Denver keeps eye on security

Security and crime prevention at Denver Park-n-Ride commuter parking lots

will be enhanced with the addition of security consoles acquired through

a contract that the Regional Transportation District (RTD) awarded last

month to Boeing Co.

Boeing Autometric, a unit of Boeing, will install, integrate and configure

three Visual Security Operations Consoles (VSOC) at the RTD's central station

in Denver to monitor four Park-n-Ride locations.

"We are looking to provide the highest level of security we possibly

can for the people of Denver who use Park-n-Rides in order to use our transit

services," said Scott Reed, chief public affairs officer for Denver's RTD.

The VSOCs feature 3-D computer displays that will interoperate with

new video surveillance systems at the specified Park-n-Ride locations to

provide more effective surveillance as well as aid in crime prevention.

Each VSOC will show "photorealistic" views of Park-n-Ride facilities, with

3-D icons superimposed on a touchscreen interface that would allow an operator

to call up live camera feeds and recorded video.

After Sept. 11, "everyone in the public sector is looking into security

issues," Reed said.

Denver is looking to expand the software to other Park-n-Rides throughout

the city's 43 municipalities. However, "it is good to test the efficiency

of the system before we decide to expand," Reed said.

The four Park-n-Rides selected to use the software and receive new surveillance

cameras are among the most crowded facilities in the city, Reed said. Six

other Park-n-Rides will be equipped with new cameras, but will not yet use

the VSOC technology.

The $299,000 contract was funded under the RTD's security budget. The

system is expected to be fully operational by September 2003.

The VSOC software first became available in 1999 for an undisclosed

federal location. It has been used in security command centers at high-security

government facilities since 2000, said Tony Moraco, deputy general manager

for Boeing Autometric.