Dejero enhances situational awareness during six-day festival

Dejero, an innovator in mission-critical connectivity solutions that deliver real-time data and video over IP for situational awareness, recently supplied its GateWay network aggregation device to Winston-Salem Police Department (WSPD) for critical connectivity during the International Black Theatre Festival (IBTF).

During the six-day event that transformed Winston-Salem into a mega-performing arts centre attracting 65,000+ visitors, a Dejero GateWay was deployed onboard a FUSUS/Compass Security Solutions mobile surveillance trailer equipped with high-res Bosch PTZ cameras, at a crucial area downtown. The GateWay provided resilient internet backhaul for streaming uninterrupted real-time video to WSPD’s Real Time Crime Center (RTCC), enabling the department to respond faster and more efficiently to potential incidents.

“We didn’t lose a stream,” said Lieutenant Ben Jones from WSPD. “The low-latency connection, and clarity of the camera feeds from locations where we previously had little visibility, meant that our RTCC staff could see and respond to unfolding scenarios much quicker and make better-informed decisions to keep our officers and the public safe.”

During the festival, the Dejero GateWay was temporarily located in areas where fibre infrastructure was inaccessible and localised CCTV camera feeds were relying on network connectivity from a single local cell tower that simply does not produce clear image resolution. Jones explained, “At the same sites, during a similarly large public event weeks earlier, we’d implemented traditional mobile connectivity solutions, trying different priority network SIM cards, but we couldn’t achieve a consistent signal or enough bandwidth to be able send high-res video back to our RTCC. Network congestion due to the large crowds had a major effect.

“For IBTF, with GateWay, which blends multiple IP networks from multiple carriers together, a seamless connectivity path was created to the RTCC and our situational awareness was vastly improved.”

Powered by Dejero Smart Blending Technology, GateWay is certified by multiple US wireless communications networks built for priority use of first responders and the public safety community. Smart Blending Technology combines connectivity from diverse cellular and other IP network providers, including LEO, MEO and GEO satellites, creating a virtual ‘network of networks’ to provide access to a greater coverage area than any single provider can deliver. Easily transported, GateWay can be set up in a matter of minutes, making it suitable for on-location events.

“From the minute we put [the GateWay] up to the minute we took it down, it was like we were on fibre the entire time,” Jones said. “Our collaboration with Dejero and FUSUS significantly enhances our capability to maintain safety and security.”

WSPD’s vision is to become a model agency in its use of innovative technology to supplement quality police work to help solve and deter crime and to create more efficient processes and increase officer safety. According to Jones, “As we move forward, we’re exploring Dejero’s unique connectivity solutions for a range of applications as part of our Drone First Responder (DFR) program.

“In remote locations where fibre isn’t available, Dejero is a solution we could rely on to provide video feeds and licence plate readings to the RTCC. Having a network solution that delivers consistent quality streams allows the RTCC to impart critical information to officers in real time and enable them to make better-informed decisions.”