Down on Remington Avenue, the good guys are watching
out for you around the clock.
On June 1, the university went live with its new
Homewood Communications Center, a state-of-the-art facility
that allows its 14-person staff to maintain a constant
vigil over the campus, primarily through a "smart"
closed-circuit TV system that alerts operators when it
spots suspicious activity.
The new center now provides a centralized hub for all
the campus's public safety and security technology, which
includes alarm systems, a computer-aided dispatch (or CAD)
system, radios, telephones and the CCTV system, which
currently features 79 computer-driven cameras positioned
throughout and around the perimeter of the campus,
providing an "invisible fence" around many buildings and
vulnerable areas.
Ten more cameras will be added before the start of the
fall semester: nine at Charles Commons, the Johns Hopkins
University-owned mixed-use complex that is currently in its
final phase of construction, and one at the new shuttle bus
stop by the Bunting-Meyerhoff Interfaith Center.
The CCTV system, which has been in operation since
March 2005, is able to quickly recognize potential
problems, from a student who has fallen and needs
assistance to someone trying to break into a locked
building. Real-time images of people who may be causing
problems appear on computer monitors, framed with a yellow
rectangle to alert system operators. The operators then
determine whether to dispatch a nearby security officer to
the scene.
Edmund Skrodzki, executive director of
safety and security at Homewood,
said that the new center has put Johns Hopkins on the
forefront of campus security nationwide by providing a
means to be appreciably more comprehensive and preventive
with security measures.
Other schools have taken notice.
To date, representatives of several major colleges and
universities have toured the facility and expressed
interest in using Johns Hopkins as a model for their own
security systems. Skrodzki said that the Baltimore Police
have also been somewhat envious, and appreciative, of the
technology JHU now has at its disposal.
"The new smart CCTV system has given the Security
Department here the opportunity to respond to and
investigate activities that might have otherwise resulted
in criminal activity," Skrodzki said. "The combination of
the new Homewood Communications Center and the CCTV system
is the integration of technology and resources that
provides the highest level of service, reduced response
time and the proactive deployment of the campus security
force."
Edmund Skrodzki, executive
director of safety and security at Homewood, looks at the
cameras' surveillance images with Carlisteen
Vice.
Photo by Will Kirk/HIPS
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The center itself is staffed around the clock with
rotating shifts of three to four security systems
specialists.
The CCTV system analyzes images from the video
surveillance cameras and alerts the security monitor to
behaviors that are suspicious or out of the ordinary. It
can be programmed to look for as many as 16 behavior
patterns (erratic movement, slow-moving vehicle, abandoned
object, etc.) and to assign them a priority score from one
to 100 for operator follow-up, depending on factors such as
the time of day when the behavior occurs.
"Behavior recognition software that automates
monitoring and prioritizes alerts increases the
effectiveness of the person monitoring and creates a system
that is more preventative than reactive. There have been
numerous studies that conclude that a person can't
effectively monitor a large number of cameras simply by
sight," Skrodzki said. "The system also allows us to cover
more ground than with foot patrols alone."
In addition to its "smart" capability, the system is
monitored like conventional security camera systems, with a
team of operators checking what is happening in each
camera's field of view on a rotating basis. At any given
time, a particular camera view can be called up for a zoom
or 360-degree look. For privacy purposes, however, camera
images of nonpublic areas are blacked out by boxes on the
screen that can only be removed by an order from the
executive director.
In addition, the feeds from each camera are recorded
and archived, if needed for later analysis or for use as
evidence.
During its first year of operation, the CCTV system
registered 116 alerts that triggered responses. The alerts
included thefts in progress, minor traffic accidents, acts
of vandalism and suspicious activity that might have
resulted in a crime.
Last month, CCTV operators observed a youth attempting
to steal a motorbike from a rack at Wolman Hall. Campus
security units were dispatched, and the individual, a
15-year-old non-JHU-affiliated male, was arrested and later
charged with theft and trespassing.
Earlier this month, the system helped secure a warrant
in the case of an armed robbery on the 3200 block of North
Charles Street. Security cameras had previously tracked a
vehicle in the area that was moving unusually slowly. CCTV
operators also took note of a suspicious individual, who
later entered the vehicle. On June 9, Baltimore Police
arrested the robbery suspect based on information obtained
from CCTV, which included images of the individual and the
vehicle's license plate numbers.
The CCTV system at Johns Hopkins was designed by iXP
Corp., a New Jersey-based public safety consulting firm
whose client list includes the New York City Police and
Fire departments and the University of Pennsylvania. Johns
Hopkins is currently the only university in the country
that utilizes the integrated smart system.
The Homewood Communications Center, an $865,000
project that was funded by the President's Office and the
Homewood deans, is located in a renovated space inside the
university's Office of Facilities Management at 3001
Remington Ave. The center — which has independent
electrical, HVAC, phone and computer systems —
features the dispatch center, a conference room, locker
room, data archive center, office space and a backup power
supply.
Martin Beauchamp, security systems manager, said that
in the event of a large-scale incident or catastrophe, the
center can act as the primary base of operations for senior
university officials.
Skrodzki said that the implementation of the center
and the new technology has not only improved security but
also enhanced campus safety by significantly reducing
response time to incidents such as a fire, fallen personnel
or traffic accident. The dispatch center, once alerted, can
bypass 911 phone lines and directly contact fire and police
departments. In fact, earlier this month CCTV cameras
recorded a traffic accident on University Parkway, and
security systems specialists were able to notify emergency
units immediately.
"No question, the blend of technology and operations
we now offer provides a winning combination," Skrodzki
said.
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