Genetec Inc’s Security Center software is basis on which council to manage public safety, city services and urban planning through single interface
The City of Edinburgh Council has revealed the tech behind its pioneering smart city strategy. The strategy aims to find innovative, tech-based means to more efficiently manage resources and improve public services. A key barrier to achieving this was the outdated public space security system which was unable to integrate new apps and tech.
Photo by Bayo Adegunloye
Now the city has launched a state-of-the-art Smart City Operations Centre. With funding provided by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and in partnership with North, the new operations centre is built on Genetec Security Center – a unified platform that combines in one platform such things as video surveillance, analytics and internet of things (IoT) sensors.
This unified platform means Edinburgh has been able to expand CCTV coverage in public spaces and enable secure data sharing between partners such as Police Scotland, the Fire Service and Transport for Edinburgh. In doing so, the new system supports day-to-day operations and also the management of large-scale events including the Edinburgh Fringe, Royal Military Tattoo and Hogmanay celebrations.
What’s more, capabilities extend beyond physical security, for example by saving the council hundreds of hours previously spent in manually trawling through surveillance footage. The new system has more than doubled the number of positive responses to viewing requests from Police Scotland. It is thought that the improved quality of footage submitted as evidence will increase the number of early guilty pleas, reducing the time spent by police officers attending court to give evidence.
Gavin Brown, Head of Network Management & Enforcement at City of Edinburgh Council, says: ‘The benefits for Edinburgh residents are massive. Enhanced public safety, improved services, optimised traffic flow, better infrastructure and city planning. Genetec and North have proved instrumental in helping deliver our Smart City strategy.’
Ben Durrant, Account Executive at Genetec Inc, adds: ‘All truly connected smart cities start with unified security as success depends on centralizing your operations under one platform. Otherwise, every new IoT device deployed will make you data-rich but information poor. Our platform differs from conventional alternatives because of its open hybrid-cloud architecture that offers the flexibility and functionality needed to evolve and keep pace with new requirements.’
Andrew Foster, MD of Public Services at North, says: ‘The Security Center ecosystem allows us to gather and visualise useful data sets from advanced analytics IoT sensors on how the city is actually being used by residents and visitors. This enables the council to make more informed decision making on how Edinburgh can become even safer, greener and better maintained.’
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