Northern Europe's surveillance placement cuts public 25% of transport crime

Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL), Greater Stockholm Local Transit Company, needed to update its existing system of security cameras. SL wanted to maintain a high level of safety and security for passengers and staff, combat crime such as theft, robbery and vandalism, and have cameras that support its staff in daily operations and emergency response operations. SL also wanted to ensure that it had had a good video surveillance system which was able to provide good image material to investigate accidents, perform better analyses for accident prevention and better assist the police with images for criminal investigations.

Solution
With about 22,000 cameras, SL has the largest installation of security cameras in Northern Europe. The update involves replacement of about 4,000 network cameras, a large percentage of which are from the AXIS P32 and AXIS P33 series, together with XProtect software from Milestone Systems. The security cameras are reliable, durable, easy to install, can handle very severe lighting conditions. Due to advanced technology within the Axis cameras and their policy of an open API, they were able to reduce the system’s bandwidth requirements and provide a solution that was both cutting-edge and future-proof.

Result
Safety and security have increased for both travelers and SL workers. SL has security cameras at all of its subway stations. According to a research report from Stockholm University*, it is estimated that crime had been reduced by 25% at the subway stations in central Stockholm that are equipped with security cameras. Incidents of pickpocketing and theft in particular have decreased. The cameras prevent vandalism and graffiti, and are an aid to SL’s staff in tasks such as monitoring traffic in daily operations and during evacuations.

*The Effects of Surveillance Cameras on Crime: Evidence from the Stockholm Subway, Department of Economics, Stockholm University, April 6, 2015.