S 1.53 Video surveillance

Initiation responsibility: Top Management

Implementation responsibility: Planner

Video technology can be used as a supplement to the safeguards for securing the exterior of a building (see S 1.55 Perimeter protection) and for controlling access to a building. Video surveillance systems, regardless of whether they are stand-alone systems or are supplemental to other security technologies, are used to reach the following protection goals:

• deterrence
• monitoring the building façade
• identification
• monitoring
• alarm
• identification and localisation of hazards
• damage prevention
• documentation and evaluation of violations of rules and regulations

When planning a video surveillance system, it must be ensured that video surveillance is consistently integrated into the overall protection concept. This is even more important when the video surveillance monitors are located far away from the area to be protected. Installing video surveillance without any evaluation and alarming mechanisms does not make any sense other than for the purpose of deterrence. The central technical components needed for surveillance must be installed in suitable environments and must be protected. They should be connected to a reliable power supply with UPS buffering and emergency power system, if present. Regular functional tests must be performed for the video surveillance system.

Video surveillance may provide very efficient support for an entrance control service (see S 1.17 Entrance control service). By using suitable camera technology, numerous procedures can be monitored and even controlled from the gate:

• Cameras (mostly pan/tilt zoom cameras) can be used to verify alarm conditions of other systems (e.g. burglar alarm system). This way, an alarm can be assessed without having to leave the gatekeeper's location.
• Cameras may serve to verify a claimed identity (facial recognition, license plate recognition). This way, remote accesses or driveways can be monitored from the central gate and doors or gates can be opened for authorised persons from the gate.
• Cameras may serve to verify the separation of persons in large turnstiles regarding the access to critical areas such as computer centres.
• Cameras can be used to detect movements or changes to a situation. The camera image is only displayed by the detection sensors if the situation in the monitored area requires the attention of the user of the video surveillance system.

The Data Protection Officer and the Personnel and/or Supervisory Board should be involved in the planning and/or installation of a video surveillance system.

Review questions:

• Is video surveillance consistently integrated into the security concept?
• Is the video surveillance system subjected to regular functional tests?