County of Santa Cruz, CA Catches Intruder
Video Surveillance of Pump Station Provides Needed Evidence
Santa Cruz County is located on the California coast, at the north end of Monterey Bay. It is situated 65 miles south of San Francisco and 35 miles north of Monterey. It is popular tourist destination for those who enjoy its natural beaches, redwood forests, and scenic drives. Santa Cruz County enjoys a Mediterranean climate with sunshine 300 days a year. It is the Gateway to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
Longwatch Selection Criteria
The Longwatch Video Surveillance System's ability to utilize existing SCADA low-bandwidth communication networks to transmit
video was an important factor in its selection by the County of Santa Cruz. Longwatch's ability to communicate over the existing
Allen Bradley network made the installation process efficient and cost effective. The additional benefit of integrating the
system into the county's Wonderware SCADA system made the decision to install Longwatch a smart choice.
"We looked closely at Longwatch before making our decision to move forward. Without question the system's ability to transmit video over our existing low bandwidth network was a key feature. I was also impressed by the way it seamlessly integrated into our SCADA system. Now we have the ability to view security information that was not previously available", explained Michael Reilly, Electrical Instrumentation Supervisor.
Vandalism and Intrusion Protection
All water operators are aware of the heightened security measures that have been mandated by the EPA and the Homeland Security
effort. Of additional importance is the need to monitor remote sites against the unwanted presence of individuals that may or may
not want to bring harm to the community. Water system operators are required to respond to all intrusion alarms. Unfortunately
sending employees or officials to a site doesn't provide the level of information needed, even if the intruder is apprehended.
The intruders may claim no harm was done, but precautions must be taken. There have been recent situations where communities have
been forced to shut down their system for multiple days to test water for contamination. With video surveillance and archiving
operators can review video clips to confirm if any hostile activities took place.
"We've have an ongoing problem with vandalism at remote sites. For some reason people in our area like to put their names on stuff, graffiti is a problem. Beyond the visible damage taggers inflict, we are also concerned about the potential risk to our system if they should enter our sites or damage equipment," said Reilly.
Event Archiving Provides Needed Evidence
Longwatch records, forwards, and stores video event clips. Its unique archiving ability allows system operators to retrieve and review
video clips for forensic purposes, as well as, after hour activities. The County of Santa Cruz benefited by the system's ability to
record important information shortly after its installation.
"We installed Longwatch at a pump station. Anytime the door is opened a sensor activates the camera and Longwatch swings into action. The system is also sensitive to any one tampering with its operation. We received an event report of "no-video". We immediately obtained a time stamped video clip and were able to determine what happened. Without going into specifics, someone had inadvisably disconnected the video cable. We had the forensic information we needed to resolve the matter to everyone's satisfaction. With Longwatch we were able to prove what we needed to insure this individual was not allowed to disrupt the system again", said Reilly.
Easy to Install and Operate
"The Longwatch installation went well. We had a few minor glitches that were easily corrected. We plan on expanding the system to other
sites over the coming months," explained Reilly.
"Without question the system's ability to transmit video over our existing low bandwidth network was a key feature. I was also
impressed by the way it seamlessly integrated into our SCADA system. Now we have the ability to integrate security information that
was not previously available"
Michael Reilly
Electrical Instrumentation Supervisor
For More Information
For more information on the Longwatch Surveillance System, or to find out how Longwatch can help provide faster, more efficient
and cost-effective threat deterrence, detection and response, contact:
Request Sales Call
Request Info
Send an Email
Send to Friend