The Safer Streets of Melbourne

Melbourne now has safer streets following the installation of one of the world’s most advanced security surveillance systems by SNP Security, Australia’s largest integrated security company.

Utilising wireless technology used for the first time in Australia, the improved system will enhance the assistance provided to police and other essential service groups, as part of Melbourne City Council’s ‘Safe City’ program.

Commissioned to improve CCTV coverage throughout the CBD of Melbourne, including the Docklands and Southbank precincts, SNP developed an end-to-end solution to provide for an additional 31 cameras to be installed in these areas. The project increased the overall CCTV coverage to a total of 54 cameras covering an area of approximately five square kilometres.

SNP Security Managing Director, Tom Roche, says this project required the equipment to be built from the ground up to meet the specific requirements of the Council and to ensure the integrity of the system was of the highest standards.

SNP dedicated a specialist team to the project and worked over a period of eight months to coordinate, design, build and install the new cameras and wireless system while ensuring all power and infrastructure requirements were available to support the end-to-end solution.

“The challenge was to find a wireless technology where no degredation of the image quality occurred between the camera and monitoring centre’, says Tom. ‘This ensures the most accurate incident identification possible”.

After several trials were conducted during the design phase, it was determined that the existing wireless technologies available in Australia were not robust enough, too complex, were not cost effective or did not offer the back-up and support required. A solution from overseas that met all the requirements was then sourced.

“Once the cameras and transmission equipment were installed and signed off within the Council, several months of testing occurred to ensure that the reliability of the system was of the highest quality and standard,” says Tom.

“Since the implementation of the “Safe City” program by Melbourne City Council, there have been over 500 arrests per annum accredited to CCTV footage. By enabling more accurate identification of offenders, the new cameras will result in more arrests in the first instance and ultimately reduce crimes overall, which is an encouraging result for other councils looking at methods of improving safety in their local areas.”


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