Creating a Mission-Critical Operations Center

Command center video wall systems typically use screens that are more sophisticated than standard video displays and can present content in various configurations. For instance, a public safety department might want to display weather information, real-time surveillance footage and data from environmental sensors, all on a single screen.  

Some cities may already have a sizable investment in surveillance cameras, while others are starting essentially from scratch. Officials should look at existing public safety data to determine the best placement for new cameras. Many municipal command centers also incorporate footage from cameras in privately owned stores or apartment complexes (with the owners’ cooperation, of course).

Some cameras and other mounted devices are embedded with analytics capabilities. For instance, automated license plate readers can scan passing vehicles and check plate numbers against databases of stolen cars, outstanding warrants and criminal suspects. Other tools can detect guns or gunshots from images or acoustics and provide a specific location based on acoustic sensors placed strategically throughout a city. 

Cities can also leverage analytics across multiple communication platforms, including 911 systems. This can provide a level of situational awareness that creates a real-time, holistic picture of what is happening across a city.

More video cameras means more data traveling across a city’s LAN and WAN. To support a command or operation center, cities often need to beef up investments in networking infrastructure. A networking assessment can help officials determine how well their existing networks will handle additional traffic, and guide their future investments.

Similarly, a robust operations center will almost certainly create new storage and compute demands that outstrip the capacity of a city’s existing infrastructure. Agencies may be subject to records retention periods set by the state, evidence management protocols, or other laws regulating how long video footage must be stored.

Agencies also need to consider who will be staffing the command center. Will these be new or existing employees? How many people will need to be onsite, and for how many hours each week? Who will have access to the command center, and what access control policies will be needed for staff to enter the room?  

Finally, the physical setup of a command center — not just the video wall, but the entire facility — is critically important. Officials should determine how the command center will be used in real-world situations and create a layout that leads to an optimal collegial environment. Operations centers are intended to give public safety workers the ability to access the right information at the right time and then act on it. The facility’s physical layout and acoustics will play a significant role in helping departments achieve this goal.

Story by Jason Schwartz, the Senior Manager for Strategy and Business Development at CDW, where he leads CDW’s state and local capture and business development organization. He is a 17-year veteran of the IT industry working exclusively with government entities across the country.