud (and prevent this snowball effect), your company should implement a time card policy that includes an escalating series of repercussions for each infraction. Another step you can take to stop time card fraud is to ensure that sensitive areas can be easily monitored by your management staff by installing security cameras.

Security cameras help keep your employees honest

Security cameras in clock in areas, entryways, exits, and parking lots can help you identify dishonest employees and stop time card theft in its tracks. With staff constraints, it can be difficult to station a staff member in these areas at all times, but security cameras allow your management team to keep an eye on these areas throughout each shift. The footage can be used to address issues as they occur or to gather evidence for disciplinary action against repeat offenders.

With motion detecting, Pan-Tilt-Zoom, infrared, and fisheye 360º cameras, CameraSecurityNow.com can provide all the cameras you need to help your supervisory staff keep track of when employees are clocking in and out each day. Our expert technicians will install all of your equipment and make sure that your onsite staff knows how to utilize all of the features to make the most of your new video security system. Get a quote for all of your time card security camera needs.

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When you set up surveillance cameras it’s because you need to keep an eye on things. Either internally in your organization or externally on your property. So, it can be a big deal if those cameras stop working. And it’s important to find out why and to find out quickly.

We’ve put together a list of the most likely reasons why you might have a loss of video signal on your CCTV security cameras and systems and DVR camera systems. We also give you the tips for where to look to fix those problems quickly and efficiently and get you up and running.

What does video loss look like?

Sometimes a CCTV system loses video feeds on one or more cameras, a camera gets a loose connection, goes black at night or gets no video with a camera showing a black screen. Sometimes the camera video flickers, shows a lined screen and monitor or the DVR gets no picture or signal from the camera. As you can see there are a lot of potential issues that can surface in the operation of your system.

Let’s take a look at top offenders.

Reason #1: Insufficient Power

Let’s be clear. This is different than a power outage. This is a situation where there is not enough power resulting in video signal loss, a camera going black or camera video flickering on and off. Here are some common reasons for insufficient power supply:

• Loose cable connections
• PoE switch or PoE injector not working
• Cable is too long, or one cable is supplying too many cameras at once
• Faulty power cables (old, damaged, degraded)

What’s the fix?

• Double-check all power connections, power splitters, cable connectors to exclude connection issues
• Switch ports to make sure the DVR/NVR port is providing power to the cameras
• Connect the cameras directly to the NVR instead of via a PoE in case the PoE switch could be supplying insufficient power. This is because PTZ cameras and IR cameras require more electricity.
• Try using shorter BNC or Ethernet cables to power cameras and avoid using low-quality extension cables or extension cords.
• If you are using battery-powered cameras, make sure the battery is not dead or the solar charger is blocked.

Reason #2: Power Spike & Interference

A power spike can be an awful problem for a system. It is likely to cause a sudden video loss, total black screens or vertical lines as well as serious damage to the cameras circuit boards or other components. Here’s how that can happen:

• Mounting the cameras to a metal/conductive surface
• Lightning strikes
• Electrical current interference from nearby electrical equipment

What’s the fix?

• Use power and lightning surge protectors to protect your equipment
• UPS (uninterruptible power supply) units will protect your equipment from power outages
• Use a block of wood in between if there’s no non-metal surface for mounting your cameras

Reason #3: Weak WiFi Connection or Low Bandwidth

Video loss or weak video signal on security cameras on a wireless network segment could be caused by unstable network connections, a weak WiFi connection or low internet bandwidth. Here are some reasons why:

• The camera(s) are too far away from the home router
• There are too many physical barriers between your camera and the router
• WiFi signal interruption and interference

What’s the fix?

• Move your cameras closer to the router if possible (or your router closer to the cameras if not)
• Choose the right channel (some routers can emit 2.4 and 5 ghz signals)
• Avoid physical barriers (walls, trees, etc.)
• Use a WiFi range extender)
• Reconnect BNC connector and unplug PoE switch to troubleshoot video loss on analog and IP PoE cameras
• Cameras on a wireless network segment, check network and possible network interruption
• For cellular security cameras, make sure the SIM care is properly inserted and data is not maxed out.

Reason #4: Faulty IR Night Vision

One of the main reasons many security cameras are installed is to keep an eye on things at night when the business is closed and unoccupied. The building is dark inside and out and the need for IR night vision cameras is essential. So not having working IR night vision is a big hassle. Here are some of the problems:

• You don’t have an IR camera installed
• Faulty IR sensor
• Forgot to turn on the IR

What’s the fix?

• Check the settings on your NVR/DVR to make sure the IR is on
• Use external IR illuminators or a floodlight

Reason #5: Signal Type & Compatibility

If your DVR or NVR is showing video loss or no video it may be because that your system is not able to decode the video stream of different brands of cameras. What may be the problem?

• Cameras and NVR/DVR aren’t compatible
• Camera with a 5MP or 4MP are not compatible with NVRs and DVRs that decode 1080p cameras
• Some DVRs can’t decode from older CCTV cameras

What’s the fix?

• Consult a local technician
• Use the same brand of DVR/NVR as your cameras

Reason #6: Problems with Cabling or Wires

BNC cables or ethernet network cables, to some extent, could have an impact on the functionality of security cameras. This is especially true of analog CCTV cameras, which could suffer a greater risk of video loss or signal loss than PoE cameras. Some causes could be:

• Hardwired (analog, PoE) cameras can get twisted or bent cables

What’s the fix?

• Check every inch of the writing—no frayed wires, cuts, bends, chews
• If necessary, try replacing the cabling

Reason #7: Hardware and Firmware Problem

If you’ve ruled out everything else but still haven’t fixed the problem, it may just be that your NVR/DVR or surveillance cameras are in a bad way. Some of these potential causes may be:

• Old or bug-ridden firmware
• Firmware needs an update

What’s the fix?

• Update your firmware (USE CAUTION: updating firmware without thorough understanding of the update could create more problems than it fixes!)
• Replace your cameras with a new, quality system

What this is about is your peace of mind. The reason you installed the system in the first place. Isn’t it worth the effort to make sure it’s the best possible system and working for you 24/7? Sure, you can cut corners on low-quality cameras and there are a lot out there that seem like good money-saving ideas. But if you’re constantly dealing with connection issues and pixelated video, video loss, program errors and more, haven’t you created more stress for yourself, not less? High-quality and trusted video surveillance products not only provide you with reliable products but also long-term stability and reassurance.

Pros and Cons of different IP Video and IP door access systems Door Access Control and IP Camera Systems provide security by themselves. When the two systems are integrated, they provide a higher level of security and safety.   There are some different ways to integrate cameras and door control systems. There are proprietary systems […]

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As each IP camera becomes another endpoint in an enterprise’s digital footprint, they can each potentially open up a backdoor into the network and the business’s mission critical data and services.

It is more important than ever to harden access to your video surveillance infrastructure to provide increased visibility and control over the environment.

Video surveillance has long been deployed for safety and security purposes, but until recent years most installations were analog-based.

In the spirit of Customer Service Week 2018, we’d like to take a moment to thank all of our clients for the opportunity to provide security camera services for your company. When it comes to keeping your customers, employees, and business secure, we are proud to be your provider of choice. Read on to learn more about how our quality, reliable customer service can help you meet your security needs.

Free site visits

Every job and every location are different, and there are only a few constants across jobs.  You may have questions about camera placement or about how your camera system will work.  The best way to resolve all these concerns is to bring a technician to your business to perform a complete site visit.  This is a great opportunity for us to address all of your concerns and gather the information needed to craft the security solution your business needs.

To solve your security needs, we make it easy for you to request a free site visit with the aid of our responsive and helpful sales team. Our sales team will go beyond a simple site visit, and work directly with you as a security consultant.  We will continue to work with you after the site visit until we have a comprehensive and accurate proposal for your security camera needs.

Coverage and quality

Every site visit is followed up with a camera coverage map for your business, allowing you to see the coverage our equipment installation can provide. Each custom coverage map is based on the unique floorplan and layout of your business. This map allows you to ensure that you have coverage where you need it most, helping you to maximize the safety of your customers, employees, and your business.  We can also supply sample footage to demonstrate the quality of the cameras we recommend for your project.

Keeping you on budget

As important as the safety of your business is, every project has a budget. Our up-front itemized pricing lets you know exactly what to expect, with no hidden or required monthly fees. Our sales team and skilled technicians work with you to ensure that your security camera needs are met while helping you stay on budget.

Experienced professionals

If you’re looking a one-stop shop for your security camera needs, look no further than the experienced professionals at Camera Security Now. Our camera service installation professionals deliver the camera solutions that your company needs while keeping you on budget and ensuring the security of your business, employees, and customers. To find out how easy it is to ensure the safety of your workplace, request a quote today.

Follow our blog to stay up-to-date with CameraSecurityNow.com and connect with us on social media. Join in the discussion by commenting below.

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named Guy M. Grace, Jr., as the 2018 recipient of the SIA Insightful Practitioner Award, an honor recognizing excellence in promoting the implementation of innovative security solutions.

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As I pulled into the office today I could see what looked to be a pretty big wreck blocking a few lanes of traffic on eastbound OH122 near our office. Wrecks happen often on this road and we’re usually able to review our surveillance video to see what happened and help the police in determining fault. Today, unfortunately, was not one of those days. After hopping on the camera system I quickly found that the accident had happened behind an area covered by trees.

This is an important reminder that having a clear camera view is very important. Trees, spider webs, signage, and other visibility obstacles might not exist when a camera is installed. It is important to always check that your cameras are showing you what you want.

We offer a remote check-up service which includes verifying your camera views are unobstructed, as well as that your cameras are recording, and that you are getting enough data retention for your particular needs. Check-ups can be done as a one-time service, or as part of a scheduled maintenance package. Call us today to discuss how we can help ensure your business is protected. 800-440-1662

Protecting the health of your plant’s employees

Keeping your employees safe is a top priority for your business. Safety month may be coming to an end, but, if you have cameras around your plant, every month can be safety month. Cameras give you the ability to see your entire plant at any given point in time – from reviewing what is happening live, to what happened last night during 3rd shift, to what reviewing an injury incident several months ago. You are only limited by the coverage of your cameras and your storage limits – both of which we can help you with. Learn more about how cameras can help increase safety at your plant.

Internal safety compliance

Where the health of your employees and your company are at risk, there can be no shortcuts. After you’ve spent weeks or even months crafting and building a culture of safety in the workplace, don’t let everyday lapses undermine the safety of your employees. Security cameras can help you catch these slips before they cause an injury and serve as a reminder to your employees that safety is a top priority in your plant.

The video obtained from the cameras can help you determine areas where additional precautions are needed or specific employees who need additional safety training. Ensuring workplace safety compliance not only helps you meet OSHA and other regulatory standards, but also helps you minimize injuries to employees that can result in time off for your employee and lost production for your company.

Workers’ compensation fraud prevention

Payments to injured workers via workers’ compensation annually tops $60 billion, and about 10% of those costs are paid on fraudulent claims. Don’t let bogus workers’ compensation claims drive up your premium costs.

Fraudulent cases have led state’s workers’ compensation bureaus to exercise greater scrutiny on employee claims of workplace injury. Security cameras can help your employee demonstrate the cause of the incident, protecting your workers’ right to compensation. Conversely, these same cameras can also limit your liability and exposure to fraud when an injury was caused due to employee carelessness or disregard for basic safety procedures.

Keep it above board

Take steps to make your employees aware of this added feature in your plant when they are on-boarded or upon installation of the cameras. Specifically, be sure that you inform employees that they will be monitored via security cameras and add a video surveillance acknowledgement form to your employee handbook.

Security cameras are an excellent tool in your workplace safety toolbox. Using the most current video compression standards, CameraSecurityNow.com can provide long-term storage for all of your workplace security video for reference, training, and compliance purposes. We offer motion detecting, infrared, fisheye 360º, and Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras and cameras with audio recording abilities. Our expert technicians will install all of your equipment and can answer any questions your IT department may have. Additionally, there is no monthly fee for cameras. Once you buy the equipment, it is yours to keep and you have access to view your video remotely with no additional monthly fees. Get a quote for all of your plant security camera needs.

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“Given today’s climate regarding security, we have to be able to optimize our security presence on campus as much as possible,” says Frank Solano, Security Systems Manager for McCormick Place. “That means using technology and other tools to keep our visitors safe."

Vicon Industries, Inc., designer and manufacturer of video surveillance and access control software, hardware and components, announced today that Louisa County Public Schools in Northern Virginia has completed installation of a district-wide Vicon Valerus video management solution that encompasses its six school buildings and connects nearly 400 cameras.

IP Door Access Control Systems are easy to install and provide excellent flexibility. There are RFID proximity IP readers and biometric door readers such as fingerprint or facial recognition readers, that connect to the network. In many cases, you can use PoE to power the reader and the electric lock.   An IP door access control reader […]

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If olive oil comes from olives, where does baby oil come from?   If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.   If your car could travel at the speed of light, would your headlights work?   Two antennas meet on a roof, fall in love and get married. The ceremony […]

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A new study has found that gun deaths worldwide total about 250,000 yearly and the United States is among just six countries that make up half of those fatalities.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the major hotel brands in membership announced the 5-Star Promise, a pledge to provide hotel employees across the U.S. with employee safety devices (ESDs) and commit to enhanced policies, trainings and resources that together are aimed at enhancing hotel safety, including preventing and responding to sexual harassment and assault.

Though many security managers tend to have tunnel vision on the techy aspects of building a SOC, often the most important things to consider are the most basic and in a command center environment, that begins with an operator-centric design.

Researchers from the U.K.-based penetration testing service Pen Test Partners recently attacked a video surveillance system, and they pulled off a fairly scary feat. “We successfully switched video feeds from one camera to another through the cloud service, proving arbitrary access to anyone’s camera,” they wrote.

As fans begin to trickle into Citi Field in New York City, home of the Mets, a room behind center field is already on full alert, monitoring for potential risks that could affect fans, players, employees and property.

Since the dawn of the internet, cybersecurity has been a major priority, especially in the surveillance sector. Although there is a wealth of information circulating on this topic, it can be easy to come across false information. Continue reading as we destroy three popular cybersecurity myths!

The California State Auditor recently released their July 2018 report on Investigations of Improper Activities by State Agencies and Employees.  Contained in this report is one particularly frustrating example of misuse of state time- sleeping on the job.

A worker spent at least 2,200 hours of work time sleeping at her desk at the Department of Motor Vehicles between February 2014 and December 2017.  Her boss knew about her sleeping at her desk, and acknowledged that this was a daily occurrence, personally waking the employee up 3 or 4 times every day.  The supervisor estimated that the worker spent 20 to 30 minutes of work time every day sleeping.

However, upon further investigation, it was determined the supervisor’s estimate of “only” spending 20 to 30 minutes a day, on the clock, sleeping at her desk, not credible.  Interviews with coworkers gave a much more consistent estimate of at least 3 hours a day spent sleeping.  Key data operators in her units are expected to process 560 documents a day, yet, her annual evaluations state that she processed an average of only 200 documents a day.  That’s an under-performance of nearly two-thirds, maybe she spent even more than 3 hours a day sleeping on the job?

How could this happen?  Obviously, the only thing more boring than going to the DMV is working there – 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year.  Surely, we can all sympathize with the worker, and she definitely got fired… right?

No, she’s still employed in the same unit, in the same position, and has just been issued her first corrective memorandum, just the second phase of the disciplinary process!  You see, without documentation, like camera footage they should have had from a government security system, the supervisor had a hard time taking the necessary actions to enact corrective action, the step of the process necessary before disciplinary action can be taken.  When the extent of the problem came to light, the employee had never been given corrective action, and therefore adverse disciplinary action, such as dismissal, could not be taken.

Office security cameras are the answer to common employee productivity issues like this.  When the office manager discovered the worker sleeping on the job over 4 years ago, camera footage could then be reviewed to determine whether the worker was “only” sleeping 20 minutes a day, or if they were sleeping several hours at a time.  Upon determining the extent of the problem, corrective action could then be taken.  Then, only a short time after discovering the problem, the employee would be confronted with the choice to stop sleeping on the job or get fired.

Just imagine, if an office manager’s employees are sleeping several hours a day and getting away with it, what else is going on in that office?  What kinds of things would a divisional manager see on a daily basis if he logged in to watch the cameras at that office every so often?  The employee was not the only person in need of some disciplinary action, the manager is just as guilty of allowing this behavior for so long.  In 4 years there must have been countless instances of the manager turning a blind eye, walking past a sleeping employee, passing unfinished work on to more diligent employees.  And all the while, our tax dollars are going down the drain.

Think government agencies are the only places where such incompetence occurs?  Think again!  If you don’t have strong oversight of your office, like a business security camera system can bring you, your office may be guilty of the same wastes as your favorite government agency.  If the price tag for a new office security system scares you, how does this headline sound?

“The Employee Misused Work Time Daily for Almost Four Years, Costing Your Company More than $40,000”

P.S. The day after this story broke we were contacted by a License Bureau just a few miles from our office. We start installing their new security camera system tomorrow.

How to select the right speakers and determine the number required IP paging speaker placement and volume settings are key to providing clear sound. Whether there is a general announcement or an emergency message, it’s important that the instructions can be heard and understood by everyone.   Network attached IP speakers are easy to install, […]

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These systems help business owners and managers when they’re out of town, when they’re onsite but far removed from the physical area that needs attention, and of equal importance, these surveillance systems help answer the question of “What the heck just happened?”.

Obviously, to take advantage of the above benefits you need a security camera in the right place, with the right field of view, and with the right capabilities to overcome or survive in the environment in which it’s placed.

That’s pretty basic to most business owners, but sadly, few business owners think much beyond the limits of their property, their four walls, or what’s of direct value to them.

However, there is a greater good to consider. The greater good is the ability of a privately owned surveillance system to help local law enforcement apprehend those who break our laws and make our communities unsafe for our families.

A few years ago a local detective walked into our office and said he noticed we had security cameras on our building. He then explained he was working on a murder investigation. He said there was a reason to believe the killer walked across our parking lot in the early hours of the morning the murder occurred. He went on to explain he had been contacting business along the suspected path the killer took in order to put together a video trail of his actions.

Had we not had cameras watching beyond our front doors, we would not have been able to help in the investigation and it would most certainly have drug on. Potentially giving the killer time to escape and most certainly putting the community at greater risk.

As it was, we had cameras set up for parking lot surveillance, we had cameras watching the nearest intersection, we had cameras watching the front porch to our building.

It’s in being aware of and being willing to dedicate a camera on those areas near your own facility that the greater good comes in to play.

In all fairness, we had years ago learned our lesson the hard way when our neighbors, a Lone Star Steak House, had a fire and their restaurant was lost. Despite the fact that our building was less than 100 feet away. Despite the fact that we own and occupy a four-story office building with a great view of our surroundings. Despite the fact that we are in the business of providing surveillance systems to business for management control. We did not have a single camera on the west side of our building watching anything other than our own back door.

The cost of adding a camera to point in the direction of the restaurant would have been negligible. The benefit of being able to possibly see when, where, or how the first started the burned down the Lone Star right next door, would have been invaluable to the restaurant owners, the insurance company, and the Fire Marshal.

An even more potentially serious failure to think of the greater good involves an Italian restaurant and an adjoining Subway. Both had cameras watching their registers, their dining area, and their doors (from the inside). Neither had cameras watching the parking lot.
One night I was enjouing dinner at the Italian restaurant when a young lady in a Subway uniform came running in. She was clearly in a panic. As I was soon to learn a gunman had just walked into the Subway, jumped the counter, pointed his gun at the staff, and demanded they open the registers. They ignored every word he said and ran for their lives.

The police were there within minutes. The internal cameras at Subway showed the gunman and the full extent of what followed. What internal cameras along could not show the police was the color, make, or model of car, if any, the gunman had arrived in. They could not show the police if there was an accomplice or if the gunman acted alone. They could not show the police the direction the gunman fled.

Not knowing anything about the suspect other than what the internal cameras could show, there was no arrest, there was no lucky break based on additional information. Instead, there was an armed robber on the loose and free to rob again.

There was no greater good done by either of the two business in this story because neither had bothered to watch any of their surroundings.

So, if you’re considering a security system for business surveillance, please take a moment and think what greater good you might be able to do someday for your community with just one additional camera placed in a strategic location to watch beyond your four walls.

As the Global Security Exchange nears, Security has a roundup of some of the new security solutions to be displayed and tested at the show.

BART’s Board of Directors has approved a plan to expand the transit agency’s network of digital cameras and install emergency call boxes on station platforms.

How IP Camera Enclosures are Designed for High-Temperature Applications Do you need to view a rocket launch or the inside of a blast furnace? The usual IP camera systems won’t survive these extreme conditions. These applications require a special camera enclosure that is designed for these extremely hot environments.   This article describes how high-temperature camera enclosures […]

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Save early, save often. Used to refer to how to handle your money. Now it refers to anyone who uses a computer.   Any science or technology which is sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from magic. – Arthur C. Clarke   Any technology that is distinguishable from magic is not sufficiently advanced. – Gregory Benford   […]

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Uber Technologies Inc. has named Matt Olsen as its chief security officer.

Facial Recognition in a Crowd There are different methods used for matching facial biometrics. The simplest method measures various features of a person’s face, such as the distance between the eyes, or the position of the mouth to the nose.  These geometric measurements or vectors are then coded and stored in a database for later […]

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Applications for Thermal and Optical IP Camera Systems Thermal and optical IP cameras use different technologies to capture video. Each type of camera system provides a unique role in an IP video surveillance system. Systems that combine thermal and optical cameras provide a synergistic solution for long-range surveillance. Thermal cameras are better for night viewing since they […]

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The deadline to complete this year's Security 500 survey has been extended to August 31!

Many incidents today are captured on video. That’s because there is an increasing number of surveillance devices, cellphones and body cameras collecting information. There’s no denying that this video technology is extremely beneficial to organizations that need to solve a crime, identify a suspect or disprove a liability claim. However, with so much evidence available, the process of collecting, managing and sharing video during an investigation has become very expensive and time-consuming.

A new study on the best airports for business travelers found that Las Vegas McCarren airport is the best in terms of transit accessibility, on-time arrival performance, overall quality satisfaction, parking rates and nearby hotels.

An annual PDK poll finds that parents lack strong confidence that schools can protect their children against school shootings but favor armed police, mental health screenings, and metal detectors more than arming teachers to protect their children.

On July 16, 2018; MGM Resorts International, owner of the Mandalay Bay Casino & Hotel, filed federal lawsuits against more than 1,000 Las Vegas mass shooting victims in an effort to avoid liability in legal actions related to the gunman who opened fire on an outdoor concert from his Mandalay Bay suite on Oct. 1, 2017, killing 58 concertgoers and injuring hundreds of others.

These losses can be significantly reduced, or stopped altogether, with appropriate use of surveillance technologies like thermal cameras, as shown below.

The Albuquerque, N.M. metropolitan statistical area (MSA) repeats as having the highest per capita auto theft rate in 2017, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) latest Hot Spots report.

On the last day of kindergarten, all the children brought presents for their teacher. The florist’s son handed the teacher a gift. She held up the box and said, “I bet it’s some flowers!” “That’s right!” shouted the little boy. Then the candy store owner’s daughter handed the teacher a gift. She held up the […]

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Thanks to the Tech Army, Camera Security Now can provide the same great service and security camera installation nationwide. We’ve been in business since 1998, have seen everything, and been everywhere. Here’s a map of all of our service locations since we started our company:

Just kidding! That’s only the last 6 years, and yes, that’s right, we have one proud customer all the way in Barrow, Alaska!

If you’re looking for a one-stop shop for nationwide security camera installation and access control, look no further. We have up-front, itemized pricing, with no hidden or required monthly fees. Our representatives take pride in our customer service and the simple fact that if you do it right the first time, customer service is easy! Our service map speaks for itself, you can’t service this many customers in this wide of a network if you don’t provide the right products and service the first time.

Visit our site and fill our a request form, or give us a call for more information today at 800-440-1662!

How much should you expect to pay for your IP camera?  IP cameras range in price from under $200 to over $1000.   Since the price depends on what you need, you should always make sure you understand your objectives. For help in defining your requirements, take a look at our article, Defining Your Objectives. […]

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Venezuela and Afghanistan may be farther away from reaching the United Nations' goal for peaceful, secure societies than any other country in the world, based on their scores on Gallup's 2018 Law and Order Index.

Catching Criminals ‘In The Act’

What Are You Doing To Make Your Community A Safer Place?

Privately owned surveillance cameras are increasingly providing leads to law enforcement during investigations, and police departments, such as the Williamson County, Texas, sheriff’s office, are encouraging the public to register their video surveillance cameras.

There have been some alarming news stories of hackers gaining access to networks and controlling camera feeds via wireless security cameras. Most notably are compromised baby monitors where parents have witnessed the camera moving on its own and unknown voices speaking to them and/or their child through the speakers. Scary and creepy, but also alarming when these hackers turn into cyber criminals utilizing an unsecured gateway to obtain personal data.

What’s the solution? Adopt sound setup, maintenance and overall security procedure for your wireless security cameras. Without proper security measures, wireless security cameras are prime targets, open to manipulation for criminal gain.

Why Wireless Cameras are Vulnerable

Wireless cameras are often referred to as Wi-Fi enabled IP (Internet Protocol) security cameras. These cameras provide wireless security coverage to monitor and protect businesses and consumers for a variety of reasons. The appeal is their ability to use an internet network connection to stream live footage to a secure online space, that can be accessed via computer or a mobile app enabling the user to observe what is happening in “real-time”. However, if not set up and secured properly, IP security cameras can also provide a gateway for hackers to invade privacy and gain access to personal networks.

These types of cameras are usually vulnerable due to human error. When utilizing the ether to transfer data, it is important to fully utilize all security layers provided or suffer the consequences of unwanted activity.

How to Secure IP Security Cameras

Make sure the purchased/rented camera supports encrypted connections such as SSL/TLS. SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer. It is a digital certificate that allows a secure and encrypted transfer of data between a browser and a web server. SSL’s main purpose is to prevent hackers from sniffing sensitive information sent across the internet by encrypting it. Once the information reaches the intended recipient, it is unencrypted. Without this fundamental layer of security, there is no way for a wireless security camera to be protected.

Secure the Wireless Network

If the IP enabled security camera has SSL connections, the Wi-Fi network must be secured (including a modem and/or router).

These connected devices must be as secure as possible, or the wireless security camera will be vulnerable to attack no matter what level the security camera itself has been built with. The best way to secure a wireless network is to:

• Make sure that your router is configured to use WPA2 based encryption
• Using strong passwords and change them on a regular basis

Once the wireless network is secured, make sure to setup and maintain the camera correctly.

Secure the IP Enabled Camera

The best policy is to read the manual. Do not activate an IP enabled wireless security camera before reading through all instructions and changing the default password. The use of a default password is the most common reason why hackers are able access wireless cameras. In addition to a strong, secure password, wireless camera users must:

• Keep the firmware up-to-date
• If possible, turn off the camera when not in use
• Never connect to a public Wi-Fi to check the camera feed
• Beware & delete any emails indicating the password needs to be reset
• Do not place the camera in an area that compromises privacy (e.g. bathroom, bedroom, by an alarm system/computer where access codes are entered)

Overall, be mindful when renting or purchasing an IP security camera. Wireless cameras are very convenient and easy to install, but it is up to the user to make them safe and secure. Follow the instructions, use strong passwords at the wireless network and camera software levels and practice common sense when determining the area to monito. By following these rules of thumb, hackers won’t be able to breach what you are trying to keep safe and secure.

SACS Consulting Provides Expert Security Assessments and Recommendations

SACS Consulting & Investigative Services, Inc., provides Physical/Vulnerability Assessments to determine the best practices when implementing security cameras to protect your organization. Please give us a call at 330-255-1101 to speak with one of our security professionals today!

Want to share this story on social media? Use these hashtags! #CyberSecurity #Surveillance #Security

Following almost a year of legal battles, Lexington must release information about the city’s surveillance cameras and policies surrounding their use, a judge ordered this month.

How to create a real-time IP camera system It was a dark and threatening day. Thunder could be heard in the distance. Fog blanketed the building, weakening the remaining daylight. Strange sounds were heard in the basement, and the security center was called to investigate.   The guard walks anxiously along a dark and long […]

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I changed my iPod’s name to Titanic. It’s syncing now.   I don’t enjoy computer jokes. Not one bit.   When chemists die, they barium.   Jokes about German sausage are the wurst. The teacher of the earth science class was lecturing on map reading. After explaining about latitude, longitude, degrees and minutes the teacher […]

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