Anti-Terrorism Video Surveillance Bad at Fighting Crime

Author: Ethan Ace, Published on May 16, 2016

So much of city video surveillance has been deployed and funded with the intention of stopping, or at least mitigating, terrorist attacks.

But these systems are often bad at fighting crime, completely removed from the most troubled areas of the city they serve.

In this note, we take a look at these issues and potential recommendations to solve them.

** **** ** **** ***** ************ *** **** ******** *** funded **** *** ********* ** ********, ** ** ***** **********, terrorist *******.

*** ***** ******* *** ***** *** ** ******** *****, ********** removed **** *** **** ******** ***** ** *** **** **** serve.

** **** ****, ** **** * **** ** ***** ****** and ********* *************** ** ***** ****.

[***************]

Anti-Terrorism ******* *** ***********

** *** **** ******, **** ** *** ******* *** **** surveillance ******* *** **** ** *** **** ** ****-********* ******. For *******, **** *** ********** ** ******** ******** ** **** the ******* ****** ******** ********** ***** ******* ***** ** ****. ***** ****** ***** ** ********* ****** (*** ******** ** fund) **** **** ************ *******, ********* *** **** *** *******, as **** ** ******* ******.

*********, ***** ****** **** ***** ** ******* ********* ******* ** a ********* ******, ***** ********* **** **** ***** **********:

  • ***** **********:***** ********* ****** **** ** ********, ******, ********** *****, *** even ***** ****** *********** ***** ****** ****** **** ****
  • *******:**** ******* *** ********* *******, ** **** ** ****** *********
  • ******** **************:***** ********, ********** ********** **********, *******, ***.

** *** *******, * *** ****** ***** **** **** * sports *****, ***** ********* *****, *******, *** ******** *********** ********** may ******* ******* ** ******* ******* ** *** ***** *****, highlighted **** ** *****:

Different ***** *** ******** *****

*******, ***** ********* ***** ** *** ***** *** ********* ** highest ***** *****, *** *** ** *********** ******* *** ***** police ***** ********** ** ******** *************. ****** *** ** **** to **** ***** ** ******** ****** ** ** **** * crime *****, ********* ** ***** ************* *** *******, *** **** is *** **********.

*******,******* **** *********** ******* *** ******** ** ****** ***** ** ******** *****, while ***** ********* ** *** ***** ***** **** ******* ******* and *** ** **** ****** ** ***** ******* ******** ** residents.

*** *******, ****** *** ***** ***** *** ********** *** ****** areas **** ******* ***** ***** (** ***), ** *** **** the **** ** *** ********* ********** ** ********* ********* ******* are **** (****** ******* ******) ** *** ******* ***** *****, both ******* *** ********:

***************

***** *** *** ********* ********* ** ***** ***********:

*** *******

**** *** **** ** *** ****** ******* ** *****, **** as *******, *******, **** ********, ****** ********, ***., *** **** may ****** *** ******* ** *** ********* ***** ** ***** crime ***** *** ***** *****. ** **** ***** **** *** be *** **** ******, ** **** ****** *** ******* *** funded ******* ** ****** ** ***** *********.

**** ** *** **** ********* ******, ** *** *******, ********, wireless ******, *** ***** ********* ** ******** ** **** *** site **. *********** ******** **** **** ********* *******. ************, ***** must ********* ********* *** ****** ** ***** ******* ** ******** servers, *******, *** ******** *****, ** **** *** ******* ******** any ** *****, ****** ***** ** ******** ********* ****.

******** ******** *******

*************, ***** *** ** **** ** **** ******** ******* ** new *********. *******, ***** *** ******* *******:

  • ******** *******:**** **** **** ******* **** ** ***** ***, ** *** original ******* *** ***** ** *****, **** *** ****** ***, in **** ***** ****** **** ** *******, *** ****** ************ by *****, ***** **** ******. **** ** ***** ***** ******* have ****** *** **** ********, *** ***** ** *** *** in **** ** ****** ****** *** ************' ***********.
  • **** *** *** *** ********:********* *** ****** ** * **** *** *** *** *** location. *** *******, **** ********* *** ** ****** ****** ** multiple ***** ******* ******* ** *** **** ***** **** ****** in ***** *******. ** * ******** *** **** ********** *** light ******, ****** ** ********** ** *** * ****** ***.
  • ******** *********:***** **** ** ******* ** ******* ******** ******* ** *** new *********, ** ******** ****** (***** *.* *** ** *.* GHZ) *** *** **** ** **** ** ****** ********* ** higher ********** ******, ********** ** *********** ***** ***** ********** ******** is ******.

** ***** ******** *** ***, ********** ******* ** ****** * lower **** ****** ******** ** ****** *** **** ** *** system. **** ****** ***** *** ******** (************ *****, ******, *******, etc.) ******* *** ***, *** ********* ***** *** ******* ** eliminated.

Funding ********

*** *** ***** ** ***** ****** ******** ************* ** **** funding *** ****** **** **** ****** **** *** **** *** years ******** ** *** ***/**** ***** **** ************ ****. ****** are *********** **** *********** ******* ** **** **** ***** ********* which *** *** ** ****** ** *** ** *** ******, with ****** ******** ** ******** *** ********** ******* ** ****** existing ********* ** **** ****** *********.

******* *** *** ******* ** ********* *** ****** **** *** US ********** ** *******, ****** ** ******* ****** ******** ** the ******** ******. ***** ****** *** ***** *************** ******** ******** ******** (****)********* ***** ******* ********** ****** (***), ****** ***** ******* *** ** *********.

*******, ** *** *********** **** ************** *** *********** ******* ****, funding ** **** ****** ** **** **** *** *******:

  1. ***** ******* *******, **** ** ***** ** ****** ******/*******. *** availability ** ***** ******** ****** ****** **** ***** ** ***** or **** ****** ** ******.
  2. ******/******* ************, ** ***** ********* **********, **********, ** ********* ********** funding ** **** ******* *********. ***** ************ **** **** ** increase ********* ***-** *** ****** ********** ** *** ****** ************ system, ** ********* **** **** ********.

Comments (5)

Avatar

Kevin Nadai

05/16/16 06:38pm

This article conflates terrorism and crime, which are two different things with differing targets. While nearly all terrorism is criminal, not all crime is terrorism.

There are many definitions of terrorism. However, one common aspect of most definitions is that terrorism has a political purpose. Common crime does not. Toward this end, terrorists usually choose high visibility targets such as those outlined in this article:

  • Event Facilities: Large gathering spaces such as stadiums, arenas, convention halls, and even large school auditoriums where public events were held
  • Schools: Both primary and secondary schools, as well as higher education
  • Critical Infrastructure: Water supplies, electrical generation facilities, bridges, etc.

Besides rarely having a political purpose, common crime generally tries to be less readily apparent: poorly lit areas, at night, with few witnesses present.

So that cameras funded by DHS for antiterrorism are not placed in high crime areas makes perfect sense.

Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion and not necessarily that of my employer.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Kevin Nadai | 05/17/16 01:15pm

So that cameras funded by DHS for antiterrorism are not placed in high crime areas makes perfect sense.

Sure, we agree that DHS, by design, does not place cameras in high crime areas. The point is that terrorism has proven to be much less of a threat than garden variety crime and that those DHS funded cameras do not help as much as cameras designed and deployed for 'regular' crime.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to John Honovich | 05/17/16 02:17pm

Yes, but can they simply be relocated from their originally intended aims (anti-terrorism) without violating the grant from which they were funded and continue to be funded, even if the new locations are deemed a better service to the public?

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

In reply to John Honovich | 05/17/16 03:42pm

I agree with you that terrorism is not an existential threat.

Whatever existential threat terrorism wields, it is only acting as a catalyst. Just as your body can overreact to a honeybee sting, killing itself in the process (anaphylaxis), terrorism's most tangible damage is that which its target inflicts upon itself in response.

The New York Times estimates the actual cost of the September 11 terror attacks at $55 Billion. Since then, the United States has spent $3.3 Trillion in response, sixty times as much. The political and psychological effect of terrorism is to magnify the threat much like an immune response gone haywire.

The point of the article is that cameras placed for antiterrorism are not in high crime areas. I was attempting to explain why this is by design and not by mistake.

Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion and not necessarily that of my employer.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #2 | 05/17/16 05:01pm

I was attempting to explain why this is by design and not by mistake.

Again, we understand that this was by design. The point is, as you acknowledge in your response above, it has turned out to be a mistake in the greater scheme of things.

In other words, some things can be 'by design' and still turn out to be a mistake that would benefit from change. This is not meant politically, but as a observation on how cameras are used by cities.

Login to read this IPVM report.
Why do I need to log in?
IPVM conducts unique testing and research funded by member's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.

Related Reports

UK Installer CCTV Aware - Flat Pricing, No Salespeople on Apr 10, 2019
This is a different kind of company. They do flat pricing, they do not have any salespeople and 50% of their sales are sold and booked...
Failed Integrator Rollup, Securadyne Sells to Guard Giant Allied on Apr 09, 2019
One of the most ambitious integrator rollups of the decade has reached its conclusion—selling to a mega guard company. Allied Universal has...
Spring 2019 IP Networking Course- Register Now on Apr 04, 2019
Register now for the Spring 2019 IP Networking course here. Just $299 for the course. This is the only networking course designed specifically...
Silicon Valley Access Startup Proxy Raises $13.6 Million on Mar 28, 2019
This mobile-credential based access startup just raised $13.6 million in funding.  Further, they claim that their technology can free businesses...
Cambium Wireless Video Surveillance Profile on Mar 27, 2019
Cambium Networks, spun out of Motorola Solutions in 2011, says "outdoor durable radios are in their DNA" and they are targeting video surveillance...
Casino Security Consultant Carl Lindgren Interview on Mar 26, 2019
For more than 20 years, Carl Lindgren worked as a casino surveillance pro, while being active (and sometimes outspoken) on various online video...
Large Hospital Security End User Interview on Mar 21, 2019
This large single-state healthcare system consists of many hospitals, and hundreds of health parks, private practices, urgent care facilities, and...
Silicon Valley Cybersecurity Insurance Startup Coalition Profile on Mar 20, 2019
Many industry people believe cybersecurity insurance is not worth it, as the voting and debate in our Cybersecurity Insurance For Security...
Large US University End-User Video Surveillance Interview on Mar 18, 2019
Schools have become targets in modern days of active shooters and terrorist fears. The need for video and access security is high. Universities...
City Physical Security Manager Interview on Mar 14, 2019
This physical security pro is the Physical Security Manager for the City of Calgary. He is a criminologist by training with an ASIS CPP credential....

Most Recent Industry Reports

19 Facial Recognition Providers Profiled on Apr 23, 2019
IPVM interviewed 19 facial recognition providers at ISC West to understand their claimed accuracy, success and positioning. 9 from China, where...
Locking Down Network Connections Guide on Apr 23, 2019
Accidents and inside attacks are risks when network connections are not locked down. Security and video surveillance systems should be protected...
Hikvision Admits USA Sales Falling on Apr 22, 2019
Hikvision, in a new Chinese financial filing, has admitted that its USA sales are now falling. Less than a year after the US government passed a...
Speco Ultra Intensifier Tested on Apr 22, 2019
While ISC West 2019 named Speco's Ultra Intensifier the best new "Video Surveillance Cameras IP", IPVM testing shows the camera suffers from...
Arecont Favorability Results 2019 on Apr 22, 2019
Arecont's net negativity remained the same in IPVM's 2019 integrator study, though integrator's feeling became relatively more neutral compared to...
H.265 Usage Statistics on Apr 19, 2019
H.265 has been available in IP cameras for more than 5 years and, in the past few years, the number of manufacturers supporting this codec has...
ACRE Acquires RS2, Explains Acquisition Strategy on Apr 19, 2019
ACRE continues to buy, now acquiring RS2, just 5 months after buying Open Options. One is a small access control manufacturer from Texas, the...
Access Control Course Spring 2019 - Last Chance on Apr 19, 2019
 Register for the Spring 2019 Access Control Course----Closed IPVM offers the most comprehensive access control course in the industry. Unlike...
Riser vs Plenum Cabling Explained on Apr 18, 2019
You could be spending twice as much for cable as you need. The difference between 'plenum' rated cable and 'riser' rated cable is subtle, but the...
Verint Victimized By Ransomware on Apr 18, 2019
Verint, which is best known in the physical security industry for video surveillance but has built a sizeable cybersecurity business as well, was...

The world's leading video surveillance information source, IPVM provides the best reporting, testing and training for 10,000+ members globally. Dedicated to independent and objective information, we uniquely refuse any and all advertisements, sponsorship and consulting from manufacturers.

About | FAQ | Contact