University of Reading has reduced crime on campus thanks to CCTV dome cameras from Vicon
From burglars to car thieves and vagrants, universities tend to attract just about every kind of criminal activity. Securing a university, however, is no easy task. A university campus is very much like a town centre in that it's an open environment where people need to be able to come and go freely, so security has to be subtle. This is where CCTV cameras come in. University of Reading, one of the most research-intensive universities in the UK, has found video surveillance to be an effective way of detecting and deterring crime without disrupting life for its 15,000 students and 4,000 staff.
In 2002, University of Reading embarked on a major project to install security cameras throughout its three campuses, all of which are within 10 minutes of Reading town centre. Today, more than 230 cameras cover the beautiful 320-acre Whiteknights parkland campus and the campuses at Bulmershe Court and London Road.
Besides 180 fixed cameras, more than 50 CCTV dome cameras from Vicon have been installed throughout the university. The Vicon domes cover the main entrances to university halls of residence as well as areas the university has pinpointed as "high risk" such as academic buildings which house expensive IT equipment.
Mark Hughes, Head of Campus Services at University of Reading, says the domes have had a huge impact on crime. "We identified various crime hotspots across the university and introduced a number of security measures which included CCTV," says Mark. "For instance, a combination of CCTV, extra lighting and bars on windows at some of our halls of residence has virtually knocked dwelling crime on the head."
Some of Vicon's dome cameras have also been installed in campus car parks and have helped University of Reading to halve vehicle crime, according to Mark. Vehicle crime had previously been a major problem for the university, with around 4,000 vehicles passes through University of Reading's Whiteknights campus every weekday. "CCTV, along with better lighting and regular security patrols, has significantly reduced car park crime," says Mark.
Mark says the university chose Vicon domes over static or pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) cameras for high security areas because of the speed and discreet appearance of the domes. He says: "The thief cannot tell which way the domes are pointing. If movement is detected, the cameras can turn 360 degrees in a split second." Mark has also been impressed with the Vicon domes' ability to capture clear video images in low light, which is vital for nighttime surveillance of the university's campuses.
All video images from the domes are transmitted back to University of Reading's 24-hour security office. The images are controlled and managed by a Vicon matrix and recorded onto 33 DM Sprite digital video recorders.
Security officers inside the university's security office monitor pictures from CCTV cameras round the clock. The officers' ability to detect incidents is enhanced by the Redwall Passive Infrared (PIR) detectors positioned near to Vicon domes at various locations within the university. The PIR detectors automatically detect movement and activate the nearby domes to monitor the area concerned.
ADT Fire and Security, which has installed all of the university's CCTV and security systems, will be installing more Vicon domes in the near future. "We have a rolling programme to install Vicon domes throughout the university," says Mark. "It's a very open campus and there are still large areas of the campus not yet covered."
The University of Reading, whose educational heritage dates back to the end of the 19th century, looks set to build on its already impressive CCTV heritage in the years ahead.
