Graffiti Prevention

Graffiti Prevention using Video Surveillance

Graffiti is an eyesore. It can be found on buildings, highways, fences and other surfaces. It is often done without permission and it’s against the law. Graffiti also decreases property values, is a drain on tax dollars, and makes residents feel unsafe.

Municipal leaders know all too well the cost of cleaning up graffiti. In San Francisco the city spent $2 million a year on graffiti cleanup, according to news reports. But graffiti isn’t limited to the big cities. According to published reports the Paradise Valley United School District in Phoenix, Ariz. spent $1,720 for repairs after vandals left Pinnacle High School in North Phoenix full of graffiti.

Now, municipal leaders and others have a new weapon in their fight against graffiti: Video Surveillance with advanced video content analysis (VCA) from Leverage Information Systems.

Leverage’s intelligent video surveillance systems run on an IP network consisting of video cameras, core and edge network equipment, network video recorders, and command center equipment. Our systems feature virtually unlimited scalability, ubiquitous access, high quality images at lowest available bandwidth, and a no single point-of-failure architecture. By enhancing the performance of these systems using VCA Leverage’s systems provide real-time, actionable intelligence, allowing security professionals to proactively address security threats.

Video analytics is software technology that is used to analyze video for specific data. This software then evaluates the contents of the video stream using algorithms to determine specified information about the content of that video.

In fighting graffiti vandals video analytics can be employed to detect motion at a pre-determined location to alert security professionals. Using shape-based detection and “virtual tripwires” VCA serves as a real-time indicator. Here’s how it works: Security professionals define a specific area they want to monitor, say a high school building. When an individual approaches the building the “virtual tripwire” automatically alerts a command center of activity in the area. Shape-based detection analytics determine if it is an individual or animal. Based on this actionable intelligence, security professionals can take proactive steps by sending police officers to the scene before the vandals strike.

For more information on how a Leverage video surveillance system can help you fight graffiti and deter crime, call 1.800.825.6680.