During the last two editions of the known cycling race Record Bank E3 Harelbeke (UCI World Tour), the emergency services used an advanced ad hoc command room. ‘We see everything now and we see it better and earlier than the people in the field.’
Our mobile command vehicle is too limited for large events, explains Jean Louis Dalle, Chief of Police for the district of Gavers, Belgium. That is why we implemented the special command room, as a collaboration between the police district of Gavers, Innos, Securitas, Barco, the Federal Police, the rescue zone Fluvia and the city of Harelbeke. The ad hoc command room enables the police, the fire department and other partners to maintain a clear and grid-centered overview of the environment. ‘The screens in the room are connected to mobile cameras in the field. This allows us to coordinate and ensure optimal safety. ‘
The added value of video
In the old days, security on major events was mainly organized via radio communication. But, according to Jean-Louis Dalle, video technology has many advantages. ‘Thanks to the camera images we asses situations more correctly. It allows us to respond faster and makes it even possible to better anticipate possible incidents.’
Thanks to AI, we will soon be running the command post more efficiently
Jean-Louis Dalle, Chief of Police of the district of Gavers, Belgium
Barco’s systems centralize all camera images in the command room. ‘We can also watch those images as one common layer. So we do not miss any detail.’ Meanwhile, this technology has thoroughly changed the working method of the people in the field. Before, when policemen spotted something on site, they notified the command room, where a decision was taken. It now works the other way around,’ says Jean-Louis Dalle. ‘The command room sees everything better and faster than the people in the field, and sends everyone straight to the right place. Of course, this new working method requires the matching attitude and appropriate training of our people.’
More people in the field
How will such an ad hoc command room look like in the future? If every camera directly runs on intelligent software, coordination should even be faster and more precise, says Jean-Louis Dalle. ‘In that case, the computer also keeps an eye on things and warns us when images or situations pop up requiring human analysis or intervention. Thanks to AI, we will soon be running the command post more efficiently, freeing more policemen to perform other tasks. In my opinion, this will already happen in just a few years.’