City of Hasselt

October 30, 2019

Summary

Hasselt is the capital of the Limburg province in northeastern Belgium. To protect this vibrant historical community, city officials and police authorities work together using collaborative security technology.

Founded in the 7th century, Hasselt is the capital of the Limburg province in Belgium. This Flemish city comprises the old city center of Hasselt along with seven boroughs, eight surrounding communes, and three hamlets. With just over 75,000 residents and ample historical sites, the city has kept its quaint charm. In fact, the old town is mostly pedestrian-only. Student life is also thriving in the city which is home to Hasselt University and two colleges.

The company

Over the years, a mix of disjointed analog and IP video systems were installed in Hasselt. This made it difficult for city authorities and police officers to share information. During investigations, officers had to request video footage from city authorities and physically collect USB sticks before reviewing evidence. The same time-consuming and manual process occurred when requesting footage from local businesses. Police resources were overburdened, and the city needed to find a better solution.

The challenge

“Security Center increases our levels of collaboration with city authorities and local organizations. And the 22% reduction in crime speaks for itself— everyone is a lot safer.”

Philip Pirard, Chief at Hasselt Police

Results

Hasselt Police now manages over 200 cameras using the Security Center Omnicast™ video management system. With the help of integrator, The Safe Group, the city implemented the ‘Camera Triangle’ strategy, blending numerous fixed, temporary and mobile cameras to effectively secure the community. The police also installed the Security Center AutoVu™ automatic number plate recognition system (ANPR) on three cruisers to quickly locate stolen vehicles and scofflaws. Using the Federation™ feature, they can also access video from local businesses’, once permission is granted.

Now, whether there’s an emergency or investigation underway, officers can retrieve video and information without delay. The new security platform is delivering big returns, contributing to a 22% decrease in crime and over €21,000 from illegal dumping fines.

The solution

Working faster and smarter

“On the very first day, we were able to prevent the theft of a motorcycle thanks to the Security Center. It took our team fewer than 10 hours to identify and find the suspect and close the case”

Collaborating on city-wide security

With the Federation feature, the University of Hasselt, numerous local businesses, and three surrounding communes all federate their Genetec video management systems back to control room.