Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) commissioned the system so its Support Management and Response Team (SMART) could provide round-the-clock security for residents at risk of violence and abuse.
SMART now uses CCTV cameras supplied by Pro-Vision to remotely monitor doorways and communal areas at NCHA properties. They report that Housing Association tenants have welcomed the new security measures in what are often dangerous environments to live in.
They say the system, which was installed by Derby-based Salt Network Consulting (SNC), has even made residents more confident in turning away drug-dealers because they know the alarm system is there to protect them.
SNC installed branded CCTV equipment, including a combination of Dedicated Micros digital video recorders, DV-IP, DS2s and ECO4s. Genie’s vandal-resistant domes and Ikegami ICD-833 colour/mono cameras fitted with Fujinon lenses were also installed.
SMART say that unwelcome visitors who prey on vulnerable people have already stopped calling at the NCHA’s properties because they know they are being filmed.
Recently, a call to SMART from a young person living in NCHA accommodation tipped the organisation off that a break-in was in progress. They then monitored live CCTV footage and quickly sent a mobile response team who were able to meet the police on site. Back at the SMART control centre, operators could monitor live events to ensure staff were not in a high-risk situation.
