CCTV is one of the best security systems you can have for your home or business, as its presence acts as a deterrent for break-ins, theft, and vandalism. And should a potential intruder not be put off by the presence of CCTV, the surveillance video footage can provide vital evidence to assist a police investigation and possible criminal prosecution.
An option to further enhance the protection provided by your CCTV system is to have CCTV monitoring.
What is CCTV monitoring?
CCTV monitoring is when a CCTV system is monitored 24/7 by a third-party professional monitoring company. The monitoring team will watch over your cameras in real-time and respond to anything suspicious.
How does CCTV monitoring work?
CCTV monitoring works by sending the video data from the CCTV system to a remote monitoring station via the internet. The technology inbuilt within the CCTV system identifies any unusual events and activities, which then triggers an alert to the remote station. As soon as an alert is received, a monitoring operative will view the live cameras and footage from their control room and take the most appropriate action for the situation.
The type of response will vary depending on the perceived severity of the situation. For example, it might be to deactivate a false alarm, notify a nominated keyholder, give an audio warning via the CCTV cameras or alert the emergency services.
What are the benefits of CCTV monitoring?
Guaranteed response
Your CCTV is being monitored 24/7, so every time there is a threat, someone will be on hand to respond immediately to the situation.
Peace of mind
You’ll know that the professionals are responsible for monitoring and actioning an alert response. With remote monitoring, the initial stress, hassle, and anxiety are completely out of your hands.
Prevent criminal activity
CCTV monitoring helps spot more threats as they occur and respond to them while in progress.
Lower costs
A monitored CCTV system could replace the need for expensive onsite security guards at your business premises.
You might also benefit from reduced insurance premiums as the insurance company will perceive a lower level of risk on your home or premises.
Reduce false alarms
False alarms happen. An animal crossing your driveway at night or someone popping back to the office after hours to collect something could cause your CCTV to trigger an alarm. These alerts will be picked up by the monitoring centre and dealt with within minutes, saving you any inconvenience.
So while your CCTV system will do a good job at preventing and potentially prosecuting crime, enhancing it with a monitoring company will improve its benefit and effectiveness.
If would like advice or a quote for a monitored CCTV system at your home or business, please call us on 01392 368830 or complete our contact form.
Image by edwardbrownca from Pixabay.