Active shooter incidents and similar threats have become more prevalent. According to data released by the FBI on June 15, 2016, there were 20 active shooter incidents in 2015 and 2014 each. That is six times more than the two-year period of 2000 to 2002, which was when the FBI began tracking active shooting incidents.
As was demonstrated by the horrific shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, there is often confusion when law enforcement respond to such incidents as they are unable to see what is going on inside, and dispatchers must rely on oral communication in chaotic situations. There is an increasing need for police operations centers and 911 centers to be able to visualize feeds that they are receiving. The information can come from officer body cameras, dash cameras, helicopter and drone video, public and private surveillance cameras and other public safety data. Having the ability to receive this data as it happens with real-time visualizations could aid in response times and potentially save more lives.
A Technology Solution
Black Box Radian Video Walls can be integrated with DVRs and video management systems to provide all of the incoming video feeds simultaneously on a wall in the command center or control room for real-time visualizations. The information is streamed via the IP to DVR. Black Box has the necessary components to display it via the Radian Video Wall.
Video Compatibility
The Black Box Radian Video Wall is compatible with multiple formats and video inputs. You can rely on it to display information from DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, SDI, VGA, and IP. It works with all modern video formats, and it supports 4K. Users are able to drag and drop video feeds on the display and can freely position and size incoming video anywhere on the video wall.
Flexibility
The system has numerous configurations, allowing you to create one or more video walls using up to 64 video outputs. It can handle inputs from hundreds of sources simultaneously. Expansion chassis allow greater scalability and come in 4-slot, 9-slot, and 11-slot sizes.
Trained law enforcement personnel are human and have human reactions when confronted with severe crises like active shooting incidents. This makes it more difficult for dispatchers and command centers to get a true picture of what is happening on the ground at the site of the incident. In the Pulse nightclub attack, several officers responded within a few minutes of the shooter’s engaging the security personnel in a firefight. The officers had a difficult time initially spotting the shooter but followed sounds back to the bathrooms. They were communicating with dispatchers orally. According to the Washington Post, one officer among the small team that made their way in said that the five were told to hold their position and wait for the SWAT team to arrive. If the dispatchers had had real-time visualizations from the officers’ body cameras to better understand what was going on, it is possible that the response would have been quicker, saving more people on that night.
It is an unfortunate fact of modern times that violent incidents sometimes happen. Having real-time visualizations along with verbal communication can help public safety professionals to better understand where help needs to be directed. As more incidents continue to happen, having quick, real-time information can end the active shooting much faster, saving lives in the process.
To learn more about the Black Box Radian Video Wall system and our technology solutions for public safety, visit our website.
