With hundreds and thousands of people continually entering and exiting the city each day, public safety has become an issue of utmost importance. Maintaining adequate safety in public places could be a daunting task for the police and law enforcement departments, however, this big task has got much easier with the most advanced and cutting-edge technology available today.
Let us look at all the options we have for making public streets and venues better places to be:
Surveillance with IP Network Cameras
IP camera has been the industry standard for high-definition video surveillance for wide areas like street corners, parking lots, and crowded places, for quite some time now. And, it is potentially the best option for supervising both, indoors and outdoors because of the remarkable frame quality that it offers.
Their most valuable feature is the remote viewing. Traffic police and concerned persons can stay connected to the surveillance system at all times without compromising a bit on the security.
With video-based evidence, you can have the complete story of every incident happening on any of the streets. The recorded footage can provide valuable context as facial recognition and license plate recognition features would say it all.
Biometrics and New Trends
With the improvements in technology, biometrics has become a popular choice among the law enforcement and security personnel.
Tracking down potential threats was never so easy! For instance, many event organizers and law officers make use of facial recognition software to scan the crowd against a pre-compiled database of people on a watch list. This technology is extremely beneficial for detecting potential criminals and enhancing security, especially in large gatherings and concerts. All in all, just a 2-D image of the face is required to ensure public safety and security.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR)
It is yet another method to keep track of all the activity in the city.
ANPR works by capturing an image of the vehicle. This image is then processed through optical character recognition software to locate the license plate number. Further, the license plate number is converted into text format and is matched against a database of car registration numbers in order to get the details of the vehicle owner and other information of interest.
Individual Safety Tips
The best possible way to stay safe and reduce the chances of being a victim of misfortune is to remain attentive about your surroundings at all the times. It is far better than feeling sorry later on.
Below are some precautions that you can follow to be safe in public areas:
- Walk in groups whenever you can, especially during late hours â Larger numbers are always safer.
- Inform at least one family member or a friend about your whereabouts. So, if you get stuck anywhere, they can call the police department immediately.
- Try to stay in well-lit areas as much as you can. Also, avoid going to seclude areas, alleys, and vacant lots. In case there is a situation and you have to hide, then do not use common hideouts like bushes or behind public benches.
- Avoid talking to strangers and taking rides. Always stay confident and move at a steady pace.
- Be a good observer of your environment.
- One fine tip is that if you are using headphones, never turn-up the volume so high that you are not able to hear what is happening around you.
- If you see or sense any suspicious activity, then immediately report it to the Police Department at 311 or reach 911 for other kinds of emergencies.
It is always a good idea to practice safety tips. Hope this article was of good help that you needed! Tell us if you have some more safety tips to share.