Video Surveillance Uses by Rail Transit Agencies (2011) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 36-45
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From page 36... ...
DECIDING WHERE TO INSTALL VIDEO SURVEILLANCE The use of surveillance in the United States is not as widespread as it is in the United Kingdom, but it has been steadily expanding. It is not unusual for newspaper readers around the nation to see stories about their cities increasing their reliance on cameras for a number of crime prevention efforts.
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TABLE 8 MOST/LEAST IMPORTANT REASONS FOR EQUIPPING RAILCARS WITH VIDEO SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY Reason Most Important Least Important High disorder/crime rate 1 2 Local demands/politics 2 4 Enhance perceived customer safety 4 0 Funds available to retrofit existing railcars 2 2 New railcars equipped at purchase 2 3 Other (none specified) 0 0 Although only a small number of transit systems indicated that politics played a role in installation of surveillance cameras, a number of major cities' mayors have been vocal in their support of video surveillance throughout their cit
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From page 38... ...
Although its size and the age of the system combine to make NYCT unrepresentative of transit agencies, its experiences are instructive of problems that can occur, albeit on a smaller scale, for all transit systems. In April 2009, the MTA, which oversees the NYCT, was sued by its video surveillance contractor, Lockheed Martin.
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From page 39... ...
TABLE 9 SOURCE OF 50%/ALL VIDEO SURVEILLANCE FUNDING Source of Funds for Video Surveillance System 50% or More All Funds FTA Grant Program 11 2 DHS 10 4 State Grants 1 1 Municipal Grants 0 0 Agency Funding 1 0 Vendor Funding/Grant 0 0 Other 0 0 Because agencies were promised anonymity, analysis of the table is general. The two agencies that received 100% of their funds from FTA are recently opened systems.
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The two major reasons for employing video surveillance monitoring of locations were for crime/vandalism prevention and accident investigation. Respondents could select as many or as few of the choices that pertained to their agency (Table 10)
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. TABLE 14 VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM SPECIAL FEATURES Special Feature No.
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From page 42... ...
Smart video is also a large component of the National Capital Region Rail Pilot Program involving Amtrak, as discussed in Chapter three. The use of analytics is also a feature of the surveillance systems of two case study agencies, Metro Transit and Valley Metro (see chapter five)
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From page 43... ...
. As with the use of surveillance cameras along the ROW and of sensors in conjunction with existing or upgraded video surveillance networks, analytics is a relatively new technology that will undoubtedly receive more attention from transit agencies as it becomes more readily available and as funds become available for additional research and purchase.
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From page 44... ...
In addition to meeting legal or regulatory obligations to provide signage or other notification, such as periodic announcements on the use of video, signage indicating the presence of video surveillance has been seen by many agencies as a way to enhance patron's perception of safety and security. In providing examples of the signage used by a number of transit agencies, Maier and Malone (2001)
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From page 45... ...
Only nine agencies had measured employee perceptions of security since the installation of video surveillance technology. Similar to patrons, some employees have worked where such equipment has always existed, which would make it difficult to determine how effective a measure it is of their feelings of security at their work sites or, on the other hand, whether they believe it is there solely to monitor their productivity or adherence to work rules.
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