Synectics’ Synergy 3 enhances public space surveillance capabilities at London boroughs

Synergy 3 will ensure that operators can immediately react to footage with responsive camera control

Two London boroughs have selected Synectics’ Synergy 3 command and control platform as part of significant upgrade projects to enhance public space surveillance capabilities.

The London boroughs of Bromley and Merton have a collective population of over half a million, making public safety a priority and a challenge.

Both face unique demands on resources. As London’s biggest borough, efficient and effective monitoring of large geographic areas is essential for Bromley’s surveillance team. In Merton – the only London borough served by tube, train and tram services – public safety in and around transport links is a key objective.

Enable greater levels of integration

Upgrading to Synergy 3 will support the boroughs in achieving their aims by enabling greater levels of integration, enhancing viewing and recording capabilities, aiding incident response and ensuring future scalability. In both cases, solutions have been specified and will be fully implemented by Tyco.

William Ogg, CCTV Manager for the London borough of Bromley, said: “From the control hub we monitor over 200 cameras - a mix of analogue and IP - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It’s a tough challenge, which means we are always looking at ways we can support the surveillance team and utilise our technology more efficiently and effectively. We knew that upgrading to an open platform solution that could facilitate greater levels of integration with existing systems would be key to this.”

At Bromley two separate systems are currently in place for recording footage from public space cameras, and for controlling those cameras. With the upgrade, Synergy 3 will bring together these two systems in a single unified environment to ensure that operators can immediately react to footage with responsive camera control.

The Synectics solution will also see Bromley benefit from a new display wall, including an interactive screen that will display customisable information such as changing threat levels and local news alerts that may require surveillance support.

William continued: “We are new to Synectics so we’re keen to see what their technology could offer. We actually had a Synergy 3 demo system installed so that we could see the opportunities for improvement ourselves. The difference was clear, and we could immediately understand how features such as the incident collaboration tools, and interactive mapping engine with Geospatial Information System (GIS) technology could really help us to enhance detection and response capabilities.”

Councils’ integrated approach

In Merton, Synergy 3 is also playing a key role in the councils’ integrated approach to borough-wide surveillance support.

A spokesperson from Tyco - working on the Merton project - said: “In their brief to us, Merton were keen to achieve heightened levels of situational awareness by adopting technology that would help integrate, streamline and support operations. The solution we’ve developed with Synectics will ensure that these ambitions are achieved.”

The new solution will enable Merton Council to unify monitoring and control of separate systems including fixed and redeployable Public Space Surveillance (PSS) cameras, Traffic Enforcement and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, and Body Worn Video (BWV).

Tom Davis, Parking & CCTV Infrastructure Manager for the London Borough of Merton, said: “The Synergy 3 system will represent a huge upgrade on our current system. As well as integrating all of our cameras and recording systems, the reporting features also mean we will easily be able to analyse exactly why, how and how often cameras are used in relation to incidents. This demonstrates best practice and is an approach integral to the Information Commissioner’s Office CCTV Code of Practice.”

Merton also has a number of remote site systems, such as the Garth Road waste centre, which will be fully integrated enabling operators to view, monitor and control cameras from the central control room.

Both borough-wide solutions fulfil criteria specific to London authorities including compliance with TVNP protocol to allow camera sharing between boroughs.