TGAS + Secure Our City Show the Importance of Security and Technology Consultants

Getting away with crime just got harder. Because catching it in the act just got easier.

To show how the latest digital technology is making sure you’re being watched if you dare transgress the bounds of the law, Secure Our City (SOC), a Wellesley-based computer security service, partnered with TGAS to host a Sept. 18 open house at the Peabody flagship store of F.M. Valenti, a representative for security systems manufacturers.

SOC founder and CEO Geva Barash defines Security and Technology Consultants as “an expert who strategizes, designs and executes advanced security frameworks that protect people, assets and facilities across diverse industries.”

SOC works alongside design teams and directly with clients to help incorporate security needs into architectural engineering designs, such as CCTV, intrusion detection, and access controls. “At Secure Our City, we blend technical prowess with tailored design, offering security systems that integrate the latest advancements in surveillance, access control, and cybersecurity,” said Barash. All clients from residential homes to major government organizations like the MBTA can greatly benefit from these technological advancements and security and technology consultancies. Without proper guidance, this can come at a great expense.

Technology shown at the open house included a four-lens camera that offers a 270-degree perspective on a building’s environs in a high-resolution 5-megapixil image when mounted on a corner of the building. The camera’s Pont-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) mechanism motorizes the camera to automatically reposition its view of, for instance, a moved dumpster, so security can see it from their monitor if anybody throws unwanted trash there.

“By anticipating risks and designing systems that integrate smoothly into daily operations, consultants aim to prevent incidents before they occur, reducing disruptions and reinforcing safety,” said Barash. “Our team focuses on designing systems that are scalable and sustainable, allowing clients to expand and adjust their security capabilities as new technologies and threats emerge.”

The fish-eye ceiling camera is one of F.M. Valenti Inc.’s most state-of-the-art products. “It gives you the ability to look,” said Sean Valenti, Chief Operating Officer of F.M. Valenti. “It has a D-warp bubble lens and an inner-vision drop-in with a digital zoom and 180-degree capacity, or you can custom-cut it up into several virtual cameras” to see multiple images from diverse angles on a monitor. “The fish-eye camera can cover a whole room, up and down aisles at a liquor store, etc.,” owing to the increasing use of AI in cameras.

“Some advanced systems include AI-driven components that analyze data in real time, helping operators identify potential risks faster and distribute alerts more precisely,” said Barash. “By ensuring interoperability between various systems, Secure Our City’s consultants create a responsive network that supports seamless information sharing and faster decision-making, allowing first responders to arrive at the scene prepared and well-informed.”

TGAS achieves this goal in its police and fire stations and school security systems by integrating security solutions early in the design process, such that SOC consultants ensure that systems like mass notification, intercoms, and access controls are strategically placed to support efficient workflows and secure environments. “Collaborating with architects and engineers, Secure Our City’s consultants help design stations that maximize vigilance, streamline response protocols, and create a safe working environment for personnel,” said Barash.

Audio technology for police roll call and town hall meetings is advancing as well. SOC and Valenti exhibited a high-performance, under-monitor sound bar with built-in mikes that distribute sound to equalize it in a room. Now everyone can be heard more equally and clearly, while extraneous sounds such as nervous foot-tapping are deadened.

A/V technology has made a similar stride, as SOC pointed out with their voice-activated camera that follows speakers when they walk around the room and switches the monitor image from one speaker to another as they talk. This auto-switching can be extended into a Zoom call.

But the increasing complexity and precision of this technology doesn’t make it harder to put into action. “Ease of use, ease of installation,” said Valenti.

Ease of operation, too – owing to a touch board on the monitor screen. “You can use all the equipment in the room without a complex switch program,” said Valenti.

The video wall is also programmable for touch-screen operation. “You can control both the dispatch station and the video wall with one keyboard and mouse,” said Valenti. “The video wall is very customizable. It can be made any size.”

“Secure Our City’s consultants manage each project’s entire lifecycle,” said Barash. “They ensure that every layer of security is both effective and user-friendly, all while meeting regulatory standards. The result is a cohesive, robust security infrastructure that aligns with the client’s operational requirements and aesthetic vision, ready to adapt as future needs evolve.”

Open houses like this are ways TGAS keeps its police, fire and school clients abreast of the latest security technology and how it develops. That way, each new or renovated public safety facility or school can keep an even more watchful eye on the public than the security cameras of yore, owing to greater electronic capacity, wider bandwidth, clearer images, and more streamlined economy in installation and operation, not to mention the constant guiding hand of the security and technology consultant.