For many years, security cameras have been monitoring the Amphion and Catharina parking garages in Doetinchem and the Varkensweide car park.
Roel van der Werff (project leader) and Henk Westerveld (construction supervisor) of Buha BV, the company of the municipality of Doetinchem that manages and maintains the public space in Doetinchem, talk about the usefulness and necessity of these cameras and the recent upgrade. We meet the two in the porter’s lodge of the Amphion parking garage.
What immediately strikes you when entering this parking garage is the daylight that enters and the modern, even warm, appearance.
This is thanks to the use of wooden elements, parquet on the walkways and the glass roof.
There is even a beautiful work of art present, made from shards excavated during construction.
All this is quite exceptional for a parking garage where the material used is usually only concrete.

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

Cameras increase security

When we ask about the importance of camera surveillance, they are unanimous: “Camera surveillance in the parking garages and in the parking lot is important.” Van der Werff: “It increases the visitors’ sense of safety and helps us to supervise. The cameras are deterrent and therefore work preventively. In the event of vandalism or burglary, the camera images can be requested by the police. These images then help with the investigation or serve as evidence.” “We also use the cameras when people make contact with us via the intercom system, for example if there is a problem with payment at the payment terminal or at the entry/exit terminal. We can then speak to those people, but also see them.” “That is sometimes very practical,” Westerveld adds.

Better camera images and a video management system

The parking garages and the parking lot have been equipped with cameras for more than 10 years.
They are located in all kinds of strategic positions: at the entrances and exits, the payment machines and in the garage itself.
“Over the years, some changes have been made here and there and we have come to the conclusion that there are still some blind spots; places that were not captured with the existing cameras. Also, some cameras no longer gave a sharp image and the cameras of the three locations each ran on their own (and different) video management system. Moreover, much of this software was now outdated. That is why Mactwin Security, our permanent security partner, has realized a project with us this year, so that our camera surveillance is now completely up-to-date again. In places where necessary, extra cameras have been placed or an existing (fixed) camera has been replaced by a rotatable or 360-degree camera. As a result, blind spots are a thing of the past,” says Van der Werff.
The cameras from all three locations are now connected to the same underlying and upgraded video management system.
Westerveld: “Thanks to the upgrade, we now have better (sharper) camera images and increased speed and storage capacity. And because the cameras are now connected to one and the same video management system, the images from all cameras enter this porter’s lodge. The administrator sees the camera images of the three locations on his screens and he can control and manage the cameras from here. Even outdoors via a mobile device via a single user interface. Of course, that is also very practical; As a result, the parking managers do not always have to be present in the porter’s lodge and they now only have to work with one system, instead of three systems as in the past.”

Management contract guarantees optimal operation

In addition to the upgrade of the camera systems, Buha has also signed a new management contract .
“Mactwin carries out standard software updates and checks the quality of the camera images annually on the basis of the image book they have made,” says Van der Werff.
“As a result, we can be sure that the camera systems will continue to function properly and we can guarantee the safety of our visitors.”
Checking the quality of the camera images is done remotely, from the Mactwin Operation Center (MOC).
Only if the outcome shows that adjustment or a different configuration of a camera is necessary, Mactwin employees come to Doetinchem to adjust this.
This is not only efficient, but also saves costs.

Future

Van der Werff: “With the upgrade of the camera systems and the maintenance contract that has been concluded, we are completely up-to-date and ready for the future. We have high-quality cameras in the right positions and they are well adjusted. In addition, we have a modern video management system and the possibility of expanding it in the long term or linking it to camera systems elsewhere in the municipality.”