Spring is just around the corner, which means it's time to make your park safety-ready for citizens.

This post features how IP video surveillance, smart lights and remote access control can protect and keep city parks sustainable throughout the year. 

IP Video Surveillance Monitoring

City parks can get busy, especially when the weather’s nice. With all that foot traffic, how can you ensure the safety of city property and citizens?

IP surveillance cameras allow park and recreation officials to view live and archived video footage remotely via smartphone, tablet or laptop. With an extra set of eyes on your park at all times, you can better deter theft, vandalism and other acts of violence.

Surveillance cameras can also assist city law enforcement and officials in identifying responsible parties, should a crime occur.

The level of surveillance needed will depend on your city’s crime rate. Cities that are more prone to crime or vandalism may want to consider more sophisticated monitoring than those with lower crime rates.

Smart Lights

Lighting is a key aspect in both keeping your park safe and making visitors feel safe. The number, layout and type of light fixtures will vary based on the type of park and amenities included within it—for example, sidewalks, benches, pavilions, baseball fields, playgrounds, fountains, etc.

Work with a security professional to determine the best plan for your park based on its lighting goals and requirements. In doing so, you may want to consider motion-triggered lights or timed smart lights to maintain visibility while keeping energy costs low.

Remote Access Control

Although city parks are open to the public, there are some areas that should be considered off limits during certain hours:

  • Storage areas.
  • Bathrooms or changing areas.
  • Recreation centers.
  • Pools.
  • Gated areas.

With access control, you can easily restrict entrance during certain times. Access cards or passcodes also provide enhanced insight, as employees can be granted their own unique identifiers.

Using today’s cloud technologies, end users can administer their access control systems from anywhere. Smartphones and tablets can lock and unlock doors, change schedules and even initiate a complete lock down. Remote access to your access control systems will also provide you with user logs and administration of user credentials. 

What security equipment do you use to keep your city park safe? Share in the comments.

Image Source: Unsplash