Video Surveillance for Neighborhoods
Neighborhood safety isn't a new thing - the familiar cloaked profile of the Neighborhood Watch logo has been seen in windows and on lamp posts everywhere. Neighborhood awareness and community safety have always kept neighborhoods safe, and now, the development of IP camera technology has made neighborhood surveillance and security more powerful than ever.
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Benefits of Neighborhood Surveillance
- Protect residents and visitors - a series of IP surveillance cameras in a neighborhood or subdivision can help keep community members safe
- Prevent vandalism - homes and neighborhoods, especially in dense and urban areas, are often targets of vandalism. Security cameras in neighborhoods can help discourage vandalism and if the problem persists (or arises), modern IP cameras can help identify vandals and eliminate the issue quickly.
- Easy monitoring - with analog CCTV systems, monitoring footage requires sitting in front of a monitor and waiting for something to happen. Neighborhood surveillance systems utilizing IP cameras or Wireless IP cameras allow users (and sometimes multiple users) to monitor cameras from any internet connection from a home computer - making monitoring a community task. Many IP cameras and video management platforms feature built in alerts which can send messages - by email or mobile phone - when activity is detected.
- Protect community property - many neighborhoods and subdivisions have parks, pools and sometimes even community centers that are used by residents and are often susceptible to vandalism, theft, loitering and damage. IP cameras and neighborhood surveillance technology can help eliminate damage to community pools and park property.
Risks of Housing Development IP Camera Systems
- Privacy - public cameras mounted on streets and in shared areas should record shared areas only. Keep cameras away from home windows, and if the problem is unavoidable, look into cameras where certain "privacy screens" can be set up where footage is not recorded.
- Damage - cameras protecting and watching public places are for the most part, outside. To keep gusts of wind, rain, and vandals from harming cameras, look into outdoor cameras and durable anti-vandalism housings.
Subdivision Surveillance System Considerations
Neighborhoods vary by country, by town, by geography, even by culture - so one subdivision security system will likely not benefit another neighborhood. Consider the following when looking into neighborhood surveilance cameras to help get an idea of what the best options are:
- Where is the neighborhood or development located?
- Are there elements of the area that are attractive for thieves or vandals?
- What is the neighborhood's biggest security risk?
- Have there ever been problems with theft or vandalism in the past?
- What neighborhood features or events would cameras protect?
Setup Advice for Neighborhood IP Cameras
- Make sure public areas like pools and parks are well-covered
- If vandalism is a problem in a particular area, consider hidden or camouflaged cameras