Once England became host nation of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Twickenham Stadium had a site assessment. The rugby stadium decided to modernise its video and access control systems. The stadium’s security staff needed non-proprietary systems which would allow for growth. They also wanted reliable video quality to aid the identification of any suspects and detail of what was happening inside the west London stadium.
Under Phil Parker, Head of Security at RFU, Twickenham was looking for a security platform for operators to use. Parker says: “I didn’t want to restrict the RFU to one single vendor, so an open platform was vital. More importantly, we wanted to move away from having to switch between different pieces of software. I wanted to make the lives of my operators easier by having all of our systems using one platform.”
After a tender, Twickenham narrowed down the bids to only those that met the criteria and then held meetings with each installer. The buying team watched demos, researched the market, and met with security vendors. Twickenham also met with vendor customers who were using each product. After spending time and energy looking into each product, the team chose Vindex Systems, as installer, and Genetec Security Center as the management software. That combines video surveillance, access control, automatic number plate recognition technology and other systems.
Parker says: “With each step in the buying process, the decision became easier. We were blown away by some of the platform’s capabilities, and were impressed with the level of integration with other systems. We felt confident that if an interesting new technology came onto the market, Genetec would ensure that we would be able to access its capabilities. That was one of the biggest selling points for our team.”
With the World Cup approaching, Twickenham planned a phased install. The first objective was getting the existing video system converted to the Genetec platform. Some 110 cameras are managed by the Omnicast IP video surveillance system of Security Center. Twickenham could keep most of their analogue cameras by using IP encoders, and added some new Axis Communication network PTZ dome (the Q60) and 360-degree cameras (the M3007) to expand coverage around the stadium. Re-using equipment saved the stadium on deployment time and costs. Shortly after installing the new platform, Twickenham security staff spotted two men trying to add bank card scanners to a nearby ATM located outside of the property. They were able to inform the banks and the police, provide high-resolution video as evidence, and help mitigate fraud which would likely have affected visitors to their stadium.
Parker says: “From a review perspective, the quality of the video has been far superior to what we had previously. We can pull up video, magnify part of the frame, and dig deeper into a scene, which gives us a much better perspective.” Ten doors were also added onto the Synergis access control system of Security Center. Phase two will include a full transition from the access control system to the unified platform. Twickenham also unified a Digital Barriers analytics system within the software, adding virtual tripwires along the fenced perimeter. Parker says: “With Security Center, our operators are better equipped to handle potential security breaches. If someone tries to climb the fence, or open a door, our operators know about it immediately. They also don’t have to monitor a variety of different applications like before. The system alarms and the associated video comes through one platform which makes the whole response process more efficient.”
Operators navigate the stadium using a layout of their venue through Plan Manager. This map interface within the software enables them to locate cameras, respond to alarms and check door statuses. Parker says: “Some systems are so complicated that it limits your workforce’s ability to be both confident and efficient. When you are running the operations of a stadium, that’s unacceptable. Security Center is a very intuitive platform that empowers our operators to make better decisions.”
On match day, security operators work from two control rooms. The Threat Level Management feature within the software has been programmed for match-day activity, presenting operators with the specific tools to monitor the stadium and respond to events. Operators also monitor crowd flow and identify any operational issues such as long queues or required clean-ups. Park sums up: “I can’t recommend Vindex Systems and Genetec highly enough. Both companies have been very responsive in helping us migrate our technology. They have an open-minded, friendly and helpful approach, which has been refreshing. We look forward to completing the phases of implementation so that we can use Security Center to its full potential.”
