IBM and Axis Communications are teaming up to release an advanced open framework system for event-based video surveillance that utilizes video analytics and sophisticated indexing. The Digital Video Surveillance solution will support the complete Axis catalog of network cameras and servers, and is fully customizable to meet varying demands.

During the ISC West conference held this week in Las Vegas, Cisco announced its first foray into the surveillance camera industry. Cisco's entry comes in the form of a remote-controlled, IP-based digital security camera that operates effectively in both indoor and outdoor environments. The Video Surveillance IP Camera is motion-triggered, and features pan, tilt, and zoom functions that can be controlled remotely.

Brian John Perry is a man who knows what he likes, and takes what he wants. What the 42-year-old wanted this week was a framed painting of Mt. Hood on display in the Clackamas County Public Services Building in Oregon City, Ore. An avid skier, Perry was attracted to the painting which uses an assortment of shocking pastels to depict one of his favorite mountains, so he decided to steal it. Unfortunately for Perry, the building is outfitted with a video surveillance system, and his bold attempt at art thievery was captured on camera in great detail.

London's train stations have long provided a canvas for graffiti artists. Unfortunately, it's an unwelcome art form that has caused quite a few problems for UK councils. Most importantly, the cost of cleaning up graffiti isn't cheap, with many councils actually having budgets specifically for the cleanup process.

The effectiveness of facial-recognition technology in video surveillance has been cause for debate in the past. Some claim the technology -- originally seen as an advanced tool in the fight against terrorism -- is overhyped and has yet to produce solid results. That's not the case in banks however, where video facial-recognition systems are proving to be useful in combating check fraud.

One of the hottest debates among security professionals today is the future of video surveillance. With two distinct and different types of cameras competing for a slice of the market - which will succeed?

Detectives leading the investigation into the death of three-year old Callum Bland in a house fire in Northamptonshire have appealed for neighbours with CCTV cameras on their homes to come
forward.

A system of surveillance cameras installed at a 14th century church in the UK has completely stopped an expensive vandalism problem. St. Bartholomew's church had long been suffering through a chronic vandalism problem - mostly with windows being broken.

The city of Los Angeles is deploying a unique wireless surveillance network to keep watch over the Jordan Downs public-housing complex. Officials hope the system will improve safety for residents in one of the city's most dangerous crime-infested areas. The network consists of 10 wireless surveillance cameras and MOTOMESH, Motorola's wireless broadband network. MOTOMESH provides WiFi access to the public and will allow emergency responders to remain in constant communication, even while on the move. The inclusion of MOTOMESH also allows the system to expand far beyond Jordan Downs and over the entire city if officials decide to broaden the network.

One of the fastest growing markets for IP surveillance technology is public transportation. Buses, subways, transit depots and stations have been targets for vandalism, theft and violence for many years. Analog CCTV systems were installed in many cities with a mild degree of success, but their cumbersome equipment and limited technological capabilities made them an ineffective security solution.

In the gaming industry, where large amounts of currency are constantly on the move, security is of the utmost importance. Casinos use video surveillance to monitor everything from high stakes gaming tables to malls and parking lots. With so much area to cover, and so much money on the move, gaming facilities can certainly benefit from the latest advances in surveillance technology. One of those technologies is 360-degree video.

Covenant Medical Center's advanced security system is regarded as one of the reasons why 5 day old Mychael Dawodu is safe with her parents.

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in southern Louisiana is comprised of two parallel bridges regarded as the most expansive in the world. The longer of the two bridges runs 23.87 miles. Clearly, a bridge system of this magnitude is quite difficult to monitor, but a recently installed $1.3 million surveillance camera system is helping to change that.

In Bellingham, WA, a newspaper reader helped police track down a Bank of America robbery suspect. Video surveillance of the robbery produced a clean image of the suspect, which was then released by police to the media and published in the Feb. 27 edition of The Bellingham Herald. A Herald reader recognized the man in the surveillance video image and phoned the authorities with his identity.

In New York City, a trio of thieves has been pilfering local Duane Reade pharmacy outlets on a consistent basis since mid-January. The spree intensified last week when the burglars upped their workload to two heists per day, reeling in tens of thousands of dollars along the way. What the thieves didn't know was that security officials had been methodically planning their capture. On Monday, Feb. 26, that plan came to fruition. 140 plainclothes officers were staked throughout Manhattan's 47 Duane Reade stores. Officers in a central observation room then monitored video surveillance footage fed from each store's security camera system.

In an effort to increase New York City nightclub safety, the City Council passed legislation on Wednesday that will require all dance clubs to install surveillance cameras at entrances and exits. While concerns over privacy were raised, the council was in agreement that the use of surveillance tapes would be extremely valuable in crime deterrence and investigation.