Security Systems

Sony Network Security Cameras Keep Watchful Eye Over Newport News

PARK RIDGE, N.J., April 17, 2009 - The City of Newport News, Va. is installing a series of Sony video surveillance systems using more than 850 IP network security cameras that will cover virtually every public facility in the city. According to the city, the security system consists mainly of Sony's SNC-DF40 mini-dome cameras, as well as SNC-DF70 mini-domes and SNC-RZ25N pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras.

When complete, the system will be used by multiple organizations including the police department, schools and the department of public works. According to Convergint Technologies, the Chicago-based systems integrator that designed the system, the new surveillance network is divided into three independently operated systems that can be interconnected during emergencies.

Donald Green, supervisor of security for Newport News Public Schools, said that the city's move to IP surveillance follows the successful transition from an analog CCTV system at a local school to an IP network security system in late 2006.

"The pilot program at Warwick High School was so successful that we decided to expand the security system to cover the 15 middle schools and high schools in the district, with a total enrollment more than 15,000 students," said Green. "Since the system was built on an IP network and that backbone already existed at many of the locations where we wanted to install additional cameras, scalability was less of challenge than it would have been previously."

According to Newport News Police Department Assistant Chief Dawn Barber, this flexibility along with the cameras' versatile capabilities were among the key factors that led the city's police department to deploy Sony IP network security cameras along a one-mile "hot spot" that needed additional police presence. She noted that by using the SNC-RZ25N camera's 340-degree PTZ capabilities, officers could keep a 24-hour watch on the high-crime region without actually maintaining a physical presence in the area.

"Whether the need arises to monitor a single incident or we need to share resources across multiple agencies during an emergency event, we are confident that we are in a much stronger position to protect the community," said Barber. "Just as important, since the new system is IP-addressable, we aren't limited to monitoring from single locations as with the old hard-wired CCTV system.

"Now, we have the tactical freedom of being able to watch all the cameras from any location on the network."

For the department of public works, Security Director Sabastian Velilla managed the roll-out in libraries, parks, and municipal buildings, including City Hall. According to Veililla, his department will use the cameras to monitor the city's infrastructure including locations such as reservoirs, roads, parks and other important sites.

"The Sony cameras have already proved to be invaluable to the city's day-to-day operations," added Velilla. "Based on initial performance, we plan to continue to expand the network to many more high-value locations across the city."

To learn more about Sony's IP-based network security products visit Sony online at sony.com/security.