Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital, is home to over half a million citizens and it attracts more than 4 million visitors each year.

The City of Edinburgh Council is responsible for providing all local government services for the city and its immediate surroundings. In recent years, the city council created a Digital and Smart City strategy. The goal was to introduce innovative new technologies to help solve challenges, better manage our resources, and improve public services.

Only one issue stopped the city council from realizing its smart city vision. The existing public security system was no longer fit for purpose and couldn't seamlessly integrate new applications and technologies. “It really was a barrier that prevented us from moving forward with our Smart City ambitions,” said Gavin Brown, Interim Service Director-Operational Services at The City of Edinburgh Council.

With the Security Center unified security platform, operators can manage CCTV, analytics, and IoT sensors from one interface. They are now more confident and in control when handling day-to-day operations.

Implementing advanced video analytics and AI-based tools has empowered operators. This has enhanced situational awareness, allowing them to quickly pinpoint and respond to threats. The Council has connected smart waste sensors to reduce pollution, smart building tech to predict dampness and mold issues, and travel monitoring to inform sustainability initiatives.

Investing in unified security has enhanced collaboration between city partners. Video and data can be securely shared with Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and Public Transport.

“The Genetec Security Center platform has proved truly transformational,” said Gareth Barwell, Interim Executive Director of Place at The City of Edinburgh Council. “Being able to manage all our smart city technologies through a single intuitive interface gives us a more comprehensive view of what’s happening in our city.”

Edinburgh’s city council credits Genetec Security Center with saving their operations team hundreds of hours previously spent manually reviewing surveillance footage. It has also enabled them to fulfill more than double the video requests from Police Scotland.

As a result, Police Scotland recognizes that enhanced coverage across Edinburgh City Centre will improve their ability to identify, charge, and convict offenders. With higher-quality footage submitted as evidence, they anticipate a reduction in time officers spend in court providing testimony.