Comelit-PAC has appointed Peter Kernachan to champion training in its Manchester office, facilitating new opportunities for customers to build on their knowledge of Comelit-PAC products and services.
Kernachan is evolving his role in the team at what is an exciting time for Comelit-PAC, which now stands as an all-encompassing provider of door entry, IP access control, CCTV and compliant fire safety systems.
Importantly, Kernachan has built up a significant product knowledge since joining the PAC company in 2013 after having worked for 29 years in the electronics servicing industry. He can now apply his knowledge to Comelit-PAC and the development of new training opportunities.
Peter Kernachan
Investment in the future
Kernachan informed Security Matters: “Training is an investment in the future of not only our own business, but also those of our customers. As a company, Comelit-PAC is committed to establishing a way forward and forming partnerships, while also recognising the time pressures faced in today’s market. It will be my duty to be involved in the opportunity to create a portfolio of courses designed to support growth.”
Further, Kernachan observed: “Each of our products and services offers unique features and possibilities for different market sectors. My role is designed to ensure courses can be developed and tailored to suit different requirements dependent on projects. It’s also about making sure that our sales and technical team members are ready to offer advice for every stage of a works schedule.”
Step forward
Steve Riley, division director at Comelit-PAC, noted: “I’m pleased to see Peter’s role evolve to support our training opportunities. The skills acquired from his previous position within the company will allow him to curate courses that are individually designed to support and meet the needs of our customers, both new and existing.”
Riley concluded: “This is yet another step forward in Comelit-PAC’s continuous development as a company. Our objective is to be ‘With you always’ for our customers. I’m sure Peter will make a significant contribution to our future business development.”
*For more information on Comelit-PAC and its product range visit: www.comelitgroup.com
The city of Leeds, which has one of the largest evening and night-time economies in the UK, has joined a pioneering police-led initiative designed to improve the safety and security of licensed premises. Leeds will pilot this scheme in conjunction with operators in the city centre across bars, pubs and clubs.
The city’s participation means the whole of West Yorkshire is now supporting the Licensing Security and Vulnerability Initiative (ie Licensing SAVI), with Bradford, Wakefield, Calderdale and Kirklees already signed up.
Each of the five areas will be encouraging 60 licensed venues to take part – making a total of 300 venues in West Yorkshire – as the county leads the national roll-out of the scheme throughout England and Wales.
Funded by the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit, the project is being delivered in partnership with the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership.
Licensing SAVI encourages venues to improve their operational security and management practices year-on-year by using an online self-assessment, which includes all the police and council licensing information that venues need to meet statutory licensing requirements for safety and security. Venues can be awarded a ‘star’-based rating and apply for Licensing SAVI accreditation.
The initiative specifically covers drink spiking and injection incidents, which have made media headlines over the last few months, as well as providing guidance around issues like responsible drinking, drugs misuse, violent behaviour and safeguarding vulnerable customers.
There’s a female safety policy for venues to adapt for their own use, while Licensing SAVI also covers physical security, such as emergency exits, lighting and CCTV systems. Most measures included in Licensing SAVI can be introduced quickly and at little or no cost.
Home Office request
Licensing SAVI was developed at the request of the Home Office by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, a not-for-profit police organisation working alongside the police service throughout the UK to deter and reduce crime.
The aim of the initiative is to provide safer and more secure venues for managers, staff, customers and local communities and also reduce the demand on police forces, the NHS Ambulance Services and Accident & Emergency Departments.
Councillor Debra Coupar, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for resources with responsibility for ‘Safer Leeds’, explained: “Leeds is proud of its prestigious Purple Flag status in Leeds city centre, which reflects the tremendous work being undertaken day-in, day-out by a range of partners to make the Leeds night-time economy more attractive, diverse and safe for all. The Licensing SAVI pilot is another opportunity to work with and encourage operators to further raise standards such that people can enjoy their experience, are safe and, importantly, feel safe.”
Chief Superintendent Jackie Marsh, director of the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit, added: “Bringing Leeds into this initiative offers yet more momentum for our collective goal of increasing safety within West Yorkshire’s vibrant night-time economy. This now fully-unified approach means that people enjoying our towns and cities can do so in the knowledge that establishments are operating to a consistent and high standard.”
Marsh continued: “When it comes to the safety of women and girls, we know they’re often disproportionately affected by acts of criminality such as drink spiking and sexual offences. The Licensing SAVI approach delivers added reassurance that their welfare is paramount.”
Mark Morgan, business lead for Licensing SAVI and a former police superintendent, concluded: “I’m thrilled and delighted that the city of Leeds is on board. Leeds has a reputation for wanting to improve the vibrancy and safety of its evening and night-time economy. Licensing SAVI will complement all of the city’s other initiatives designed to help its venues achieve higher standards of safety and security for the benefit of staff and customers alike.”
360 Vision Technology, the UK manufacturer of rugged HD, hybrid, radar and thermal imaging cameras, has confirmed that, despite global component shortages, the company is bucking the trend by offering customers short lead times on its ranges of static and PTZ cameras.
As is true of many industries relying on the use of semiconductors and other electronic components, the global pandemic has seriously affected consistent component supply, thereby increasing lead times. In addition, even when they are available, some key component costs have risen dramatically.
In order to combat the inevitable challenges about to face the global supply chain, 360 Vision Technology introduced ‘extraordinary planning measures’ early on in the component crisis in a bid to secure bulk-buy purchasing on all key components for a minimum of 12 months on all standard product options.
To cope with the additional demand on storage, 360 Vision Technology also invested in building a new factory floor facility that would hold the massive component stock.
“Despite global supply shortages affecting most CCTV camera manufacturers, with many quoting as much as 16 to 26 weeks for delivery, 360 Vision Technology is pleased to confirm that its current lead time on all orders for standard camera products remains between four and six weeks,” explained Sara Fisher, 360 Vision Technology’s sales director.
“Supporting British industry,” added Fisher, “the majority of 360 Vision Technology’s components are manufactured in the UK. Allied to this, our purchasing team has managed to consistently source components and maintain a cost platform that has led to little or no price increases being passed to our customers.”
Fisher concluded: “We remain confident in our continued supply of UK designed and manufactured products to support our installer and end user customers with price and lead-time confidence for their time-sensitive projects.”
From 5-7 April at the NEC in Birmingham, Comelit-PAC will be exhibiting at The Security Event. This will be the first trade show that Comelit has attended since the PAC-GDX acquisition and members of the team will be presenting presenting solutions delivered by an all-encompassing security provider of door entry, IP access control, CCTV and compliant fire safety systems.
On Stand B10 in Hall 3a, Comelit-PAC will demonstrate its total integrated solutions. Visitors will be able to view the latest combined solutions, including PAC’s 512DC intelligent two-door access controller and Access Central, which stands as a powerful software management platform.
Comelit-PAC’s team will also be giving live demonstrations of PAC’s EasiNet Residential software that provides access control management with enhanced security for homeowners, together with a range of I/O modules and readers.
Francesca Boeris, managing director of Comelit-PAC, explained: “This is going to be a really exciting show for Comelit-PAC. We are really looking forward to discussing projects across any sector with our installer and commercial partners and demonstrating how Comelit-PAC can help them.”
Boeris continued: “We not only have the complete product portfolio on show, but we also can offer support, with an expert technical and sales team available to create a powerful security and fire safety proposition for customers, all while considering increasing preferences for remote and mobile monitoring.”
Alarm management software
On show will be Comelit-PAC’s latest alarm management software. Designated Horus, this is an innovative platform that integrates intruder alarm, fire detection, video surveillance and door entry capabilities into a single software capable of targeting alarm management.
Comelit-PAC’s specialist fire team will be demonstrating its new LogiFire addressable panel, which has been designed as a simple-to-install fire safety solution that’s compliant with the latest standards. It’s complemented by a new range of detectors, offered with award-winning designs to ensure that installed systems blend with their surroundings.
Comelit-PAC’s renowned door entry systems will also be on display, including its newest modular panel, itself named Ultra, alongside a mini hands-free Wi-Fi monitor, Icona, Switch and 316 sense and touch entrance panels together with iconic interconnection systems VIP and Simplebus. All are available to operate with Comelit-PAC’s mobile app, facial recognition and Alexa integration.
Founding Partner
Boeris concluded: “As a Founding Partner of The Security Event, we believe that the show is an important date in the calendar for the entire industry. For Comelit-PAC, it’s our opportunity to present our ability to work with partner companies from initial design and specification right through to installation and using a complete smart product portfolio.”
*For more information on Comelit-PAC or its product portfolio visit Stand B10 in Hall 3a at The Security Event and access the website at www.comelitgroup.com
Comelit-PAC has appointed Steve Carroll in the new role of export manager to support growth and capture emerging global opportunities for the recently acquired PAC access control portfolio.
Carroll joins the team at an exciting time for Comelit-PAC, which now stands as an all-encompassing security provider of door entry, IP access control, CCTV and compliant fire safety systems.
He brings 30 years’ experience to the company having worked for SMEs as well as larger businesses and gained valuable insights across many sectors and regions. Carroll will now apply his knowledge to the Comelit-PAC business and concentrate on the development of new markets.
Steve Carroll
“I’m delighted to be joining Comelit-PAC,” enthused Carroll. “It’s a company known across the globe for its focus on style, smart technology and innovation in realms of electronic security and fire safety. The business is also keenly focused on its customers, with an impressive sales and technical team ready to help at every stage of a given works schedule.”
Continuing that theme, Carroll noted: “When you combine all of that with the unrivalled reputation of the PAC access control range, there’s incredible potential for continued growth. In my new role, I’m ready to use my experience, strong network and understanding of the markets to introduce new and existing customers to our impressive product and service portfolio.”
Steve Riley, divisional director at Comelit-PAC, added: “I’m pleased to welcome Steve to the team. It’s a sign of our investment in growing international trade opportunities. The skills acquired from his previous work experience will allow Steve to positively contribute towards the expansion of Comelit-PAC’s presence in international markets and provide fast and effective response to our customers’ needs.”
Riley affirmed: “This is yet another step forward in Comelit-PAC’s continuous development as a company that harbours clear global objectives. I’m sure that Steve will make a significant contribution to our future business development.”
*Further information on Comelit-PAC and its product range is available online at www.comelitgroup.com
Secure Logiq and Seagate are bringing together their combined strengths to create “the ultimate storage solution” for the video surveillance industry. This partnership will draw on Seagate’s expertise in very high-density storage applications and Secure Logiq’s own cutting-edge understanding of the surveillance industry.
This new partnership provides the perfect solution for security professionals operating in the Middle East, where retention times for CCTV footage are comparably longer than in other territories and exacting standards mean that second best will never do.
The collaboration will see Secure Logiq’s management servers, processing servers and client machines all designed and optimised for the application and combined with Seagate’s SAN storage units which offer large storage, resilience, expandability and vertical integration.
The combination creates a ‘best of both worlds’ scenario for the companies’ mutual clients as it has realises an end-to-end solution which is designed, supplied, tested and supported by experts in HD surveillance and data storage.
“This is a powerful combination that will deliver real advantages for surveillance system users right across the whole of the Middle East,” explained Secure Logiq’s Robin Hughes. “The benefits are there for everyone to see. Seagate has excellent products for storing large volumes of data and we have the understanding of the market to add real intelligence to a surveillance system. Together, can deliver a complete solution that will revolutionise how HD surveillance video is stored in the region.”
Secure Logiq and Seagate highlighted their new partnership at Intersec 2022.
Tavcom Training, which is part of the Linx International Group of companies, has succeeded in raising £3,000 over the last 12 months for its nominated charities: Naomi House and Jacksplace. As part of the company’s 25th Anniversary celebrations, Tavcom Training pledged to make a financial donation for every training course booked between October 2020 and October this year in order to help make a difference to local families and children dealing with life-limiting illnesses.
Angus Darroch-Warren CSyP, managing director of the Linx International Group, said: “Tavcom Training and the Linx International Group are delighted to support the Naomi House and Jacksplace hospices and we look forward to developing the relationship over the coming years. These inspiring charities offer so much to local families who benefit greatly from the care given to family members faced with life-limiting and life-threatening circumstances. We’re all extremely proud of this achievement and hope that it will make a positive difference to many children and their families.”
Tavcom Training delivers accredited security systems training courses for installers, operators, managers and designers of video surveillance systems (ie CCTV), network IP solutions, intruder alarms, access control systems, fire alarms and all other types of electronic security systems.
The business offers a wide range of technical and non-technical courses within all security systems-related fields including security management, Control Room operations, system planning, project management, structured cabling, disaster recovery, counter eavesdropping, PAT testing and covert CCTV.
Expert hospice care
Naomi House and Jacksplace provide expert hospice care to more than 600 life-limited and life-threatened children, young adults and families from central southern England. Their nursing, care, play and family support teams are experts in delivering crucial emotional, spiritual and developmental as well as clinical and holistic care that children and young adults with some of the most complex medical needs require. They also offer vital respite support for families, giving them the chance to recharge their batteries and regroup in a calm and welcoming environment.
Connor Phillips, fundraising officer for Naomi House and Jacksplace, stated: “Everyone at the hospices has been completely blown away by Tavcom’s support. The company’s wonderful donation of £3,000 could fund many hours of a nurse’s vital care at Naomi House and Jacksplace. It’s only thanks to supporters like Tavcom that we’re able to be there for our families on the good days, difficult days and last days. Thank You so much to Tavcom Training.”
*For more information about Naomi House and Jacksplace, and the services they offer, visit https://www.naomihouse.org.uk/
**Further detail concerning Tavcom Training may be accessed online at www.tavcom.com
Vemotion Interactive is promoting its range of low-latency, high-performance, plug and play live video streaming solutions to provide installers and end users with highly effective temporary or fixed remote surveillance coverage for use at incident hotspots, or to otherwise extend the coverage of an existing video surveillance scheme.
Deployable CCTV camera surveillance systems typically consist of PTZ cameras or domes, towers and vehicle or drone-mounted wireless surveillance imaging solutions. HD real-time deployable surveillance can be used across a variety of temporary deployment CCTV sectors, such as for the police, the rail industry, at construction sites, for Critical National Infrastructure locations, public spaces, the utilities, traffic monitoring, live events and the military.
Deployable CCTV camera systems can also provide proactive support to assist in the reduction of crime (or the fear of crime), vandalism, anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping.
Meeting the demanding needs of temporary deployment CCTV camera applications, the versatile range of Vemotion live streaming HD video transmission solutions over GPRS, 3G, 4GLTE, 5G, Wi-Fi and Satellite networks enables live video surveillance and play-back for any mobile, rapid deployment, temporary or permanent deployment CCTV video surveillance application.
Maximising budgets
Vemotion’s range of encoders and cameras enable a host of remote camera surveillance applications to be configured and deployed, such as beyond the economical reach of existing fixed CCTV networks. This flexibility allows entities wanting to maximise their surveillance budgets and efficiency to be more proactive at capturing off-grid incidents, rather than missing events.
HD streaming video, low power consumption, proven reliability and rugged construction are just some of the reasons why Vemotion streaming software and hardware technology is currently being chosen by many temporary/wireless deployment CCTV camera solutions OEM manufacturers. Video streaming solutions provide the surveillance power behind the latest deployable integrated CCTV camera systems.
By harnessing this technology, previously hard to reach or diverse applications can now benefit from the ease of use and evidential video quality of Vemotion streamed CCTV images.
Sector coverage
Temporary deployment CCTV cameras can also be used to provide highly effective security for remote sites and assets, including utility sites, trackside and non-trackside rail deployments (such as level crossing monitoring), as well as managing major and minor roadworks.
Local councils often have good CCTV coverage in areas easily served by fixed location cameras, typically inner cities. However, the costs involved in connecting cameras sited in outlying and remote areas back to a central Control Room has hitherto precluded their use.
Vemotion streaming solutions can provide cost-effective CCTV coverage in outlying areas or more central areas not adequately covered by an existing fixed camera network. The technology can be used for the remote monitoring of crime and anti-social behaviour, as a highly cost-efficient alternative solution to fixed position cameras in outlying locations and provide a dynamic CCTV solution to keep pace with rapidly developing hotspots in cities.
Combating environmental crime, Vemotion technology is also being used to assist enforcement agencies in dealing with an ever-increasing workload due to fly-tipping. Hotspots for this activity can cost environmental agencies and councils many thousands of pounds each year to clear-up in addition to the environmental effects of the rubbish being illegally discarded.
Vemotion technology deployed within cameras covertly or overtly can catch and discourage perpetrators. High-quality images are easily distributed using Vemotion streaming technology over what are usually limited, rural communication networks. These images can then be used to identify and prosecute individuals quickly and simply, in turn helping to reduce the spread of this form of environmental crime.
Drone operations and management
Video transmission technology is revolutionising the traditional drone/operator/management relationship as well, delivering key operational advantages for companies using drones for remote inspection, support or reconnaissance.
Increasingly deployed for disparate applications, drones can be used to complement existing CCTV networks at large-scale events, make land surveys quick and simple and assist building surveys without the need for expensive physical inspection, scaffolding or location closures.
In the event that local video transmission over radio is lost due to distance and bandwidth, Vemotion’s V-Box technology provides the drone operator with an alternative communications path using cellular networks to see and control the drone. In addition, it can simultaneously provide live video feed to a Control Room and remote operatives anywhere in the world.
In short, Vemotion technology enables companies to make real-time management or support decisions based on live footage from drones, thereby providing an effective Command and Control solution.
Additionally, thermal drones are increasingly essential for emergency response. Instead of sending in first responders, a drone can scan the area to locate hotspots and assess the overall situation. Using Vemotion images, thermal drones can detect people and animals instantly in adverse and other low-visibility scenarios often associated with emergency situations.
Beneath gound level
Under the ground, Vemotion images are being used to locate problems simply and effectively in drains and sewers. One of the difficulties of keeping domestic and public drains and sewers in good working condition is the fact that they’re hidden and difficult to assess. That means it’s hard to spot potential issues until they’ve developed into serious problems.
Using remote rovers equipped with Vemotion technology, HD images are delivered to operators and recorded to identify and assess drain damage quickly and simply, with the images supplied to councils, customers and contractors for project management and rectification.
Designed to be ‘plug and play’, ONVIF-compliant and suitable for a wide variety of video transmission applications, Vemotion wireless streaming solutions for deployable surveillance solutions are now being used across an ever-increasing range of vertical market applications that, until now, have previously not been able to harness the advantages of HD recorded and real-time CCTV images.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has been searching for a new Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) and recently concluded that search with the selection of the NICE Investigate solution following a robust procurement process.
The IOPC exists to oversee the police complaints system in England and Wales. The organisation investigates the most serious matters, including deaths following police contact, and ultimately sets the standards by which the police service should handle complaints. Learning derived from its work is used to influence changes in policing.
The IOPC is an independent body and, as such, makes its decisions entirely independently of the police service and central Government.
An important aspect of the work of the IOPC is to make it as easy as possible for involved parties, specifically police forces, to share information and evidence with case investigators as quickly and efficiently as possible. To this end, the IOPC had been looking for better ways in which to handle the ever-evolving and increasing demands of digital evidence management, with COVID-19 and remote working only serving to accelerate that search.
Keith Tagg, the IOPC’s delivery manager, explained to Security Matters: “When we start an investigation, digital material and evidence needs to be transferred to the IOPC by police forces. In the past, we’ve relied on disks, USBs or delivery by hand. By introducing a DEMS, we knew that we could make it easier and quicker to share information with police forces or other bodies. Not only would the process take less time, but it would also be more secure and, what’s more, of a high evidential standard.”
NICE Investigate
The IOPC spoke to a number of police forces and bodies to inform its decisions and the procurement procedure. NICE Investigate was selected to provide the DEMS in the wake of what’s described as a “robust” procurement process.
One of the factors which led to the IOPC choosing NICE Investigate was the feedback from police forces, in addition to the system’s ability to play back different formats of CCTV footage.
On that point, Keith Tagg explained: “Not being able to watch CCTV footage because it isn’t in a playable format is a problem shared by police forces and the IOPC. It can prolong and impede the progress of our investigations and introduce frustration at the point when a quick decision is needed for a referral or appeal. This issue was exacerbated still further during the pandemic when investigators working from home would need to travel to the office to watch the footage or otherwise request that the footage be uploaded to the network. With DEMS, any CCTV footage is automatically transcoded, so an investigator can instantly play it back with no delay.”
Less physical material
The introduction of DEMS has also meant that the IOPC is now handling less physical material, which woud take significant storage space and is less secure.
“DEMS means that we have consistent control of content,” asserted Tagg. “It’s more secure and we have a detailed audit trail. The assets don’t deteriorate over time and they can be retained and accessed a lot more easily. Most importantly, the assets are preserved to a high evidential standard.”
According to Tagg, the feedback so far suggests that police forces like DEMS. “Moving to more electronic sharing is a shared commitment across the whole criminal justice sector and so far this has been a positive experience.”
The next step is to share material via DEMS with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). “There’s a shared commitment across the criminal justice sector to move towards online management,” concluded Tagg. “Working with the CPS, DEMS means that we can share a link to information residing on our system rather than actual files or physical material. This is more efficient, more secure and also removes a major pain point from the disclosure process. We’re looking forward to making ongoing improvements,”
Euralarm, the European Trade Association representing the electronic security and fire sectors, has undergone a rebranding exercise which has seen the organisation update its website at the same time as introducing a new logo and descriptive strapline.
The new website is specifically designed to reflect Euralarm’s core values, while in tandem the refreshed logo signifies to its core sectors precisely what the organisation represents. In short, Euralarm is multi-faceted, diverse, challenging, connected, transparent and proactive.
The website is also designed to present Euralarm’s expertise and leadership skills for the industry, the market, policy-makers and standards bodies. It features a clean and responsive modern design and enhanced functionality along with easy access to expert comment and advice.
As a platform for the latest industry news, insights and policy on the electronic security industry and the fire safety sector, the asite affords all visitors essential information concerning the services offered by Euralarm.
Further, the enhanced design also creates a clear journey for companies and those associations interested in becoming a member. Euralarm members make society safer and more secure through the provision of systems and services for intrusion detection, access control, video monitoring and alarm transmission in addition to fire detection and extinguishing.
Founded in 1970, Euralarm now represents over 5,000 companies within the security industry and fire safety sector with a combined value of 67 billion Euros. Euralarm’s members are national associations as well as individual companies from right across Europe.
TheSecurityLion 