A new state of the art closed circuit
television system has been installed at Clacton Pier to boost security and
safety.
The project includes more than 100
cameras placed all around the 6.5acre attraction covering both the inside areas
and the outdoor decks.
It involves a significant investment
and is a major improvement on the previous system at the site.
Around half the cameras are already
in place and the rest will be installed by Berserk Security of Tillingham over
the next few weeks.
Pier director Billy Ball said the
improvement has been planned for some time and will be an important addition
for both customers and staff.
“This really is the very latest
equipment in the field and is all singing and dancing,” he said.
“It includes facial recognition and
can pick up children who have become separated from their families very quickly;
those who are banned from the attraction; it can alert us to queues building up
around the site and also acts as an extra fire detection tool.
“The cameras also cover a lengthy
distance along the Lower Promenades and can provide us important information
about who is on the pier, where and when.”
The system will also count numbers coming
onto the pier and those leaving – giving an accurate footfall figure.
“If a child goes missing and if
parents have a photo, we can load that up and it will show exactly where they
are if they are on site,” Mr Ball added.
“And if there is not an image
available, we can put in a description and details of what they are wearing,
and it will pick up all those fitting the description and their location. It
really is a game changer.”
Staff will also be given an alert if
a fire starts anywhere or if baggage is left unattended.
Dan Collins of Berserk Security
added: “This is a large job for us and will boost security and safety on the
pier as well as providing a range of analytical information.
“It is very much the same as a system
that would be installed to cover a town centre.”
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