Security Cameras for Swimming Pools

If you own or manage a swimming pool, whether it be one in your backyard, your neighborhood, or your local city park, you probably take as many safety precautions as possible. While swimming pools can be great for family fun, working out, or having a party, they can also be very dangerous for a number of reasons. However, having security cameras at your swimming pool can make all the difference in the world. Here is a look at just how swimming pool security cameras could help you.

Supervision - You should never let younger, inexperienced children swim alone, so please don't ever let a security camera replace the watchful eye of an adult. But, as your children grow up and you do begin to trust them alone in the pool, chances are they spend a lot more time playing in the water than you do. You have other things to do, but even though they're growing up and can swim better than you can, you still want to keep an eye on them. Security cameras can help do this. If you're inside and anyone is outside at your swimming pool, you can watch a feed of what's happening via your computer or even your TV. Imagine catching up on some work from your home office and keeping an eye on your teenage daughter and her friends at the same time. This can help ease your mind and save you time.

Investigations - No swimming pool is a danger-free zone. If you watch the news, you have may have heard the story of two Boston-area toddlers who were found floating in their parents' swimming pool. The girls' mother attempted to revive them, but, unfortunately, it was too late. No one knows how the girls ended up in the swimming pool, but this pool did happen to be covered by security cameras. Police are now using that security camera footage to aid their investigation into the girls' deaths. Whenever an accident happens on your property, whether it be residential or commercial, you can be held responsible. We live in a nation of lawsuits and it seems like an accident of any kind can prompt one these days. Having security cameras at your swimming pool can show just how an accident happened in the event you do find yourself at the receiving end of a lawsuit. After all, security cameras make the best witnesses.

Prevent Crime - Last week in Bayonne, New Jersey, a teenager was arrested for trying to break into a city swimming pool. This week the city is installing four new infrared security cameras. Footage from the cameras will feed directly to the local police department. This way police will notice if anyone is trying to break into the swimming pool and possibly prevent a crime before it happens. Also, would-be criminals may think twice about committing a crime, knowing the cameras are now in place. These cameras may prevent theft, vandalism, and dozens of other potential crimes. It will also increase the safety of the other swimmers who are taking advantage of the pool during these hot summer days.

Have you already decided to install security cameras at your swimming pool? Here are a few things to consider before making the installation:

1. More than likely your cameras will be located outdoors. Make sure you choose weatherproof cameras or housing for your cameras to protect them from natural elements.

2. If your family likes to swim at night or criminals like to visit your pool at night, consider purchasing infrared or "night vision" security cameras.

3. If you have a large pool area, consider purchasing several cameras. You'll want all corners of your pool covered, including gates, fences, doors, and walls surrounding the area.

4. Don't place cameras in areas that would violate people's privacy. If you have bathrooms, showers, or changing areas at your pool, cameras should be off-limits in these locations.

5. If you need more help, consider contacting an experienced camera installer from a company such as CameraSecurityNow.com. They can help you make the right decisions about what kind of cameras to purchase, where to put them, and may even do the installation work for you.

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Courthouse Security Cameras

In January of this year, a man named Johnny Wicks lost a Social Security claim in Las Vegas. A few months later, Wicks walked into a federal courthouse in Las Vegas, pulled a gun from his jacket and began shooting, killing a court security officer and injuring a deputy United States marshal. Wicks was chased, shot, and killed outside of the courthouse by federal marshals and law enforcement agencies were able to take surveillance video from the building to check to be sure he was the only gunman.

Disturbances like this are not a daily occurrence in courthouses, but they certainly do happen, and often times, they are very violent and even deadly. Tensions are high in court and this can often lead to disruptions, fights, and even in some cases, shootings. This is one reason why placing security cameras in your courthouse is absolutely necessary.

Courthouse Security Cameras have been known to:

-Prevent Violence: When a would-be criminal knows they are being watched by security cameras, they are less likely to commit a criminal act.

- Protect Employees: When an incident such as the shooting mentioned above does occur, courthouse employees are usually the first ones to get hurt. From judges to security staff, there have been any number of incidents that involve courthouse employees being injured or killed and if security cameras are being monitored, sometimes violence can be prevented.

- Provide Evidence: In the event your courthouse does host violence or other criminal activity, when security cameras are rolling, they are more-than-likely recording footage of the incident(s). This footage can be used, not only for law enforcement to release pictures and videos to the media, in an effort to catch a suspect, but in court to prove the suspect actually committed the crime.

If you are planning to install security cameras in your courthouse and need some help deciding where to put them, there are a few things to keep in mind. Check out the tips below before having your cameras installed:

- Place cameras where you don't already have security. If you already have other security measures in place, such as security officers or guards, place your cameras in areas where those measures aren't as effective.

- Have you had past incidents in your courthouse? Do they occur in certain areas? Are your courtrooms often subject to violence or maybe you have a courtyard area that is often subject to vandalism? These are areas that definitely require security cameras.

- Placing cameras at all exits and entrances is a great idea because you are able to capture images of anyone who enters and leaves your courthouse.

- Lobbies, hallways, and other areas where many people may gather at once usually attract violence because of the sheer number of people around. Criminals can blend in or inflict harm on many people at once.

- Cameras inside the courtroom are also a must. Tensions are high and people often learn their life's fate in these rooms. No one knows how someone could react to that news.

- Cameras should be placed outside your courthouse, as well as inside. Disputes often happen outside a courthouse where two opposing parties may confront one another. Also, vandalism can be a problem in parking lots, courtyards, rest areas, and any other area outside your courthouse.
Check out these related stories:
1. Nevada Security Cameras
2. Government Security Cameras

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Illegal Activity Caught On Camera in Colorado

The Police Department in Trinidad, Colorado is putting city security cameras to good use. Recently, they caught four young people on video, participating in illegal behavior at the city skate park. Last week, the kids were caught smoking marijuana in the park on Sunday night. The incident was caught by a dispatcher who just happened to be monitoring the camera. An officer was sent to the scene and citations were issued.

Trinidad Police Chief Charles Glorioso had high praise for the surveillance technology. He told the Trinidad Times, "That’s the whole reason we put (the camera) there, trying to keep the park clean and safe. But, apparently the kids - maybe they don’t believe the technology is as good as it is. We can really zoom in and see faces and identify people with them.”

Not only is the park's camera in plain sight, but it has a sign underneath it which lets people know the park is under surveillance. Even so, the drug-related incident was just the most recent in a line of issues that have plagued the city and were caught on camera. In may, a young person was caught on camera vandalizing the park with graffiti and was charged a fine, given six months of probation, and made to serve 48 hours of community service. In June, 23-, 18-, 17-, and 14- year olds were caught in 36 various graffiti incidents. The vandals will be assisting the city's Graffiti Removal Task Force with cleaning up the town's vandalized property.

Glorioso said people should be more aware of the cameras, which are often monitored by dispatchers, "That whole park is monitored, and I want to let them know what dispatch has the capability of accessing that camera and zooming in...a lot of dispatchers use the cameras on their downtime. It’s like having extra officers out there patrolling."

Cameras are located at the intersection of Main Street and Nevada Avenue, Cimino Park, Miners Memorial Park, and Central Park are also minored by the Trinidad Police Department, in addition to the one at the skate park.

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Keep Your Construction Site Safe with Security Cameras

If you work in the construction business, you know theft can be a problem. It is estimated that nearly one billion dollars worth of construction equipment and materials is stolen each year. Without taking proper security measures, this number will continue to rise. Losing materials and equipment can delay your project, raise your insurance rates, and ruin your company's reputation. Fortunately, there is something you can do help protect your business: Construction Site Security Cameras.

Construction Site surveillance is a great option for resolving a number of issues, including theft and vandalism. In the long run, it can save you time and money, and make your company even more efficient. If your construction sites often fall victim to theft or vandalism, a security camera can help you catch the criminals who are causing you harm, as well as offer an idea as to how they are gaining access to your site and what you can do to stop this from happening again in the future. Not only that, but having cameras in place, constantly monitoring what's going on at your construction site can help settle disputes, monitor employees, and be used as the perfect witness in the event you find yourself in legal trouble.

If you've decided to purchase or install a video surveillance system, there are some things you should keep in mind. Here is a quick checklist for you to think about before making your purchase or having your cameras installed.

1. Consider a weatherproof security camera. Cameras that are keeping watch over construction sites are often placed outdoors. Rain, hail, wind, lightning and other damaging weather can do a number on your cameras if you choose the wrong type.

2. Keep cameras out of areas that could be damage by your machinery. Cameras are pretty resilient but they are no match for a bulldozer or other heavy equipment. Make sure you cameras are placed in areas where your machinery won't cause them any harm.

3. Place cameras in areas that are most vulnerable to crime. Do you have a certain area at your site that has suffered from vandalism or theft in the past? Is there an area that is vulnerable due to its location or openness? You'll want to consider putting cameras in these areas first.

4. Was there ever an incident that wasn't necessarily criminal but that you wish you could have caught on video? Maybe you had employees goofing off, maybe you had an inspector lie about something he or she saw. Consider these areas to be a high priority for placing cameras.

5. Do you already have some type of security? Maybe actual security personnel or some type of fence that would be nearly impossible for a criminal to get past. If so, these areas may not be first on your list to receive camera placements.

6. Do you leave supplies that would be easy to steal unattended overnight? If so, these supplies need to be monitored. Lumber, steel, and other raw materials can be very expensive to replace and can seriously delay your project.

7. What type of area is your construction site located in? Is it in a small rural residential area or a large suburban area? Be aware of the crime rates in your area. If your construction site is in a note so nice part of town, consider placing cameras around the entire perimeter to detect any and all intruders.

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Would Security Cameras Prevent Park Vandalism?

Legion Pool, located on Chatfield Street in Seymour, Connecticut, has been described as a "tranquil" place, where citizens can go to feed the fish. Unfortunately, that all changed on Monday.

On April 12, vandals struck the park, destroying the fish food vending machine, stealing money, destroying benches, throwing debris in the water, breaking steps, and bending park signs. According to Alex Danka, the Seymour Land Trust Vice President, some of the benches that were destroyed contained memorial plaques people had purchased to remember their late loved ones.

The vandals caused about $1,500 in damages.

"Enough is enough. Over the past few years, we have spent so much time fixing up the park for people, and these vandals find it funny to destroy it. Last year, we caught a few of the individuals and had them do community service. But this time, I will not be so lenient. The police have a standing order to arrest anyone caught vandalizing the park. These individuals will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and they will face a judge for their reckless actions,” Danka told the New Haven Register.

Danka also said he feels the time has come to purchase a security camera with Land Trust money, due to the fact that the area can't be monitored 24/7 with human eyes, "I will have no choice but to spend Land Trust money to buy a security camera for the park, with the online ability to watch from home with motion sensors." He also added that the police can't be at the park all the time.

He's right. Having constant police or human monitors at the park is time-consuming, expensive, and ultimately unrealistic. But a quality security camera could be the answer. If would-be vandals know they are being filmed, they are less likely to commit a crime. The mere presence of a camera could be just the deterrent the park needs. And in case the crime is committed, the camera will not only allow Danka and other officials to monitor it from any computer, but police will have video of the criminals, which they can use to release to the media in an effort to identify any suspects.

Despite his frustration, Danka said the park will continue to thrive and refuses to let a few criminals spoil the area for everyone. He's also asking for volunteers to help monitor the park until they can get a camera in place. If you have any information that may lead authorities to the suspects or would like to donate to help purchase a camera for the park, call 203-881-3400 or 203-464-4345. If you'd like to get a quote on a quality security camera, call 877-422-1907 or visit www.camerasecuritynow.com.

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Security Cameras for Farms

If you own a farm, you know security is very important. The addition of a surveillance camera system can be an important addition to your farm's security. Quality cameras will help keep things running smoothly by reducing the chances for any kind of tampering or contamination, and keeping your animals, equipment, and property safe among other things.

Farm Security Cameras have so many benefits! When you own a farming business, you must keep everything safe and clean because people depend on your products to survive. Security cameras will help you keep everything safe and secure. For example, a surveillance system can help protect your water supply, one of the most sensitive areas on your farm. Without water, your plants or animals will not survive and if water becomes contaminated, it could be a disaster for your business.

Cameras can monitor for intruders and prevent would-be break-ins. Strategically placed cameras monitor any possible points of entry for criminals, wishing to harm your farm. Not only will the sight of a camera potentially deter the criminal, but if someone does intrude on your property, you'll have images of that person you can present to police or local media, in an effort to see justice served. This way, you can keep your animals, products, and property safe.

If you want to keep an eye on your farms' day-to-day operations, but you can't be around to do so, security cameras can help you do that too. Be sure your cows are being milked or your pigs or getting their feed, or make sure your crops are getting appropriate water without even stepping a foot outside. Also, you can monitor farm employees to be sure they are making the right decisions and doing their jobs.

When installing your farm surveillance systems, there are a few things to keep in mind. First of all, you'll want to be sure your cameras are weather-proof. Some cameras can not handle the varying temperatures and weather condition. Also, farm cameras can be subject to vandalism themselves due to their remote location. You'll want to place your cameras in tamper-proof housing when you feel it's necessary.

If you decide to place security cameras on your farm, you'll want to be mindful of where you place them. Cameras at gates or fences where animals have the potential to escape will allow you to keep an eye on that area and prevent an escape from happening. Cameras at driveways allow you to keep track of who is entering your property and of course if you've had any criminal issues in the past, you'll want to install cameras in those areas as they are susceptible to more wrong-doing.

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Six Tips for Choosing the Right Security Cameras

There are so many different types of security cameras out there and choosing one can be difficult. Below are six tips that can help you decide what types of camera you need.

1. Look at your floor plan. How far do you need your camera to be able cover? You want to put your camera as close to your target surveillance area as possible. This will then determine how much zoom you need in your lens: 4mm, 8mm, 12mm, or something more.

2. What is your field of view or area of surveillance? How wide is your viewing area? Do you need an angle or fisheeye lens? This Field of View Calculator can help you determine that.

3. What sort of resolution do you need? Are you wanting to catch a person's face or a license plate. How much detail you are hoping to capture will determine what quality of camera you need and where your camera will need to be placed.

4. Is there a potential for vandalism? Security cameras are often prey for vandals because no one wants to be caught on camera. Also, the weather and other environmental factors can affect your camera. Do you need protective housing or a vandal-resistant camera for these reasons?

5. What's the lighting like? Are you putting your camera in a well-lit area or is the lighting poor? Maybe the area is outdoors and lighting is unpredictable. In this case, you may need an infrared or low light camera.

6. How much are you willing to spend? You probably have a budget and that's okay, but keep in mind the more you're willing to spend, the better system of cameras you'll get. But also keep in mind that any camera, even a relatively inexpensive one, is better than no camera at all.

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Arkansas High School Improves Security with Cameras

Schools are some of the most common places for security cameras. Keeping our children safe is more important than anything else in the world. And one school in Corning, Arkansas has learned that lesson well.

In November, Corning High School found three different bomb threats written on a boy's bathroom wall...all in one week. Unfortunately, no one has been charged but law enforcement is still investigating. Fortunately, a week before the bomb threats, cameras were installed in the schools and according School Resource Officer Dwight Brown, have been a helping with the investigation and with other problems.

"Cameras are really a big help," he told a local news station. "You can definitely see a big difference. Last year when we didn't have them you had a lot of people roaming the halls."

Even students agree the school is safer with the added cameras. "They find stuff that some people can't find as if there was a discipline problem and nobody saw it they could find it on the cameras," one eighth grader said.

And a senior in the school said, "We've had vandalism problems in the past and since they show the outside we can really use them."

One teacher said he's noticed less graffiti in the bathrooms and outside the school. Students don't know where all the cameras are located, but for the most part, most of them say they aren't worried about it because they aren't doing anything wrong. One school official says the cameras have helped with "he said, she said" incidents because teachers and administrators now have that information on video.

The cameras aren't just on the high school campus. Two elementary schools have cameras as well. And all of the buses in the district have added cameras too, which has helped take the pressure off of drivers, so they can spend more time driving kids to and from school and less time worrying about who is doing what.

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Oakland Schools Get 750 Security Cameras

It'll soon be harder for delinquent students and would be-criminals to get away with committing a crime in the Oakland School System. At least that's what the school district hopes. A high-powered security system with at least 750 cameras is being implemented in 30 middle schools and high schools in the city. The cameras are supposed to be installed by August 2011.

The district hopes the cameras will cause a reduction in crimes such as defacing of property, and even keep students from cutting class. The camera footage will be linked so that Oakland police and authorized school district staff members can sign in and view it at any time online, even giving them the ability to zoom in if needed. A spokesman for the district said you can see something as small as the insignia on a shoe when the high-quality cameras zoom in.

The high-tech surveillance system will cost about $3 million; half is being paid by the school district and half is coming from a grant from the Department of Justice. According to Michael Moore, Sr., the district's director of procurement, the money had already been set aside for security purposes.

The cameras will be located both inside and outside the schools. They'll watch what's happening in the hallways, gymnasiums, and in the parking lots and streets surrounding the schools. However, they will not be installed in classrooms or bathrooms. Urban Promise Academy principal Mark Triplett said he thinks the cameras are a "great idea." He also said that while he already uses cameras to monitor who comes and goes from the school after-hours, the quality is grainy and unclear. Triplett's middle school is not on the list of schools where cameras will be installed but he says he'd like to see to it that they are.

The first school to receive the cameras was Oakland Technical High School in North Oakland. They were installed there last week. Fred Trotter, the head security officer at the school, has already used the cameras to identify three different students on three separate occasions. One was using illegal drugs on campus, another had a weapon, and another one was defacing school property with graffiti. As word about the cameras spread amongst the student body, it is likely that crime will decrease.

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Libraries Need Security Cameras, Too!

The Austin, Texas City Council is taking security at the Austin Public Library seriously these days. On the Monday before Christmas, they voted to approve nearly $12,000 of city contingency funds to go towards new security cameras for the building.

The library already has four cameras in place and director Ann Hokanson says the system allows library staff to identify people who might be causing problems. She also believes they deter other would-be troublemakers.

While theft and vandalism are not a huge problem at the Austin Public library, they do occur and can be very troublesome to staff and patrons. For example, in June of 2009, a 3x2 antique map from the 1800's was stolen from a wall above a drinking fountain in the library and no one has been caught in the case. More cameras inside and around the building could prevent future thefts or help authorities catch anyone who decides to commit a crime in the future.

Hokanson says confrontations inside the library's computer lab can also be a problem, as well as bicycle theft and other incidents outside. "We get an incident report maybe once a month or two. Probably the most disturbing of the incidents was some hateful vandalism on one of our employee's cars," she said, referring to an incident where a library employee's car had vulgar language scratched onto it, along with having the mirrors broken.

As an editorial in the Austin Post-Bulletin points out, "If there's one place where kids and adults should be able to go without fear, it's the library."

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Security Cameras Catch Car Dealership Vandal

There are any number of reasons for Car Dealerships to have quality security camera systems in place and one of the main ones is vandalism. A few dealerships in South Burlington, Vermont recently learned the benefits of security cameras the hard way.

Throughout October and November of this year, police received complaints from five various car dealers regarding the shooting out of windows of cars in their lots. A total of 45 cars received over $21,000 worth of damage.

Finally, a security camera at Shearer Chevrolet caught some suspicious activity involving pickup trucks and employees took the investigation into their own hands.

"On one occasion the person involved in the shootings drove in in a vehicle with a company logo on the side -towing a specialized trailer behind him. We showed these particular pictures to local businessmen - people in the trade and they helped us identify the individual," Steve Dinco, a sales manager at Shearer Chevrolet told WCAX.

Police were able to track down the owner of the trucks. They arrested his 23-year-old son, Jay Stewart Jr., who in turn, confessed to the shootings. Police did not release a motive in the shootings, but Stewart will appear in court in February. Thanks to quality security cameras, the case was easily handled and wrapped up neatly by dealership employees and local police officers.

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Even Churches Need Security Cameras

Last month, in East Point, Georgia, the First Mallalieu United Methodist Church caught on fire. No one was hurt in the fire and the church didn't burn to the ground but it did receive some damage. According to investigators from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Point police and fire departments and the Georgia Fire Safety Commissioner's office, the fire was an arson, set by an unknown man.

"We found evidence of accelerant both inside and outside the church. The person broke out two window panes to the sanctuary," said John Oxendine who oversees the Georgia state fire marshal's office.

But something else led authorities to seek the man responsible: security cameras. The church's surveillance system caught video of a man dressed in glasses and a black jacket, carrying what looked to be a gas can on church grounds. Authorities have released still photos of the man to the media, in hopes that someone will identify him and an arrest can be made. The Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the man.

This just proves that security is important in all public places. While most people may not think of a church as a place that needs security cameras, any public place where large crowds gather can be a target of crime. And as with any place, there are important things to remember when you set up your church security cameras.

You'll want to map out your church and figure out where, both inside and outside your building, you'd like to monitor. Entrances and exits are important because anyone who comes along to vandalize your building or harm your members is going to have to enter and exit somewhere. Placing cameras pointed at doors so they can get a good look at the faces of each person who enters the building is a safe practice for any business.

Does your church have a daycare center or nursery that needs to be monitored at all times? Maybe you have an outdoors area such as a playground or athletic field. Keeping children safe should be a top priority. Parents trust that when they live their children with a church, they will receive only the best care.

Outdoor areas can also be big attractions for vandals. Vandalism is on the rise with many churches. Often times, it is the result of religious hostility from people who do not agree with that particular church's faith. For example, at a Christian church near Peoria Illinois (a historic building, dating back to 1845), vandals spray painted an entire wall with satanic symbols.

There are other ways to keep your church safe. Be friendly with church neighbors so that they might keep an eye out for your property when it's empty. Make sure you know local law enforcement and stay in touch with them. Also make sure law enforcement is called immediately in the case you do have a problem on your hands. And of course, make sure your surveillance cameras are properly placed, up-to-date, and working properly.

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School CCTV Catches Vandals

In Albuquerque, New Mexico four students were caught vandalizing Polk Middle School. The police were able to arrest and charge the vandals thanks to the help of a CCTV camera that was being monitored by the Public Schools security personnel.

The 4 vandals were reported climbing on top of the roof and knocking out one of the security cameras just after 7 p.m. Luckily the school had a second CCTV camera to catch the vandals who were reported to have caused $5000 worth of damage.