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SHERIFF McGUIRE ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF FIRST PHASE OF COURTHOUSE AND JAIL SECURITY OVERHAUL
HACKENSACK - Bergen County Sheriff Leo P. McGuire and technology partner Mobotix Corp of New York today announced the completion of the first phase of a plan to completely overhaul the audio and video surveillance systems in both the Bergen County Jail and the Justice Center which houses the county’s courts.
“This is a remarkable step forward in our ability to safeguard the more than 1 million visitors to the Justice Center each year as well as to provide an even greater level of security at the Jail,” said McGuire. “When it comes to safety, the types of technologies we are utilizing as well as the manner in which we have chosen to deploy them sets these facilities head and shoulders above similar structures across the nation.”
The Bergen County Jail houses approximately 1,100 inmates each day. It serves as the central reception and processing center for individuals arrested throughout the county. It houses male and female individuals awaiting trial and also provides for the detention of both sentenced and un-sentenced prisoners in separate minimum, medium and maximum-security environments.
Upon assuming office in 2005, McGuire and his staff immediately set about bringing the security systems of the Jail and Justice Center into the 21st Century. The buildings’ infrastructures did not make that task easy, particularly in the Justice Center where parts of the facility are approaching 100 years in age.
Perhaps the largest obstacle faced were the coaxial wires tying the various cameras in the two locations together which did not allow for integration into the new security network. In addition, the BCSO sought the ability to obtain clearer views of all holding areas. Security in the jail also demanded clearer images and cameras that could integrate with their network, open and close doors and gates, survey wider areas than the current cameras, and not be adversely affected by temperature extremes.
After investigating various technology solutions and speaking with experts in the field, the BCSO entered into and agreement with New York-based Mobotix Corp to provide a series of highly intelligent, advanced digital cameras utilizing an extremely sturdy design to revamp security in it’s facilities in order to better secure and safeguard more than 1 million individuals each year.
FACT SHEET
Installation
The Bergen County Sheriff’s Office purchased approximately 40 cameras, with most of those being used in The Jail while others were deployed throughout the Justice Center.
Image Quality
The cameras are intelligent IP (digital) video cameras, not the standard analog CCTV. Instead of the typical 288 vertical lines of resolution, the Mobotix cameras offer 1536 lines and 1.3 to 3 megapixels of resolution, which is one of the highest standards currently offered in the industry.
Durable design
The climate in Bergen County presents particular concerns related to the extreme cold in the winter and potential to affect exterior cameras. The cameras are built to withstand any sort of weather conditions: from -30 to +60 °C (-22 to +140 °F). The cases are fiberglass reinforced and shock-resistant which protect the network cable and connections against vandalism as well as severe weather conditions.
Audio features
The cameras offer both audio and video capabilities which allow the Sheriff’s Operations Unit to mantain complete observation in both facilities. The cameras can also be programmed to give an audio alert that warns away inmates, guards or other employees away from particular areas.
Ability to survey large areas
The dual lens feature of the cameras satisfies the BCSO’s need to cover very large areas. In addition, the cameras are able to achieve this with no moving parts which reduces both maintenance and cost.
Other advantages
Because the cameras provide 30 times more detail than the average camera, one camera can watch multiple targets and thereby reduce the total number of cameras required. Intelligent, direct storage management reduces the number of digital video recorders needed and the overall cost of storage by a ratio of 10 to 1.
In addition, the Mobotix cameras work very well with the wireless system Bergen County uses for some of its outdoor cameras. In this case, cameras set on telephone poles bring the signal back on a wireless network, and can handle up to 25 Mbps of data.
Next steps
Bergen County has completed Phase 1 of Sheriff McGuire’s planned Security Overhaul with an installation of 40 cameras. Once completed, The Courthouse will have feature between 50 to 100 cameras and between 225 to 275 at the Jail.
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