Saturday, July 19, 2008

New jail security cameras are online

Jail administator says system is working well

Evelyn Cronce El Defensor Chieftain Reporter

Socorro County Detention Center Personnel were trained on the new camera security system on Wednesday, July 16. Martin Chavez who was conducting the training said all the new cameras in the detention center are up and running — and recording. He said all the cameras are recording at the rate of four frames per second. That rate creates a continuous recording.

The new cameras look different from the more common box-like surveillance camera. They look more like a gray bump on the wall, shaped like half a sphere.

The shape will make it more difficult to block the camera. The cameras are designed so that inmate attempts to drape a sheet or something over the camera will not be easy.

The system includes two monitoring stations. One station is set up at the main desk inside the detention center. The second is set up in the control center. Each monitoring stations has two computer screens. One monitor shows small images from each of the cameras.

The "pods" or common areas are shown in larger format on the other monitor.

"You can select or zoom in and out by using the mouse," Chavez said as he demonstrated.

If anyone were to attempt to disable one of the cameras, the system would automatically call technical service. The whole system is set up to call if the system goes down for any reason, as in a power failure.

"I believe it's working very well," Jail Administrator Evangel Maldonado said. "Most people here feel safer now. The blind spots are covered. I think it'll work well in court, too."

ecronce@dchieftain.com

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