Defence & Public Safety Delivering Public Service for the ......footage that needs to be analyzed is also an issue when CCTV is used reactively, following an incident. As criminals

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Defence & Public SafetyDelivering Public Service for the Future

Video analytics: public safety solutions to make the most of camera investments

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Improving investmentsWhile CCTV has seen exponential growth in recent years, it is only as effective as the response it is able to generate:

Countries such as France, with one million cameras,1 and the United Kingdom, with nearly 6 million cameras,2 have invested heavily in CCTV monitoring, while some United States cities, such as Chicago, are estimated to have as many as 24,000 cameras connected throughout the city3— numbers that are challenging human analysis. When used proactively to monitor real-time events, CCTV operators struggle to remain alert to view all the footage. Known limitations in human concentration tell us 95 percent of incidents are likely to be missed after 20 minutes in the command and control room. The sheer volume of footage that needs to be analyzed is also an issue when CCTV is used reactively, following an incident. As criminals know all too well, 98 percent of video footage4 is not seen by anyone, let alone acted upon. As a result, it is necessary to question the true return on investment that CCTV by itself can offer as a public safety solution.

Video analytics can support and enhance the traditional use of CCTV as both a proactive and reactive public safety tool. Video analytics can quickly analyze, alert and report on CCTV footage—even monitor feedback from multiple cameras constantly—without the errors of manual intervention. Similarly, video analytics can deliver improved results as part of post-incident analysis. Immense improvements have been made in the accuracy of both video and biometrics analysis in the last five years. For instance, face recognition technology is more accurate than human analysis as vehicles and people can be counted with more than 97 percent accuracy. Also, age and gender can be automatically assessed with more than 90 percent precision rates.5 As a result, video analytics is becoming a far more reliable and trusted technology which can help to free up public safety staff for more valuable tasks—and provide public safety solutions that better serve citizens’ needs.

Dual challengesTwo core challenges are influencing the effectiveness of CCTV as a public safety solution:

First, public safety challenges are creating “the perfect storm”—a combination of budget cuts, evolving threats, decreased public safety officer headcount and increased citizen expectations, highlight the need to develop and maintain a cost effective response. Used intelligently, CCTV has the power to address these pressures.

A second challenge lies around the fact that CCTV alone does not deter crime. While there is no shortage of cameras, the existing infrastructure must initiate a response to best utilize camera output—despite more than 13,000 cameras in Paris, they were ineffective in the capture of the perpetrators of the Charlie Hebdo massacre6 because they were set up for traffic enforcement and were incompatible with systems that may be used for wider public safety purposes (such as facial recognition or vehicle identification).

The digital age, prompting a vast increase in the volume of video, enhanced connectivity and speed of data exchange, extends the ability to improve the use of CCTV as a public safety solution. However, poor compatibility between CCTV networks across agencies and non-existent integration of public safety systems and technologies, such as drones and body-worn cameras, is adding to the complexity of managing public safety concerns. With a high number of incidents across vast populations, it is essential to process information swiftly and generate the right intelligence in a timely way; for example, it still took five days to identify the Boston bombers’ rucksack, despite the clear video footage of the incident.7

Four steps to effective video analyticsPublic safety agencies can benefit from pairing CCTV with automated analysis if they:

Develop a strategyUsing video analytics and making it part of how public safety organizations’ operate already has the support of citizens. Eight out of 10 citizens surveyed declared they were in favor of police using digital technologies—83 percent citing they are comfortable with CCTV.8 Video analytics can benefit police officers in the field—improving situational awareness, providing a tactical information feeds and conducting real-time assessments. There is evidence, too, that body-worn cameras can have a positive effect on behaviors. When officers and civilians are aware their actions are being recorded, both are likely to act in a more civil manner—the Mesa Police Department found 77 percent of police officers believe body-worn cameras cause them to behave more professionally. Finally, video analytics and cameras are also a useful training tool, helping to prepare officers and improve the quality of service by providing a comprehensive view of incidents and interactions.9

Action: Shape a strategy for the next five years that builds video analytics into your organization, taking account of specific operational needs and demands. The strategy should also assess the implications for and practicalities around the storage and management of video data.

Partner and interact in new waysPublic safety organizations can draw on the resources and capabilities of the private sector, either to gain greater intelligence or work collaboratively on a technology solution. Accenture collaborated with six government agencies to pilot the Singapore Government’s Safe City Solution. The Government can now integrate public safety video information from a range of agencies and produce meaningful insights in real-time10).

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Action: Find new ways to interact with the private sector to gain access to their networks, take advantage of implementation support for video analytics, and benefit from private sector resources in the editing and packaging of CCTV footage for public safety agencies.

Flex your technologyVideo analytics algorithms evolve rapidly in terms of capability and accuracy. In one year, an algorithm being used today may no longer be the most effective; as a result, the solution must be flexible to cover diverse situations and integrate the latest advancements. Compared with traditional storage options, cloud solutions offer an opportunity to store a vast amount of data collected by CCTV in a cost efficient manner. Used effectively, the results from a combination of CCTV and video analytics can provide additional alerts at less cost.

Action: Maintain a flexible platform by adopting an integrated and component-based solution, including considering flexible options such as cloud-based storage, that is able to adapt and take advantage of the best combination of technologies and reduce costs.

Drive a dynamic, multi-layered approachVideo analytics is not a single solution but a dynamic and changeable combination of inputs. By analyzing multiple sources of footage from fixed point CCTV, private sector videos, mobile CCTV and body-worn cameras—not to mention the growing video evidence filmed by the public on their own mobile phones—public safety agencies are better placed to serve the safety and security demands of their local communities. In this way, a machine-based system can become the “eyes” and supplement the resources of public safety workforces. By adding an automated video analytics system to the traditional video protection network, Mons police in Belgium were able to detect and evaluate more incidents and anomalies during the celebration of the cultural capital of Europe opening ceremony11.

Action: Combine diverse video footage from multiple sources using video analytics to gain a new breadth and depth to public safety information that inspires real-time decision making.

Where next?Arguably the biggest driver of productivity and growth for many organizations in the next decade, the Internet of Things—where existing objects are connected to the Internet to collect and receive data—will affect the private and public sector alike.

Business models, how data is shared and workforces are all being reinvented by this latest wave of digital innovation. For public safety agencies, this could mean that when a police officer enters a dangerous zone, his presence is automatically detected, activating the public or private CCTV cameras to offer support, cover or intelligence about the location.

The evolving sophistication of video analytics means that its accuracy and relevance are also growing. For example, video analytics could be used to detect violence or monitor prisoner congregations by sending alerts to preempt fights or assaults, leading to safer prisons and jails.

By redefining their strategies, embracing new partnerships, flexing technology and driving a dynamic approach, public safety agencies can take advantage of the new, improved video analytics to deliver public service for the future.

Singapore: Safe city test bedThrough its Safe City programme, the Singapore Government seeks to harness the latest in advanced analytics to complement its public safety solutions, increase security, deliver services more effectively and make the most efficient use of its resources. Accenture collaborated with six Singapore Government agencies from the areas of law enforcement, transportation and the environment to pilot its Safe City Solution, supported by the Accenture Video Analytics Service Platform. The solution integrated existing and new video sources into a central analytics platform and ran live tests during two major public events. Through the use of advanced video analytics and user-friendly applications, the test bed successfully helped the Government to predict crowd behavior, coordinate resources, respond to incidents and facilitate collaboration among the various agencies. The Government can now produce meaningful insights in real-time, enabling it to respond more quickly to situations.

France: A public service agency uses analyticsAffiliated with the French Ministry of Interior, the Service des technologies et des systèmes d’information de la sécurité intérieure (ST(SI)2) is responsible for protecting the public at densely populated events. One such event, the Grande Braderie de Lille, sees the town’s population swell from 230,000 inhabitants to more than two and a half million people over a weekend every September. ST(SI)2 decided to pilot a video analytic service platform at the annual Lille event to increase information accuracy, improve decision making and enhance the performance of the French public safety officials’ operational teams. By adding analytics to standard CCTV footage, police officers could detect and assess far more incidents, providing a better service to citizens (helping 502 people versus 450 in 2013) and improving safety throughout the event (three adults and 13 children who had been lost were returned to their families). What is more, the police solution connected to existing external public safety systems to create greater intelligence.

Belgium: Mons 2015, public safety solutions pilotThe Mons Police Force, in cooperation with the National Police Force of France, decided to deploy advanced police technology analytic capabilities into video protection systems used in the city. By doing so, the public safety solution intended to increase situational awareness, streamline operations and enhance the response times of the police to public safety incidents throughout the city’s 2015 tenure as European Capital of Culture. By adding an automated video analytics system to the traditional video protection network, the police were able to detect and evaluate more incidents and anomalies, providing a better service to citizens and improving security at the event. In particular, the solution helped to avoid congestion and overcrowding in the main streets of the city and meant the Mons police force could make more informed decisions about access to high-traffic areas to improve public safety.

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About Delivering Public Service for the FutureWhat does it take to deliver public service for the future? Public service leaders must embrace four structural shifts—advancing toward personalized services, insight-driven operations, a public entrepreneurship mindset and a cross-agency commitment to mission productivity. By making these shifts, leaders can support flourishing societies, safe, secure nations and economic vitality for citizens in a digital world— delivering public service for the future.

The views and opinions expressed in this document are meant to stimulate thought and discussion. As each business has unique requirements and objectives, these ideas should not be viewed as professional advice with respect to your business.

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About AccentureAccenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 336,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$30.0 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2014. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

ContactsJames Slessor Global Managing Director Accenture Public Safety [email protected] +44 20 7844 5753

Stephane Eyme Senior Manager Accenture Defense & Public Safety [email protected] +34 65 949 7928

Jody Weis Senior Manager Accenture Public Safety [email protected] +1 312-693-5984

Connect with us to learn more on delivering public service for the future on Twitter @AccenturePubSvc

References1 Source: http://fr.myeurop.info/2013/10/30/

vid-osurveillance-en-europe-tr-s-ch-re-et-peu-efficace-12503

2 Source: http://www.securitynewsdesk.com/bsia-attempts-to-clarify-question-of-how-many-cctv-cameras-in-the-uk/

3 Source: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/05/12/security-camera-surge-in-chicago-sparks-concerns-massive-surveillance-system/

4 Source: National Institute of Standards & Technology www.nist.gov/index.html

5 Source: National Institute of Standards & Technology http://face.nist.gov

6 Source: http://www.defenseone.com/threats/2015/01/heres-why-security-cameras-were-no-help-capturing-paris-terrorists/102438/

7 Source: http://wideshut.co.uk/color-of-alleged-boston-bombers-rucksack-contradicted/

8 Source: How can digital police solutions better serve citizens’ expectations?

9 Source: Body Worn Cameras have arrived; now comes the hard part, Accenture 2015

10 Source: Singapore Government: Safe City Text Bed

11 Source: Mons 2015, European Capital of Culture: Public safety solutions pilot