Understanding Proactive Video Monitoring (PVM) Vs Traditional Video Surveillance

The term Proactive Video Monitoring, PVM for short, refers to recent developments in video analytics technology. Technology that enables video surveillance systems to intelligently assess an environment and notify the monitoring center of an intrusion. The technology draws immediate attention to unauthorized activity, allowing your provider to intervene and notify local authorities before a crime has a chance to occur.

Proactive Video Monitoring has revolutionized the surveillance industry. It enables alarm handlers to intervene and prevent crimes before they occur. In contrast, traditional means of video surveillance only cater for investigations after the crime has occurred, in many cases having costly consequences for the business owner.

In short, proactive video monitoring is about preventing crimes, whereas traditional video surveillance is reactive and can only help solve crimes after the fact. More on this later.

How Does Proactive Video Monitoring Work in Monitored Security Systems?

While the technology behind proactive video monitoring in monitored security systems is complex, the way it prevents potential crimes is easy to understand:

A potential threat approaches the perimeter of your site or property This threatening activity is picked up by the intelligent surveillance technology An alert is sent within seconds to one of our Intervention Specialists stationed in a state-of-the-art monitored security monitoring centre They then visually assess the threat over a live video feed The intruder is deterred by our intervention specialist with a live, personalized audio warning This live audio warning deters 98% of intruders, but in some cases, local authorities will be called to the location

Proactive video monitoring takes action before a crime is committed. It uses intelligent video analytics to identify potential threats and intervenes in the event of unauthorized activity on your property or site.

Monitored security systems can be armed and disarmed for specific types of activity and certain times of the day. This is especially useful for business owners because it allows them to set the system to arm outside of business hours.

Proactive Video Monitoring Vs Other Forms of Monitored Alarm Systems

Video surveillance can be divided into two categories; proactive and reactive. Reactive video systems solely rely on surveillance footage of the crime after it has taken place and cannot prevent a crime occurring on your property.

Reactive video surveillance systems are only beneficial when the footage provided is of high quality and offers sufficient coverage of the area of interest. Reactive systems are typically less expensive than proactive video monitoring. However, simply reacting to a crime after it has occurred is not an ideal situation to find yourself in. It can have a devastating impact on your property and result in major financial losses to you or your business.

Proactive video monitoring differs from reactive monitoring in monitored alarm systems because the intelligent detection software employed behind each camera effectively turns it into a 24/7, 365-day security guard. Once activity is detected an intervention specialist at a remote location is notified immediately of the movement and takes appropriate measures to deter the event from occurring. Careful thought and consideration should be put into deciding the type of system installed at your property.

Limitations of Traditional Video Surveillance Systems

Only record crime: The most glaring flaw of reactive video surveillance systems is that they are technologically ill-equipped to prevent crime; they can only record it.

Proactive monitoring systems are designed to deter criminals and prevent crime.

Dated technology: Recent developments in video surveillance monitoring technology means modern surveillance systems incorporate high-quality IP cameras. Reactive systems are typically more dated and rely on analog technologies. Analog cameras simply do not provide the same clarity of modern IP cameras and are commonly replaced with IP quality cameras.

Inefficient & Costly: Reactive video surveillance is not an efficient or effective means of tackling crime at your property. Acts of vandalism and burglary can have a huge financial impact on business. Recorded video evidence of these incidents is quite often not enough to bring the perpetrators to justice. Also, footage reviews unaided by intrusion detection can take considerably longer as you are required to manually pinpoint when an incident occurred.

Benefits of Netwatch Proactive Video Monitoring

Netwatch Proactive Video Monitoring uses a unique proactive video monitoring system that utilizes the latest data-driven technologies proven across thousands of customer sites. To date, the Netwatch system has prevented over 80,000 crimes.

Maintains secure property: Netwatch proactive video monitoring works in real-time, to intervene in intrusions before they occur. You will have peace of mind in the knowledge that your property is being protected 24/7, 365 days a year by industry-leading technologies and highly trained intervention specialists.

Response times: Once an intrusion is detected and visually verified, a Netwatch intervention specialist issues a personalized audio warning and places a call to the local authorities providing all relevant incident and site information. A crime in progress, visually verified by a Netwatch intervention specialist results in quicker police response time.

False alarm reduction: The key capability of the technology behind Netwatch’s Proactive Video Monitoring systems is the ability to distinguish objects into threats and non-threats intelligently. A stray cat wandering across your property will not raise an alert. Whereas an alert will be generated if a human entered the same area. A firm warning is swiftly delivered to the intruder by a highly trained Intervention Specialist before having the chance to access your property.

Cut costs: Using proactive video monitoring results in less nuisance security guard call-outs. Alarms are visually verified by trained Intervention Specialists ensuring that each incident is handled quickly and appropriately. False and unnecessary call-out costs are greatly reduced as security and the police are only notified upon visual confirmation of a threat or intrusion.

Audio deterrent: Upon detection of an intrusion event at your property, trained Netwatch Intervention Specialists will visually verify the threat and intervene by delivering a stern, personalized audio warning through a speaker system installed around your building. This results in the intruder/intruders fleeing from the site and prevents loss or damage to your property. All Netwatch proactively monitored properties are fitted with the most advanced, high-quality external speakers to ensure Netwatch Intervention Specialists can be heard loud and clear.

Liability protection: The Netwatch proactive video monitoring suite is particularly well suited to properties with health and safety risks. Utility substations are an example of properties where an intrusion can result in severe harm or loss of life. Netwatch proactive monitoring ensures that any unauthorized access is met with an audio deterrent and a call to local authorities before an intruder can risk their own life or damage critical infrastructure.

System health checks: Netwatch proactive monitoring systems employ the most capable and dynamic technologies. This enables the system to repeatedly check its own equipment and report any faults to one of the Communication Hubs in the form of an alert. Dead cameras, loss of connection and a wide range of other technical faults can be reported back to a Communication Hub. If the technical error cannot be resolved remotely, a technical engineer will be dispatched to your property at your earliest convenience to resolve the issue. You can have peace of mind in the knowledge that your equipment is constantly checked and in fully operational condition.

Interested in improving the security of your business with alarm monitoring services and proactive video monitoring? Fill out our contact form to get in touch.