Colombia. The mayor of Tuluá had the option of choosing a video surveillance technology useful for the present, but decided to invest in another for its long-term usability.
The Mayor's Office of Tuluá, in Colombia, had lagged behind in its video surveillance system compared to other municipalities in the region, having very basic cameras inside the facilities, which did not allow optimal monitoring or cope with the new requirements. In other words, the technology I had bet on a few years earlier was no longer satisfactory.
This learning made them change their minds and invest in an effective, scalable system that would protect the interior and exterior of the facilities not only in the present but in their future needs.
Solution
The mayor of Tuluá decided to work with the integrator Spectra, who directed and launched the project, consisting of 25 Axis cameras that came to replace the 38 that existed previously. The cameras cover a wider range of monitoring and cover areas that were not being monitored, such as the public area in front of the building and access to the mayor's parking lot. The selected models were AXIS P3225-LV Mk II fixed domes, which were distributed in all common areas; AXIS P3707-PE panoramic cameras were used for the parking lots, which incorporate 4 lenses for fixed vision in 360°; and AXIS P1405-LE Mk II (bullet type) and AXIS P5624-E MK II (designed for continuous horizontal movement) were installed outdoors.
Results
This implementation achieved that the video surveillance system of the mayor's office of Tuluá was at the height of the main ICT developments in the department, providing optimal surveillance in all public areas of the building and allowing a scalable solution, taking into account the future needs that may arise.
Customer quote
"In the market we find other solutions at a lower price, but that would not allow us to grow or adapt to video analytics as Axis Communications cameras do," Alexander Ricardo, Director of the ICT Administrative Department of the Tuluá mayor's office.
Continuous 360-degree vision
The building where the mayor of Tuluá resides is located in the founding heart of the municipality, in front of the main park and in an area with local and regional historical importance. Therefore, one of the objectives in modernizing the video surveillance system was to support the conservation and care of the facades of the buildings, protecting them against vandalism.
For this, a camera of the P5624-E Mk II series was arranged, located throughout the corner of the mayor's office and that, thanks to its continuous 360° panorama, allows uninterrupted monitoring that has even served the authorities of the municipality, providing them with relevant material when situations of public order or traffic accidents arise.
Less infrastructure
The underground parking lots of the mayor's office had 8 cameras that reached 8 fixed points, which were replaced by only 4 P3707-PE cameras, with horizontal panoramic view and that respond better to the environment of low lighting. Additionally they are equipped with WDR technology, which compensates for the backlight effect that occurs in some points.
This same reference was used for access to the municipal administration. As indicated by Spectra's engineering department, "in this area, the previous camera had a very small field and generated almost indecipherable images. Now we have managed to get the security force to even identify potentially dangerous situations, such as packages or vehicles left at the entrance to the building, all in detail."
The municipal mayor's office of Tuluá projects a second phase in this implementation, where video surveillance is increased and video analytics are put into practice for various tasks, among which could be the reading of vehicle license plates or facial recognition of the personnel working in the facilities.
