CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Dec. 6, 2005 — Global ePoint, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEPT – News), a leading manufacturer of security technologies for the aviation, law enforcement, commercial and industrial markets, announced today the completion of the installation of a new video surveillance and digital recording system for the Los Angeles Police Department SWAT Division.
AirWorks, a leading supplier of the aircraft Cockpit Door Surveillance System (CDSS) and Digital Video Recording systems, was approached by the Los Angeles SWAT Division with a request to engineer and install a video system that allowed for SWAT Officers to not only be able to see outside the vehicle prior to disembarking, but to additionally provide the ability to record significant events while in transit and while on location. Working jointly with AirWorks personnel AirWorks produced a system utilizing the same technology, ease of operation and recording capability of the CDSS.
As SWAT officers are transported by way of a Ballistic Engineered Armored Response Vehicle, the need for immediate information, archiving of information, and visual confirmation is essential to those officers before disembarking from the vehicle. The Los Angeles SWAT division utilizes two of these vehicles, BEAR and BEARCAT. The system is comprised of a centrally located 12 inch LCD monitor with a 85 by 85 viewing angle with built in Digital Video Recording with a 250g HDD; a PTZ camera located on the forward cabin with 270X zoom and 360 degree viewing rotation and assembled in a sealed damage proof housing, controlled by a RS485 fixed mount controller within the cabin area controlled by the driver.
The vehicles contain three AirWorks fully certified color cameras with mirror mode built in, installed on each of the other three sides of the vehicle, allowing for the individual selection of cameras, or utilizing the PTZ 360 degree camera mounted at the most forward part of the vehicle.
Former Los Angeles Chief of Police Daryl F. Gates, the originator of SWAT and a Director of Global ePoint stated, "The police officers have been totally satisfied by the BEAR of their total satisfaction of the system and its capability of providing immediate and needed information. The installation of this system in the BEAR and eventually the BEARCAT adds a much needed dimension to the capability of the vehicle and the safety of the officers preparing to disembark from the vehicle."
Chief Gates has already been in contact with the manufacturer of the vehicles for further discussions on including these systems as standard equipment in emergency response vehicles of this type.
"It is an honor to be included in a program with such elite personnel in the protection of the public and providing a security and safety system in the protection and resource tool for LA SWAT," stated Ricky Frick, President of AirWorks. "The system design, prototypes and final product were a result of having the opportunity to hear first hand the problem and to jointly design a solution. This is the identical method by which our CDSS has become the industry standard today. We are continuing to work with the SWAT officers on audio capability, housed within the camera units, which allows officers to not only view first hand the activities surrounding the vehicle but also have live audio feed." |