Stabilized Surveillance Camera Systems as a Force Multiplier for Law Enforcement

Alex Giuffrida - Vice President of Sales Worldwide - Axsys Technologies - Stabilized Camera Systems The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), known in the law enforcement community for its use of cutting edge technology, recently purchased another high-end gyro-stabilized camera system from Axsys Technologies. It?s no coincidence that the LAPD?s Air Support Division (ASD) continues to rely on Axsys as it expands its aerial surveillance capability. Axsys Technologies? camera systems have aided the LAPD and other law enforcement agencies such as the Los Angeles County Sheriff?s Department (LASD) in the capture and containment of criminals. ?Axsys? cameras have proven to be the very best out there, and they?ve helped us immensely in the detection and deterrence of criminals over the past several years,? said LAPD?s Sgt. Jorge Gonzales. ?These powerful surveillance systems act as force multipliers giving us the ability to increase our patrol missions without having to add extra personnel.?

Improving First Responder Situational Awareness

In military parlance, force multipliers are systems that allow fewer soldiers to effectively perform the same duties of a much larger force. This is true in law enforcement as well. The gyro-stabilized camera systems allow the LAPD to enhance and protect the performance of its officers on the ground by quickly responding to and assessing potentially dangerous situations, which improves the officer?s situational awareness and helps save lives. And, because the aerial surveillance imagery is of such unprecedented stability and clarity, it is admissible as evidence in court. The LAPD?s new V14 HD is the second camera system it has purchased from Axsys over the past several years. Axsys? V14 HD camera systems are recognized throughout the law enforcement, broadcast and production communities for their proven ability to produce extremely sharp and stable images in a lightweight, durable configuration which can be mounted to a wide range of airframes. The system?s optical and digital zoom allows tactical field officers to carry out missions from altitudes of up to 12,000 feet, capturing license plates from altitudes of 4,000 feet and a distance of three miles away from the target. The LAPD has utilized Axsys? V14 HD camera systems in a variety of ways. On May 1, 2008, they were asked to downlink and record the May Day March. An ASD helicopter outfitted with the V14 HD camera system monitored the march for five hours, sending live feed of possible persons of interest to the command post. Had there been an agitator in the crowd, the camera system would have allowed the support unit to quickly locate the individual all the while recording the encounter for possible use in a future court proceeding. ?Our air support division plays a critical role in providing tactical support for our forces on the ground,? said Sgt. Gonzales. ?The camera systems give operators the ability to avert potentially dangerous situations thus improving public safety and protectin g our team on the ground.? In addition to surveillance and patrol missions, these systems are also especially effective for search and rescue missions. Axsys featured the next generation V14 HD, the V14 MSII-T at this year?s 38th Annual Airborne Law Enforcement Asso- ciation (ALEA) Conference and Exposition in Houston. It combines the best-inclass V14 HD visible spectrum camera with a 640 X 512 thermal imaging infrared camera. Other options include a laser rangefinder and laser pointer capabilities. Twenty-five percent lighter than other multi-sensor systems, the V14 MSII utilizes a five-axis stabilization system and a 1920 X1080 HD imager to provide unmatched image quality The V14 MSII-T contains a new addition to the system platform; the HDU 900. The HDU-900 is a high-performance computer, HD video processor and power conditioning unit that correlates GPS positioning information directly with the video images. ?The ability to combine the quality of HD imagery with the pinpoint accuracy of a GPS tracking system improves the effectiveness of our first responders,? said Rob Hulse, VP of Engineering at Axsys. Additional features of the V14MSII-T include PIP (Picture in Picture), 1080p digital framegrabs, built in HDDVR with 10 hours recording capability, third party moving map interface, Spectrolab Nightsun searchlights slaving as well as radar interface options.

Bringing Military-Grade Technology to Law Enforcement Aerial Surveillance

Axsys Technologies designs and develops high-performance surveillance cameras, thermal imaging systems and related motion control technologies. Its customers include the United States Army, Air Force and Navy and the Department of Homeland Security. These customers, in addition to Axsys? military and law enforcement clients throughout the U.S. and around the world, have come to depend on the quality of the highest definition images available.

?

ROTORCRAFT PROFESSIONAL ? Septembert 2008 25

You need to upgrade your Flash Player

You need to upgrade the version of your Flash Player to version 9 minimum.

Click here

Adobe Flash Player Download Center