Small City Surveillance Leasing Investigated

CP
Carlton Purvis
Published Aug 22, 2013 04:00 AM

Is leasing cameras a good solution for municipalities with small budgets? A small city in Ohio is participating in a trial to find out. By paying month to month instead of buying its own system, Canton found a way to provide its city with a surveillance system while avoiding extra costs for maintenance and repairs. We interviewed city officials and the integrator, examining the system and the pros and cons of the contract.

Background

******, **** ******** ******* **** * leasing ********* **** * ***** ******** company ******* ********** ******** *** * ***** ************ ******. ** costs *** **** $**,*** ** ***** the ****** *** *** ******. **** includes ** *******, ** **** ** cloud *******, ***** ********** *** ***********.

**** ***** ***, ****** ****** ** add **** ************. *** **** *** a ************ *********** ****** ****** ***** to *** ****** ** ******* ** the **** ** ****** $*,*** *** camera. *** ***** ****** *** **** issues ******* *******, **** ***** *** that **** ** *** ******* **** not ********* ** ***. *** **** that **** ********* *** *** *** of *** *****. **** **** *** at * ****. **** *** *** have *** ********* ** ********* ** troubleshoot *** ****** ** ***** *** and *** *** **** *** ****** to **** ** ********** ** ** it. **** ****** *** ******* **** and ******* ******* *** ***** *******.

“** ****** ** * *** ***** companies **** *** ** ******* **** you ***** *** * ******** **** in. ** *** **** * ******* that ******** ******* *** *** ** a *** **** *** ***** ***** on * **** *** ****** *** 30 ****, *** ***** ***** **** about $*,*** - $*,*** ****, ***** was **** *********** ** ** ******* to *** *** **** ** ******** we ****** ** ***** **** *** to ** *********,” **********’* ** ********, ******* ******.

*** **** ****** ****** ******* ** cover ******** -- ****** ** -- but *** ******* ** ** $**,*** budget *** *** *******.

***** ** ******** *****, “*** ****** I **** [*******’*] ******** ** ******* we *** *** ****** ******* ** the ** **********, *** ** ** have ****** ******* ******* *** *** city. *’* **** ** *** ******* of ******** *** ******** ********* **** it ***** ** *******. **’** ****** at **** ****** ****** ********* *** data ******* ** **** *** ******* opportunity ** *** **** ** ** buy * ****** *** *** ** and **** ******** **. ** ********* happens ** ** ** **** *** ability ** ******* **.”

Plan *******

****

************ ***** $*** *** ****** *** $85 *** *****, *** ******. ****** had *** *********** ********** ******* *** cameras (** **** ***** $*,*** ** installation ****). ***** ******* ********* ** for **** ******, ** *** **** is ****** $**,*** *** ******** ******** coverage, ******* **** ****** *** $**,*** budget.

*******

*** ****** ** ********* ** ** fixed ******* [**** ** ****** *********] recording ** * *** ** ******* resolution **** *.*** ***********, ************* *** installed ******** ******. “**** ** ********* ** had ************ ***’* *** **,” **** the **********. **** *** **** ******* *** the ****** ********* *** ******* ** * ********* ***********, ********* *** ********* ** ***** dealers, *** ******* ** **** ******** with *** *** **** ** *** case ** ******. * ******* ***** is *** ******.

“** * ****** **** ** **** quadrant * **** ** ******* **** these **** ***** ******* ** ****, I *** ****** ***** *** ** my ***** ******. ** ***** ** a *** ** ***********. ********* ** I *** *** ******* *******, **** I’d **** ** *** ******** **** and *** ***** **,” **** *** city's ** ********.

**********

*** ******* *** *** ********* ****. Motion ****** *** **** **** ** a ******* ****** ** ******* ********** Services ***** **** *** ******** ** an ********. ********* ******* ** ******** the **** ** *********** ***********.

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

******* ********** ******** *** *** *** cloud ******* *** ******* ******** ******* that ** **** ** ***** *** transmit *****. ***** ** ********** *********, overwriting ***** **** ** ***** **** 30 ****. *** **** *** ***** from * *** ********* ** ******* cameras *** ******** *****.

***** ** *********** ***** ** (** 4G) ********* ** *** ********.

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

*** **** ******* *** ******* ** intersections **** ******** ******* ******* ***** power *** ******* **** ****** **********. The ******* *** ******* ** * standard ***** ****** *** ***** ** provided ** *** *** ****. 

Less ********* **** ****** *** *********** * ******

****** **** **** **** ** *** city **-*** *** ******** ******* *****, he ******** ** **** ***** *** less *** **** ****** **** ** would ** ******** *** ***.

“*’* **** ***** ** ******** * break-even *****, *** **’** *** ** factor ** ***** ******. **’** *** just ******* *** **** ** ********** software *** ********* *****. ***** *** man ***** ** ******** *** *********. There ** ********* **** *** ** eventually ** ********,” ** ****. “**** if **** *****-**** ***** ** ***** years. **** *’* ***** **** ********* that ** ***** ***** ***. *** with **** *******, * *** ****** I ***’* **** **** ******** ******* and ** *** *** ********* **** and * ***’* **** ** ******* of *** *** *********.”

Limits ** *** ******

******** **** ***********, ****** ***** *******

***** ******** ******* ** ******** ***** gives *** **** *********** **** ** wants ** ****** ****** ********* ******** to *** ****** ** **** ** would **** ** ********* ******* ** a ******** ******* ** ********* ** fiber.

*******, ***** ** **** ** **** data *** *** *********** **** **** a ** (** **) *******. *****-********* cameras ***** ** ***********, ***** ********* bandwidth *******. ************, ****** **** ***** prove * ********* **** ** ******* of *******.

****** *** *** ** **** ****** for **************

*** ***** **** *** ********** *** both *** ** ** ** ************ how **** ****** ***** ***** ********* to ** *************. ***** ******* ********** ** 3fps *** ** **** *** ************ over * ******** *******, *** *** may *** *** * *** ** detail **** ***** **** ****** ** unknown ******'* ********. 

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

*** *** **** *** **** ** leasing ***** *******, ** ***** ******** buy *** **** ******* *** **** own **** ********. ******* ********** ******** says ** ***** **** *** **** of *** ******* ** ***** *** months. ** *** **** ****** * set ** ******* **** ***** *** them *******.

** ******, ****** ******* ******* (*** PTZs) *** ********* ***** **** ****, but ** ** ******, *** **** is ******* * ***** ******* ******** and **** ********** *** **** *** over *** **** ** ****** ***** cameras.  

Future *****

*** ******* **** **** ******** ****** along *** ****** ***** *** *** Football **** ** **** ****** [**** no ****** *********]. *** **** *** happy **** *** ******’* *********** *** that *****. ** *** ****** *****, the ******* **** ** ********* ** their ******* ********* ********. 

*** **** **** **** ***** *** months ** **** *** ********* **** its ***********, **** **** ****** **** a ****** ********* **** ******* ********** Services. *** **** **** *** **** any **** ** * **** ** this ******, *** **** ** ** offering ******* ** ******* ** *********. They **** **** **** *** ***** than *** ***** *******. ** **** follow ** **** ****** ** *** months ** *** *** ****'* ******** on *** ******'* ******* *********** *** see ** **** **** ** **** a ****** *****. 

*** ****** ***** ********** *** **** leased **** ******* **** ******* ********** Services.

Comments (2)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Aug 22, 2013

I don’t think I am the only one that noticed, but there appears to be a real contradiction as it relates to what business model this “integrator”/”wholesale distributor” of 3rd party remote video monitoring follows?

They advertise “WHOLESALE REMOTE VIDEO MONITORING” and “Buckeye Protective Service, Inc. offers nationwide, wholesale video monitoring for all your customers”, as you shared in the hyperlink comment, “They say they usually but the camera equipment and operate as a wholesale distributor, providing the equipment to alarm dealers, but decided to work directly with the end user in the case of Canton.”.

This is followed by their tacit admission they are performing, sole source, what amounts to the engineering, integration, installation, service/maintenance AND remote monitoring for this project – all under their moniker as a 3rd party remote video monitoring company?

Is this what integrators/dealers should expect from companies that choose to bill themselves as 3rd party “WHOLESALE REMOTE VIDEO MONITORING” companies?

Avatar
Paul Boucherle CPP CSC
Aug 27, 2013

This company is based in Canton, Ohio. They are have been involved in SaaS for at least 6 years as far as I know so early innovators. They are also pretty civic orientated and law enforcement focused. What company in security has not engaged in home town projects? Painting this company with the a pure self interest paint brush isn't accurate. I believe their leaderhip has significantly contributed to volunteer leadership in a variety of security industry associations. I always wonder why people that comment wish to remain "undisclosed"? Why?Paul Boucherle CPP CSS