As an EP professional, you have to be familiar with CCTV services, and also know how to use them to their full potential. But what if you’ve never dabbled in monitoring before? What if you already know a thing or two and you want to learn more?
Whatever’s on your mind, don’t worry, we’re here to help. We’ll take you through all the basics, explain the different types of CCTV, and show you how to improve your monitoring skills. Without further ado, let’s get right into it.
Why Do You Need to Know About CCTV Services?
Well, the answer to the question is pretty simple — because it’s your job. It doesn’t matter if you’re a security guard or officer, if you work on residential or commercial properties, or if you’re someone’s personal bodyguard.
Chances are, if you’re in the EP industry you’ll probably have to do some CCTV surveillance at one point or another. You also have to know all the different types of CCTV services that exist, so you can apply different tactics for different scenarios.
What Is CCTV and How It Works
Before we get into the more technical stuff, we first wanted to give some insight into what CCTV even is and how it works. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) is a surveillance system that allows you to see everything that’s going on outside.
The fact that it’s a closed circuit system means that the feed is only broadcast to a specific number of monitors. It can’t be publicly shared or broadcast to a huge audience.
CCTV has been around for decades, and it’s most commonly used to detect and deter criminal activity, but it has other uses. Usually, CCTV cameras are installed outdoors, to record an entire property, and ensure perimeter security. However, sometimes, they can be indoors, and cover lobbies, entrances, and IT rooms.
Types of CCTV Cameras
Another really important part of providing CCTV services is figuring out exactly which type of camera you should use. The most popular ones include:
- Dome
- Bullet
- Pan, Tilt & Zoom
- Infrared
- C-Mount
- Wireless
- HD
We’ll cover them all briefly so that if you’re in charge of picking out a surveillance system, you at least know the basics.
For starters, dome cameras can be used indoors and outdoors, they have pretty strong cases, and they can monitor a wide-angle. Bullet cameras are highly visible, are glare and rain-resistant, and are the best choice for property management.
Pan, tilt & zoom cameras are ideal for remote viewing because they have an optical zoom, and provide a 360° field of view. Infrared cameras, as you can probably guess, are perfect for filming poorly-lit environments.
Then, there are C-mount cams which are best for filming long stretches of roads and driveways. Wireless CCTV cameras are usually pretty discrete, easily blend into the environment, and can be easily installed. Lastly, we have HD cameras that are an amazing choice for properties that are at a high risk of theft. They can record faces in great detail and help you identify any criminal.
Improving Security With CCTV
As we mentioned, one of the most basic and common CCTV services has got to be security. First off, the mere presence of a camera is enough to scare off most thieves. Most people know that if they somehow tamper with them, you’ll still be able to see all the footage in the cloud or DVR.
So even if a thief completely destroys a camera, you’ll still be able to see exactly who they were and what they did. Not only that, but you’ll also have the exact time, date, and location, which are all often invaluable.
In addition to warding off criminals, a CCTV camera will let you monitor everything that’s going on the property. You can keep tabs on delivery drivers, people going in and out, and always stay up-to-date.
CCTV cameras also help when it comes to resolving disputes among neighbors, property owners, and customers. That’s especially important if you’re in commercial security where disagreements happen all the time.
By having a video recording of what happened, you won’t have to take anyone’s word for it. Instead, you can immediately address the situation and resolve any conflict quickly.
Other CCTV Applications
In addition to security, CCTV has a ton of real-life applications, which can be beyond helpful. For one, high-resolution cameras along with some state-of-the-art software, allow you to read someone’s facial expressions. You can see if they’re feeling anxious, nervous, angry, which can help you assess a situation and respond to it much better.
Also, they can help you monitor people with some medical conditions, and spot if they’re feeling unwell or about to have an attack.
Another pretty big CCTV application is that you can record crowd activity, and respond to anti-social behavior. A trained eye can even spot if someone is feeling suicidal, which is key when it comes to prevention.
CCTV Training Courses
A lot of the CCTV services that we’ve mentioned so far require quite a bit of training. You can’t just walk into a monitor room, and expect to know how to analyze the footage. That takes a lot of time and knowledge.
Luckily, there are a ton of courses that you can take both online and in-person. These will help you learn everything there is about monitoring CCTV. You can study CCTV design, implementation, installation, and so much more. If you’re looking to get into the EP world, all of this knowledge will be invaluable.
To Sum up
Understanding how CCTV works and being able to analyze footage is an awesome skill that you shouldn’t be without. No matter what your assignment is, knowing the basics of video monitoring and surveillance can help your career in unimaginable ways.
But before you get into the more technical and complicated stuff, start with the basics first. Understand the differences between the types of cameras and what their best uses are. Then, by the time you get into designing surveillance systems, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an industry pro. You’ll also be more than ready to provide comprehensive CCTV services and delight your clients.
If you have any suggestions for fellow EP professionals or any questions for us, leave a comment down below. And if you want to always be on top of the EP industry, subscribe to our newsletter for news and updates.
