Government Archives - Kenton Brothers Systems for Security

“Camera in a Box” Solution for Community Improvement Districts

March 12, 2025/in Commercial Security, Government, Video Surveillance/by Neal Bellamy

By Neal Bellamy, IT Director at Kenton Brothers

The use of cameras to help protect areas of the city has never been more prevalent than today. The increase in camera quality and capability has increased the effectiveness, while decreasing the number of cameras needed. License plate cameras have also never been more effective. City infrastructure has also given the city capability to transmit the video to central monitoring stations to assist with live issues. (Of course, any city’s funding will only go so far.)

Community Improvement Districts

Community Improvement Districts (CID) are groups of owners in an area that partner with their city government to help improve the economy, safety, beautification, and or capital improvements for its area. Here in Kansas City there are many established CIDs including Downtown and River Market, Crossroads, Main Street, 39th Street, Waldo, Troost, Truman Road and more.

Typically, these CIDs have a better understanding of their areas where safety and security needs are. However, CIDs typically do not have the resources to monitor or respond to their given areas through cameras in the area. This is where a partnership can help both a CID and the local police department.

Infrastructure? Check.

Many light poles have a plug on top to provide power. The network is available through either city infrastructure or 5G cellular connections. (5G is now fast enough to provide video feeds back to central monitoring.) Some cities even have their own local wireless network.

“Camera in a Box” from Kenton Brothers? Check.

The CID can purchase a Swiss army knife type of solution that can be mounted permanently or temporarily as needed to provide coverage of specific areas. Many different types of cameras can be used such as license plate capture, PTZ, 360 degrees situational, Infrared, etc. Camera analytics have also improved greatly to help alert when specific license plates are found or when there is movement in areas that should not have activity.

The camera boxes that we are providing offer a lightweight, weatherproof (Nema 3R) pole or wall-mounted enclosure, 8 ports for cameras, up to 480 W of POE power, and a 5G/Wifi/Networked router with a plug to interface into the existing light poles. This will provide a solid base to which each location can be customized to the situation.

If a customizable Swiss-army cameras in a box type of solution help you or you local police department, let us know how we can help!

Enhancing Physical Security with Kenton Brothers Systems for Security CSEIP Certified Engineers

July 2, 2024/in Commercial Security, Government, System Design and Consulting/by David Strickland

By David Strickland, Vice President of Kenton Brothers

Federal Agencies are continuously seeking robust solutions to safeguard their assets and personnel. Physical security plays a pivotal role in this endeavor, encompassing a range of measures to Protect People Property and Possessions from unauthorized access or harm. Among these measures, Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) systems integrated with Physical Access Control Systems (PACS) have emerged as a cornerstone for ensuring comprehensive security solutions. In this blog, we delve into the significance of having Certified Security Engineer Identity Professional (CSEIP) certified engineers managing ICAM PACS and explore real-world use cases across government agencies.

Understanding ICAM PACS:

ICAM PACS integrates physical access control with identity management, enabling organizations to efficiently manage and control access to their facilities. These systems authenticate and authorize individuals based on their credentials, ensuring that only authorized personnel can enter designated areas. ICAM PACS solutions often encompass a variety of technologies such as smart cards, biometrics, and multi-factor authentication, providing layers of security to mitigate risks effectively.

Benefits of CSEIP Certified Engineers:

CSEIP certification is a testament to an engineer’s expertise in designing, installing, and maintaining advanced security systems, including ICAM PACS. Expertise in ICAM PACS Integration: CSEIP certified engineers possess in-depth knowledge of ICAM PACS technologies and standards, ensuring seamless integration with existing security infrastructure. Their expertise enables organizations to optimize system performance while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements.

By leveraging the expertise of CSEIP certified engineers, organizations can implement robust security measures tailored to their specific needs. From designing access control policies to configuring authentication mechanisms, these professionals ensure that security vulnerabilities are effectively addressed, bolstering overall protection.

With CSEIP certified engineers leading the way, organizations can mitigate the risk of security breaches and unauthorized access attempts. These experts implement industry best practices and deploy advanced security features to fortify ICAM PACS against evolving threats, safeguarding critical assets and sensitive information.

CSEIP certified engineers possess the skills to diagnose and resolve issues promptly, minimizing downtime and ensuring uninterrupted security operations. Their proactive approach to maintenance helps organizations identify potential vulnerabilities early on, preempting security risks before they escalate.

Use Case Scenarios:

Let’s explore how government agencies can benefit from having CSEIP certified engineers managing ICAM PACS:

Department of Defense (DoD):

The Department of Defense operates a vast network of facilities and installations worldwide, each requiring stringent access control measures to safeguard classified information and sensitive equipment. By employing CSEIP certified engineers to manage ICAM PACS, the DoD ensures that only authorized personnel gain access to restricted areas. These professionals design and implement multifactor authentication systems, incorporating biometric verification and smart card technology to enhance security while streamlining access for authorized personnel.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI):

As the principal federal law enforcement agency, the FBI relies on robust security protocols to protect its headquarters, field offices, and forensic laboratories. CSEIP certified engineers play a crucial role in designing and maintaining ICAM PACS solutions tailored to the FBI’s specific security requirements. By deploying advanced authentication mechanisms and intrusion detection systems, these professionals help safeguard sensitive investigative materials and ensure the integrity of the agency’s operations.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS):

The Department of Homeland Security oversees critical infrastructure and coordinates efforts to protect the nation from security threats. CSEIP certified engineers support DHS initiatives by implementing comprehensive ICAM PACS solutions across various agencies and facilities. These experts collaborate with stakeholders to design access control policies aligned with DHS mandates, enhancing situational awareness and emergency response capabilities.

By entrusting ICAM PACS management to CSEIP certified engineers, organizations can reap the benefits of enhanced security, reduced risk, and streamlined operations. As demonstrated through real-world use cases in government agencies, the expertise of CSEIP certified engineers is indispensable in safeguarding critical assets and ensuring the integrity of physical security systems.

Kenton Brothers Systems for Security is proud to offer our services to our Federal Agency partners.
Please give us a call today to see how we can help support your organization!

Installing a camera without wires or power? Solar to the rescue.

May 15, 2024/in Commercial Security, Government, System Design and Consulting, Video Surveillance/by Neal Bellamy

By Neal Bellamy, IT Director at Kenton Brothers

In a lot of ways, the requirements to install a commercial security camera are usually pretty easy to accomodate. 90% of the time we need just one wire that is smaller than your pinky finger. We can install that wire inside, outside, in conduit, or even stretch it between poles. We used to have limits on how far away a camera could be installed, but with new wire technologies and PoE extenders (Power over Ethernet), distance is rarely an issue. However, there are still times when you just can’t get a wire to where you want to install a camera.

The next best option is to at least have a power source. With a constant power source, we can at least power the camera and hopefully connect it to a wireless or fiber network to get the signal back to a base station. Kenton Brothers has installed numerous cameras where the only resource we had was power. Entire city blocks are blanketed with a wireless network for this type of security situation.

But what is the solution when you have to have a camera, but don’t have power and can’t get a wire there?

Solar Power

Solar power is not a new thing. It’s been around for decades. The hard part about solar is not the technology or the calculations, the hard part about solar is deploying it. Solar panels work by charging a bank of batteries when the sun is out and then using the batteries to power equipment when it’s dark.

First, of course, is knowing the load that will be running on the circuit. Second, is knowing which solar zone you’re in. (This is a measurement of how much sun you can expect in the area you will be deploying solar.) Last is knowing how long you need to be able to tolerate not having any sunlight. Based on all of that information, you or your solar system provider can determine how big the solar panels will need to be and how many will be needed to support periods of time without sunlight.

Solar Kits

A solar kit comes with solar panels, a solar controller, and batteries. What isn’t commonly thought of is the size of the panels and the weight of the batteries. For a recent project at a lake, our single 300-watt panel was about 3′ by 5′. This large surface area acts like a sail in the wind . If installed on a pole (the most likely type of installation) you have to account for the wind when specifying the size and strength of the pole. Likewise, the batteries that were needed for this installation weighed almost 120 pounds!

Using solar panels on poles provides a way to install cameras where there is no wire and no power. The solar panels can support the power requirements of the camera(s) as well as communication equipment like point to point or wireless. (It would also be possible to record locally to the camera or a weather hardened server, but a bit more challenging to get to that data.)

As you can see in these project pictures, the end result is a sturdy, self contained, solar powered security camera with a wireless data connection. And it’s high enough off the ground to avoid tampering.

If you have a unique situation where you aren’t sure how to get power and connectivity to a camera, give us a call. We will have the products and techniques to solve your problem!

Parks and Rec Project: No Network? No Power? No problem.

February 21, 2024/in Commercial Security, Government, Video Surveillance/by Neal Bellamy

By Neal Bellamy, IT Director at Kenton Brothers

Challenging installs are our specialty.

We love a good challenge, and love creating the right solution to meet the need. The latest challenge comes in the way of no network, lots of trees, and in some places… no power.

A local county Parks and Recreation group came to us with several places they wanted to have cameras. They have an existing Milestone commercial video surveillance system in the county, but it was not integrated with their parks and rec department. The team wanted to cover marinas, several park shelters around lakes, and a few trailheads that had no power. The final goal was to integrate everything into the Milestone platform so there is more visibility.

Remote Locations

The first challenge is how remote some of the locations are. An internet connection was available in 8 of the 30+ locations they wanted cameras, but the internet connections were not very strong or fast. We need to make sure the cameras are recording reliably, so we placed servers at the 8 locations as centralized storage spots for the cameras around each area. In one instance, we installed a server at the marina.

No Local Area Network (LAN)

The second challenge is that there is no network at several of the shelters where the department wanted cameras. Of course, wireless radios are nothing new, but we have lots of trees in the way. We had to get pretty creative to make a path from the cameras back to the marina, with line of sight for the radios and the least number of “hops”. There were several times we had to direct the signal away from the marina so that we could collect many signals in one place, and then send it all back to be recorded on the marina server.

No Power

No network is for sure a challenge. But the hardest challenge can be no power. We had to move to a solar solution to power the cameras.

It’s always fun to overcome technical challenges. Projects like these are memorable and satisfying. Do you have an interesting situation to deal with as you consider improving your commercial security posture? We’ve dealth with literally hundreds, and if you have something new, we would love to tackle it with you. Please give us a call.

Does Your Physical Security Provider Understand BAA and NDAA Regulations for Federally Funded Projects?

March 15, 2023/in Commercial Security, Government/by David Strickland

By David Strickland, Vice President of Kenton Brothers

Whether it’s the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) or Buy American Act (BAA), the landscape of government regulations is changing quickly. Recently, the BAA is getting a lot of attention because of thresholds that the act has established for products used in federal projects or for federally funded projects. We’ve spent some time discussing the NDAA regulations previously in this blog. We will concentrate on the Buy American Act’s new rules in this blog.

BAA – What You Should Know

THE BAA is intended to protect US manufacturers and utilize US goods and products first.

Buy American Act (BAA) Two-Part Test

The BAA uses a two-part test to define a domestic end product.
– The article must be manufactured in the United States
– The cost of domestic components must exceed 60% (2023) percent of the cost of all the components
This regulation is for all projects over $10,000

The final published rules make several material changes to the regulations of the BAA.

1) Increased domestic content requirements.

The final rule increases the percentage of domestic content necessary for a product to qualify as a “domestic end product” in compliance with the BAA. Currently, the BAA regulations require a product to contain 60% domestic components to qualify as domestic. In 2024 these same products must carry a 65% minimum threshold and this will increase to 75% in 2029. So current products having 63% of the components sourced domestically are considered BAA compliant, but in a year that will no longer be true.

2) The Fallback Threshold.

The current regulations have a “fallback threshold” for products that meet the current domestic content threshold but not the increased thresholds. The Fallback Threshold will allow agencies to use the existing 65% domestic content threshold in certain circumstances. This would be possible if the agency determines that there are no products that meet the new threshold, or such products are of unreasonable cost. The fallback threshold expires in 2030, one year after the domestic content threshold increases to 75%.

The government does allow for an agency to deem a product critical and exempt it from BAA compliancy on a temporary basis if the price is unreasonable. Waiver applications will go through the FTA. So far, even products that are in the 20-30% higher range have been upheld and BAA compliance is required.

The government has yet to publish a standard for what is “unreasonable” so all exceptions to the regulation must be made through the waiver request process.

3) Removes the commercially available-off-the-shelf (“COTS”) exception.

This was available during the pandemic to lessen the burden on agencies trying to deal with the supply chain.

4) Established restricted countries of origin.

Cannot purchase or use supplies, material, or services originating in, transported from or through the following countries or entities:

China
Cuba
India
Iran
Iraq
Libya
North Korea
Sudan
The territory of Afghanistan controlled by the Taliban
Serbia (excluding Kosovo)
Entities controlled by the government of Iraq

These regulations have a direct impact on physical security projects that are federally funded or are purchased by a federal agency. These regulations effect the following components that a physical security integrator may be providing or installing.

IP Video Surveillance cameras
Network and Digital Video Recorders
Switches
Servers
Access Control Components
Mechanical and electrified locking door hardware
Doors and Frames
Metal Detectors
Turnstiles
Intrusion Detections Systems
Cable

Government regulations can be difficult to understand, and Kenton Brothers Systems for Security can help you navigate these regulations for your next project. We have suppliers that meet the BAA regulations and can fulfill your project with compliant materials. Give us a call today!