When the Bergen County Sheriff’s office in Paramus, N.J. wanted to amp up security in their new parking structure and renovated police services building, they selected Hanwha Techwin IP video surveillance cameras to do the job.  

According to Philip Lisk, director of information technology at the Bergen County Sheriff’s office, approximately 150 of the Hanwha IP cameras were installed throughout and around the new parking structure. A key factor in the decision to implement 5 Megapixel cameras was the ability to accurately capture license plates from 60 or more feet, combined with the ability for panoramic fisheye lenses to view both sides of cars entering and exiting the garage.

“We field tested and did camera comparisons before making our decision to go with the Hanwha cameras,” Lisk said. “The image clarity of these cameras is incredible and the digital zoom capabilities are exactly what we need to monitor the parking structure and outdoor areas. Even when it transitions from day to night, the image is incredible.”  

Prior to the purchase and installation of the system, Hanwha helped Lisk design coverage in the parking garage to provide him with information modeling to demonstrate to management the exact views they would be able to see once the cameras were installed, which also aided in the decision-making process.

Based on the image quality delivered by the new cameras, the decision was made to install another 40 of the Hanwha IP cameras in the police services building. The three-story building is the police services headquarters for the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and has three holding cells and four interview rooms, all of which are covered by Hanwha cameras. Cameras from both locations are connected to a VMS, allowing control, monitoring and access to recorded video both locally and centrally.

“The system is easy to operate and we can go back and look at footage when we need to and can actually see what we need to,” Lisk added. “The Hanwha cameras give us very clear pictures edge-to-edge.”

While there were no specific issues that prompted the need to add the video surveillance system, Lisk pointed out that the reasonable price point made the purchase procedure smoother because it did not require any special justifications. The purchase was also made more appealing by the attractive warranty.

The Bergen County Sheriff’s Office is the largest law enforcement agency in the County, with more than 600 personnel. It is tasked with maintaining order and security at the Bergen County Justice Center, providing for the care and custody of more than 1,000 inmates and detainees at the Bergen County Jail and assisting the County’s 68 municipal police departments by providing advanced forensic procedures through its Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Additionally, the Office is responsible for process serving, writs, court orders, foreclosures and court executions.