We meet the two in the porter’s lodge of the Amphion parking garage. Upon entering the garage, the daylight flooding in and the modern, even warm, atmosphere are immediately noticeable. This is thanks to the use of wooden elements, parquet flooring on the walkways, and the glass roof. There’s even a beautiful artwork made from shards that were unearthed during construction. All of this is quite unique for a parking garage, where the materials used are typically only concrete.

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Henk Westerveld (l) en Roel van der Werff (r)

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Cameras increase security

When asked about the importance of camera surveillance, they are in full agreement:Camera surveillance in the parking garages and at the parking lot is crucial.” Van der Werff: “It increases visitors’ sense of safety and helps us monitor the area. The cameras serve as a deterrent and therefore work preventively. In cases of vandalism or break-ins, the police can request the footage. These images then assist in the investigation or serve as evidence.” “We also use the cameras when people contact us via the intercom system, for example, when there is an issue with payment at the payment machine or at the entry/exit terminal. We can talk to them and see them as well.” Westerveld adds: “That can be quite practical sometimes.”

Improved camera footage and a video management system

The parking garages and parking lot have been equipped with cameras for over a

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Henk Westerveld (l) en Roel van der Werff (r)

year. They are placed at various strategic locations: at the entrances and exits, payment machines, and inside the garages. “Over the years, some things have changed, and we realized that there were still a few blind spots—areas not covered by the existing cameras. Additionally, some cameras no longer provided sharp images, and the cameras at the three locations each operated on a different video management system. Moreover, much of this software had become outdated. That’s why this year, together with our security partner Mactwin Security, we carried out a project to bring our camera surveillance up to date.In areas where necessary, extra cameras were installed, or an existing (fixed) camera was replaced with a rotating or 36-degree

Henk Westerveld (l) en Roel van der Werff (r)

camera. As a result, blind spots are now a thing of the past,” explains Van der Werff. The cameras at all three locations are now connected to the same upgraded video management system. Westerveld adds: “Thanks to the upgrade, we now have better (sharper) footage and increased speed and storage capacity. And because the cameras are now connected to the same video management system, all the footage from the cameras comes to this porter’s lodge. The manager can view the footage from all three locations on the screens and can control and manage the cameras from here. This can even be done remotely via a mobile device with a single user interface. That’s also very practical, as the parking managers no longer need to be physically present in the porter’s lodge, and they only have to work with one system instead of three like before.”

Maintenance contract guarantees optimal operation

In addition to upgrading the camera systems, Buha has also signed a new maintenance contract . “Mactwin regularly performs software updates and annually checks the quality of the camera footage using the image reference book they created,” says Van der Werff. “This way, we can be sure the camera systems continue to function properly and we can ensure the safety of our visitors.” The quality check of the footage is done remotely from the Mactwin Operation Center (MOC).Only if adjustments or reconfiguration of a camera are needed will Mactwin staff come to Doetinchem to make the necessary changes. This is not only efficient but also helps reduce costs.

Looking to the future

Van der Werff: “With the upgrade of the camera systems and the signed maintenance contract, we are fully up to date and ready for the future. We have high-quality cameras in the right positions, and they are well-configured. Moreover, we have a modern video management system with the option to expand it or connect it to camera systems elsewhere in the municipality in the future.”