It is a positive example of the way that the latest networked digital CCTV technology can be applied, successfully, to protect large scale and diverse campus environments.

Already a number of educational establishments have expressed an interest in following De Montfort's lead after visiting its new state-of-the-art CCTV control room - at the heart of the scheme - to witness the solution in action.

DM Fusion installer Security Design Services has been a key driving force behind this large-scale project, working in conjunction with the Estate Services and Security team at De Montfort, to create and install a CCTV solution which meets their current and future security demands.

Key elements of the ambitious scheme include the linking back, over fibre, of 21 geographically dispersed campus buildings - using a number of Digital Sprite 2 DVRs (Digital Video Recorders) from Dedicated Micros and the associated user-friendly NetVu ObserVer GUI (Graphic User Interface) - to a new control room in the Estates Services and Security building at the Leicester campus. Additionally, Security Design Services has installed (26) smaller ECO4 DVRs to link-back 26 lifts at various locations across the campus, over the network, and has also started a rolling upgrade programme of existing CCTV cameras by fitting the latest Dennard 2060 and 2040 dome cameras - including those at the multi-million pound Kimberlin Library - for both internal and external monitoring.

Taking a Seamless Approach

Commented Steve Critchlow, General Manager, Security Design Services "We are extremely pleased with the positive response to the work we have already undertaken at De Montfort. The project was initiated back in May 2007 and from the start it was decided to adopt a Dedicated Micros solution to deliver the key elements of the project. Crucially, going down the NetVu Connected route has allowed us to put the Estate Services and Security team in a position to monitor CCTV cameras across the campus by removing the legacy - and disparate - monitoring systems sourced from multiple suppliers."

Mr Critchlow is enthusiastic about the new CCTV infrastructure at

DeMontfort: "It is definitely a more practical proposition than what was in place before in terms of operation and maintenance, especially given the reputation which systems from Dedicated Micros have for long-term reliability and ease of use. Moving forward, the Estate Services and Security team can now tap into a much more capable seamless NetVu Connected solution."

Remote Control

The potential for remote viewing and centralized control is undoubtedly a key benefit for De Montfort, supported by the ability to readily call-up and distribute networked video footage, and, crucially, to provide a fast response to incidents wherever they might occur on the campus.

Mr Critchlow underlines the benefits of connecting all of the CCTV elements together as opposed to local review: "Previously each building on campus had its own individual closed system so security staff would have to leave the security offices and physically go to the building that had called in an alert and then if the incident was over they would have to check through the video footage to find out about the incident. Now they can do this remotely from the control room and direct security officers or, if required, the police to an incident."

In terms of the rationale for installing CCTV cameras in lifts and the associated ECO4 DVRs across the campus, said Critchlow: "Having CCTV in place provides vital reassurance during breakdowns and safety and protection for staff and students. Should an incident occur the images can provide valuable information in terms of who is actually in a particular lift and in the event of an emergency their condition."

The NetVu Connected solution developed by DM Fusion installer Security Design Services has been designed with the future demands of the University in mind so it can be easily scaled-up with new cameras or DVRs dropped-in with minimum disruption to day-to-day operations. Other security elements can also be integrated into the solution and already the CCTV cameras act as a backup for the existing access control system.

End User Benefits

So what are the thoughts of the security team at De Montfort University regarding the extensive CCTV upgrade undertaken by Security Design Services?

Morgan Lloyd (Security Team Leader) who is responsible for control room operations at De Montfort was a keen supporter of the upgrade process from the

start: "I could appreciate from talking to Steve at Security Design Services that the networked CCTV was going to make our lives much easier, especially having a centralized system. No longer are we going to have to go through the laborious process of producing multiple incident DVDs from individual buildings and different systems, some of which had incompatible software making it hard to produce a DVD with a coherent timeline. Now the NetVu Connected system can follow an incident right across campus, with one DVD holding the whole incident from start to finish.

"With remote monitoring and compatibility between the various NetVu Connected elements, we are able to respond faster to situations as they develop. We can take centralised, proportionate, action to; for example, call out the police if we see a serious incident in progress rather than sending-in University security staff to access the situation on the ground.

Where necessary we are now also in a position to supply first generation recordings to the police for evidential purposes."

Specific Issues

In specifying the CCTV solution for De Montfort, Steve Critchlow's team at Security Design Services had to take account of a number of issues on the ground, considerations which are typical of a campus situated in a busy urban environment. Like most universities De Montfort consists of numerous buildings

- such as the Library and Campus Centre - as well as having a main public road running right through its Leicester site.

According to Mr Critchlow: "At the start of the process when we were discussing the CCTV infrastructure with De Montfort it was clear that the key security challenges included: student and public safety on campus - potential assaults, the security of the adjacent car parks, prevention of damage to buildings or other property such as graffiti, burglary and personal theft and potential traffic accidents. This all had an impact on the positioning of cameras - the lifts being a case in point - and number of DVRs required. "In addition, as De Montfort is a centre for research, which of course is a very profitable source of income for the University, ensuring that this isn't stolen is very much a part of campus security."

Planning for the Future

The CCTV upgrade is part of a wider University plan as Kevin Burrows, Head of Security at De Montfort explained: "This is a pivotal element of a five year security plan to have cutting edge solutions in place to meet our future needs. Crucially, the new CCTV solution removes compatibility problems associated with the older disparate systems, so maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations. It is an ongoing process so, for example, as old camera equipment fails new Dennard dome cameras are being added to replace them, integrating everything back to the new control room."

"At the end of the day we want to make De Montfort University as safe a place to work and study as possible for all our staff and students. That is what our security strategy is all about. We aim to be proactive in how we manage security on campus with our main objective being to prevent incidents and, where necessary, to be in a position to intervene at the earliest possible stage to prevent any escalation."

Mr Burrows has certainly been impressed with the capabilities of the networked digital solution: "The flexibility and ease of use of the NetVu ObserVer software which allows the viewing and management of all our CCTV cameras from one location is extremely good. The new NetVu Connected infrastructure does everything we could have hoped for in terms of surveillance. Certainly given the investment it was important that we were able to get it right first time and I have to say that the help and support of Steve and his team at Security Design Services has been outstanding."

DM Fusion Success

The CCTV upgrade scheme's success at De Montfort can also be attributed to Security Design Services in-depth understanding of the NetVu Connected systems, provided by manufacturer Dedicated Micros, and how they can best be applied. The company is a founder member and active participant in the DM Fusion partnership programme - www.dmfusion.net - which is designed to deliver enhanced technical back-up and training to key security installers across the UK. Carol Cope, Partnership Manager at Dedicated Micros, who runs the scheme, is delighted with Security Design Services efforts: "It is good to see Security Design Services as a DM Fusion member involved in such an ambitious project and we welcome the positive comments from De Montfort regarding the benefits of the NetVu Connected solution based around CCTV systems from Dedicated Micros. More and more we are finding that large scale sites - including schools, colleges and universities - are adopting this seamless approach to satisfy their future security demands."

For more information on Dedicated Micros please contact Customer Services on

Tel: 0845 600 9501 or log on to www.dedicatedmicros.com.

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