2 Jun 2010

JVC video surveillance system makes an impact
The Council's Unit is fully compliant with the Data Protection Act for CCTV monitoring
North Lanarkshire Council's Central Monitoring Unit has recently purchased twelve large format JVC monitors as part of a renovation of their control room operations. Their efforts were recently acknowledged with an award from CameraWatch, becoming the first public safety control room in the UK to be fully compliant with the Data Protection Act for CCTV monitoring.

Emma Walker, Control Room Mmanager, explains how JVC's screens have played a part in their success. "We currently use an IP-based CCTV solution implemented by ntl:Telewest Business and Controlware Communications," Emma reveals. "At the time it was the first fully-managed converged solution of its kind in the UK and one of the largest in Europe. We chose JVC because we have a long-established relationship with the company and have been impressed with the reliability of JVC products. The cost and quality, in terms of resolution and ease of integration, were also a major deciding factor. We already use JVC cameras for public space deployments in housing estates and some town centre environments."

CameraWatch, independent authority on CCTV Data Protection compliance, recently awarded the Council's Unit with its prestigious Platinum Level 1 Award



The division was first established in 1997 and boasts one of the lowest crime rates in the country. "In North Lanarkshire, we have over 260 JVC CCTV public space cameras across the network," Emma continues. "As not all cameras can be viewed at once, the monitoring wall principle allows multiple cameras to be viewed by the CCTV operator. We also have the flexibility to tailor the number of cameras per screen. As we now cover seven town centres and 23 housing estates, the monitoring allows easy tracking across all areas."

CameraWatch, which the UK's leading independent authority on CCTV Data Protection compliance, recently awarded North Lanarkshire Council's Central Monitoring Unit with its prestigious Platinum Level 1 Award. North Lanarkshire's control room was assessed by the CameraWatch Compliance Team, who monitored everything from its legal responsibilities to audit performance and yearly objectives, and fully assessed it on its Data Protection Act for six months before awarding North Lanarkshire its award.

Ian Budd, Project Designer/Engineer, adds: "Quality is paramount for our operation and, over the years, JVC has continued to deliver the exceptional standards of quality that we aim to achieve. We have a great working relationship and are delighted with the performance of the screens."