SecureNet Defines the Logic To Solve Cedar Park Police Department’s Integrated Security System Needs
Pictured is the new Cedar Park, TX Justice Center Complex.
The Pride of the Hill Country
Cedar Park, Texas is a forward-looking municipality nestled in the Texas hill country near the capitol city of Austin. One of the fastest growing cities in Texas, its proximity to Lake Travis makes it a popular destination.
The new Justice Center Complex in Cedar Park is home to the police department and the municipal courts system. It speaks well for the community that this 40,000 square foot facility is a template for technology.
During the design phase of the new building, SecureNet was asked to hone the security specifications. Elements of the highly technical, integrated security system include perimeter protection, closed circuit television (CCTV), barrier gates, access cards,
The new sally port has space for four vehicles and was designed to prevent prisoners from escaping during transport.
key pads, digital video motion sensor (DVMS) recorders, duress/emergency buttons, pan, tilt, zoom (PTZ) cameras, proximity readers, and a mantrap from the sally port to the jail.
SecureNet, Open Options, and Kouba Partner for Project
SecureNet was selected as the security contractor for this project and installed Open Options access control using HID proximity readers. The access control alarm points are interfaced to the Motorola Centra-Com radio console for pop-ups on alarm notification on the dispatcher ’ s radio console screen, along with virtual buttons on the dispatcher ’ s radio monitor for door unlock control.
A mantrap is an arrangement of doors, usually forming a small corridor or booth that allows a person to enter and be identified before proceeding into a controlled area. The challenging specifications called for a unique two- zone automated interlocking mantrap to hamper a detainee ’ s route between a vehicle sally port, cellblock, and the administrative wing of the new police department. The mantrap requirement called for more than the traditional hardwired relay solution.
SecureNet defined the logic and proposed a solution from Kouba & Associates, Inc. of Bastrop, Texas, for a Programmable Logic Controlled (PLC) bridge between the access control system and the door locks. The mantrap is coupled with LED status indicators to provide the user with a visual indicator of the mantrap ’ s status from any of the five access points and rollup doors.
In the sally port, two cameras were installed to provide a complete view of the prisoner loading/unloading area. The rollup door is controlled by the Open Options/Kouba setup, as is the entrance to the mantrap. If the sally port doors are open, the building entrance will not open. If the building entrance is open, the detention center, office area door, sally port doors cannot be opened.
Audio Systems, Cameras Installed
Further, audio systems were installed in the detention center and the court clerk windows. The detention center has speakers so two-way communications may occur without having to put someone in the room.
SecureNet used a combination of Pelco CCTV vandal resistant mini-domes and Spectra III day/night pan/tilt/zoom domes. The PTZ cameras affixed to the new police department are capable of not only seeing their facility, but may also zoom in on adjacent establishments, including a nearby bank and several retail businesses. All cameras are digitally recorded on American Dynamics Intellex DVMS recorders along with audio from the detention and detox areas. This video is network accessible to authorized users.
Adjoining the Cedar Park Police Department is the municipal court facility. The CCTV system was designed in such a way that court cameras, recorded on common Intellex DVMS recorders are segregated from the police department cameras for viewing. This draws a virtual yet distinct line between viewing capabilities of each entity. Duress emergency buttons throughout the facility trigger pop-up alarms on the dispatcher ’ s console via the Open Options system.
Perimeter Protection Also Provided
On
the perimeter of the new police building, SecureNet installed HySecurity
barrier gates at two entrances to the secured parking lot. The main gate
uses an HID ProxPro with integrated keypad. This, combined with the Open
Options software, allows employees to use their access card while unique
PIN numbers are used by vendors and outside law enforcement agencies
that require access.
Various rooms inside the police department that require a higher level of security use the same HID ProxPro keypad readers configured to require both a card and a PIN for access.
Pan, tilt, zoom cameras by Pelco were used on the exterior for perimeter protection. The cameras were installed 40 feet up on the side of the building.
Project Done With an Eye to the Future
SecureNet ’ s design of this system was founded on the premise of future expansion and network access. The purpose of this is to accommodate not only expansion within the Police Department and Justice Courts, but also to set the stage to accommodate other facilities. The feasibility of a GSI tracking system is presently being considered by Cedar Park as a potential enhancement to their sophisticated integrated security system.
Shown is the mantrap interlock system in the detention area of the Cedar Park Police Department.The logic board was built by Kouba and Associates, while the enclosure with all the Open Options boards, – five RSC-2s, one Opto Mux and a power supply, was designed and built by SecureNet Project Manager, Erni Evilsizer. LED lights indicate ready and not ready and only one door at a time can be opened without an alarm.