A suitable system increases the municipalty´s level of security Bihorel is a municipality located in the north-east of the city of Rouen in France. It offers its 8,000 inhabitants multiple nurseries, four state schools, two private schools, two secondary schools, sports complexes, exhibition and entertainment venues and a music school. Since 2011, the municipality has benefited from a video security network, i.e. recording without live viewing. Based on the Mayor’s decision the video surveillance was rejected and preferably was balancing public safety with individual freedoms. However, the system had aged and the image resolution was particularly problematic, as was the playback device, which was very inconvenient and slow to use. As a result, the municipality of Bihorel chose to proceed with a new consultation. Konica Minolta was selected in the spring of 2019 for an initial network of 21 cameras to upgrade the video security system for public safety.

 

Looking for a reliable supplier

 

That time Bihorel worked with another supplier, their system had aged and the image resolution was problematic. The playback device was also slow to use. As a result, the municipality of Bihorel chose to proceed with a new consultation.

Failures, as well as pressing demands from the municipal and national police to have better quality images, led the municipality of Bihorel to initiate a consultation on this subject in early 2019.

As Project Manager and IT Security Manager, Sébastien Dambry started by conducting a general check on the condition of the technology, to understand what was possible and avoid configurations that could cause issues.

In particular, Sébastien Dambry detected a risk of access to the municipality’s computer system via poorly protected cameras.

Established in line with the public order, the specifications required in particular:
 

• Robustness of cameras
• Camera security to prevent cyber intrusion
• Ability for cameras to work at night, without public lighting (as is the case in Bihorel)
• Scalability of the network, i.e. the ability to add one or more cameras without having to change the storer

“We interviewed Konica Minolta, who had already impressed us with their professionalism while working with us on a separate occasion and whose ability we had identified to meet key aspects of the specifications,” explains Sébastien Dambry.

Choice of innovative and open technology

Konica Minolta was selected in the spring of 2019 for an initial network of 21 cameras.
The municipality of Bihorel’s initial motivation was technological. “The reasons why we chose Konica Minolta are primarily due to the quality of the MOBOTIX cameras. These cameras meet our expectations relating to image accuracy with definition of 6 million pixels and cyber security,” says Sébastien Dambry.

The perspective of not being blocked by an overly rigid configuration in the event of needing to expand the size of the camera network was also a feature in the choice of the municipality of Bihorel. “Secondly, Konica Minolta’s response to the challenge of scalability demonstrates how technologically advanced the company is. The proposed system flips the traditional value proposition for this type of system on its head. The storer usually controls the protocols for retrieving and archiving images. However, if it is the sensor that collects the images and controls their backup, when you want to add a camera, it is necessary on the one hand to change the storer and on the other to choose cameras and a new storer from the existing supplier,” Sébastien Dambry adds.

With Konica Minolta, the cameras hold the intelligence. “The result is that each camera is independent and the choice of storer is neutral. It is just an archive for images sent by the cameras. This does not prevent it from being extremely effective in reading, quickly searching or enlarging images,” Sébastien Dambry emphasises.
The images are kept for 14 days and then over-written. Except for those which are extracted on request and handed over to the municipal or national police.
 

A year later, the feedback shows that the right choice was made

Working with Konica Minolta is not just about the quality of the equipment. Sébastien Dambry describes: “The organisation of the team that supported us is also a sign of quality. The team is made up of experts by area:

• A network specialist for the physical wired network, which supplies electrical power to the cameras and carries the image streams
• A MOBOTIX expert for the cameras
• A project manager for general management and monitoring of commitments.”

 
The service includes, of course, the installation and orientation of the cameras, installation of the network and assistance in the event of a malfunction. “In the last year that the system has been in place, we have had plenty of time to see confirmation of the commitments that were made. We have had no failures and the images are now perfectly usable. The settings for saving in night mode, carried out when necessary and camera by camera, are in operation,” Sébastien Dambry adds.

The municipality of Bihorel also had the opportunity to confirm the scalability side of its system, as it has equipped a new building with five additional cameras. Sébastien Dambry concludes: “We can see a clear improvement in the security situation. The high-performance camera system creates the expected deterrent effect.”