Many commercial property owners are studying proactive vs reactive video monitoring for their shopping center, car dealership, self-storage facility, multifamily apartment complex, or other commercial property. Property managers should know the difference between both video surveillance solutions to help protect their residents, employees, guests, and assets.
The proactive vs reactive video monitoring comparison starts with video cameras. Both security solutions use on-site IP or analog CCTV security cameras. Multiple surveillance cameras are placed around and inside a commercial property to watch entrances, gates, fences, back alleys, roofs, buildings, common areas, and other locations where high value assets are stored or trouble has been seen. The cameras can show crimes, such as trespassing, burglary, smash and grab robbery, theft, assault, car theft, drug deal, copper theft, vandalism, etc.
That’s where the proactive vs reactive video surveillance similarities end. In reactive video monitoring security camera video is recorded and stored on an NVR (networked video recorder) or local DVR for later playback. After criminal activity or other property accidents or liability incidents have occurred, the surveillance video can be scanned for video evidence of suspects and vehicle license plates for use by property managers, local police, and insurances companies. The surveillance video after the fact can assist efforts to identify suspects. However if someone is wearing a hat or hoodie or they’re not in close camera range their face often can’t be identified.
In proactive video monitoring remote trained operators watch the surveillance camera video feed live. If they see suspicious behavior or criminal activity in real-time they can take action. They can sound warning speakers that tell suspects they are being watched and the police are being contacted. Operators can call on-site security guards and local police. As a result, live proactive video monitoring, unlike reactive surveillance, can be used to help deter or prevent crime and theft, before commercial property and tenants suffer damage and loss.
Security guards can be a factor in the proactive vs reactive video monitoring debate. But security guard effectiveness and cost should be considered. A security patrol only watches your property for a limited time. On-site guards can only watch a small part of a large property. In comparison a remote third party remote virtual security guard like Stealth can typically watch more of your site and save you up to 80% of the cost of a security guard service.
Stealth Monitoring is a proactive security industry leader in live video surveillance with over 15,000 video cameras watched nationwide. Stealth proactive video monitoring can detect and deter crime while reducing security guard and other expenses. A Stealth operator can see unusual activity in real-time with security cameras, activate a speaker warning to deter the thieves, and call the local police.
Please contact Stealth today if you’re comparing proactive vs reactive video monitoring. Visit our web site to see actual videos of criminals being apprehended at commercial properties.
