Axis gets a foot in the door with Police

policemanAxis has been named a full member of Secured by Design (SBD), the national police crime prevention initiative, as a wide range of network video products receive its Police Preferred Specification accreditation

SBD is part of the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives’ (PCPI) group of crime prevention organisations, which operate in support of the Police Service throughout the UK. Membership was awarded after 15 of Axis’ network video products were accredited for achieving SBD’s Police Preferred Specification (PPS) standards for security.

The PPS accreditations include a variety of devices from AXIS Companion, a complete solution that brings the reliability of professional video surveillance to small business owners. This gives SMEs the confidence and reassurance they need to invest in cost-effective networked video technology, and reap the security and business benefits that connected devices offer.

The PCPI SBD was established in 1989 and works with police forces and industry suppliers to create high standards of crime prevention equipment, with the ultimate aim of reducing both the risk and fear of crime. SBD requires products to be rigorously tested or certified independently before it is prepared to consider them for its coveted PPS accreditation.

“Axis is driven by a vision to constantly innovate for a smarter and safer world. Having SBD accreditation provides customers who are procuring security equipment and video surveillance technology with that extra level of knowledge that Axis products are proven and trusted,” says Atul Rajput, Regional Director Northern Europe at Axis Communications. “We have worked hard to ensure that all of our products deliver to the highest standards, for both enterprise and small business.”

The company said that network video is essential for crime prevention and prosecution and can help communities feel safer and more secure. It  has a major role to play in the development of smart city technology. Image data from shopping centres, transport networks and city surveillance is not only used to fight crime, but also to provide intelligence around the movement of people and goods throughout an area.

In addition, while a large part of SBD accreditation focuses on ensuring devices are safe from physical attack, it is equally important that the cybersecurity of new technology is given the same priority.

“Axis has worked hard to ensure it has a safe and secure platform for network video. Axis engineers pride themselves on designs that make device management and issuing firmware updates simple but fully protected against malicious hackers and online criminals. Once IP video is securely installed on the network it can be combined with other data sources to deliver real insights for smarter living,” Rajput says.

“We welcome Axis as a full member to what is a select group of companies that have demonstrated the necessary criteria to meet our strict standards for SBD accreditation,” says Guy Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer, Secured by Design. “The role of network video surveillance is increasingly vital for communities across the UK, and it is important that vendors such as Axis are proving that this technology can be built and deployed responsibly and reliably.”

Axis products that have achieved the PPS accreditation include devices from the AXIS Companion range of indoor and outdoor cameras, as well as thermal and radar imaging equipment, and the Axis Network Horn Speaker. This gives Axis’ partners the ability to provide businesses of all sizes and needs with full solutions and externally certified equipment.