Has anyone else seen a LotCop?

[DWalt]

While at the local Wal-Mart today, I saw something I had not previously seen. It was a LotCop trailer (that was what it said on the side) at the far end of the parking lot chained to a light pole. Essentially a trailer with a tall flagpole mast with what seemed to be lights and a couple of surveillance cameras atop it, and a solar panel attached to the trailer, about 4' x 6'. Also a box which likely contained batteries and a video recorder. It looked new.

 

[hoc9sw]

I've seen these in Plano, TX

 

[SAFireman]

Might not be much of a deterrent if they have to chain it to a light post

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

Private security is moving away from the "people aspect" to the technological one. This is but one example and it is becoming more and more the norm and not the exception.
Towers like this eliminate the need to have an on-site security guard and the expense and quality associated with such services. If something suspicious is seen, the video can be played back or a monitor....possibly in another area...can then make necessary phones calls.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Might not be much of a deterrent if they have to chain it to a light post

When discussing private security issues one must always remember that the major emphasis is placed on appearances. If it appears to be doing something everything is good. If it actually does something (actively intervening in criminal acts) it ain't so good anymore.

The object of the exercise is deterrence and creating a show that says "we are doing something", while everyone involved is carefully briefed to always avoid anything of a confrontational nature.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

I think the object is to appease the insurance companies so the loss claims are paid.

 

[TomkinsSP]

Might not be much of a deterrent if they have to chain it to a light post

Reminds me of the security supply firm that was burglarized. Building alarms were part of the haul.

 

[kwselke]

Did somebody steal the video cameras on the light standards and sides of the building or just the Parking Lot Under Video Surveillance signs?

 

[S&WsRsweet]

Today's criminals laugh at such stuff .I saw a video of a cop recently beating the heck out of not one but two so called tough guys caught shoplifting .Thats a detergent good old fashioned police work or work over which ever way the bad guys want it.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Local PD has a couple that they set up for crime scenes . . .

While at the local Wal-Mart today, I saw something I had not previously seen. It was a LotCop trailer (that was what it said on the side) at the far end of the parking lot chained to a light pole. Essentially a trailer with a tall flagpole mast with what seemed to be lights and a couple of surveillance cameras atop it, and a solar panel attached to the trailer, about 4' x 6'. Also a box which likely contained batteries and a video recorder. It looked new.

 

[steelslaver]

While security cameras do work, they are not much hep if the thieves steal the recording devise. My recorder is in a steel box secured to the floor. An unsecured trailer would be a snap to steal. But, a chain around a light post would slow a thief, with a brain bigger than a pea, about 30 seconds.

Mostly what I call feel good security. Makes people feel good without really doing much for anything over the petty. Owners get to pat themselves on the back and say we did something.

The refineries I work at all now have "tank proof" gates or barricades that come up out of road way. Hoorray hooray. Just why would anyone go through that when they could blast through the chain link fence in any other location. They spot check incoming trucks and lunch boxes for stuff like explosives. Are you kidding me? Lots of huge bombs are already inside. Every bleeder valve is a fuse. Every furnace a detonator.

My brothers comment when they first started doing security and back ground checks. What have I been doing the last 25 years? Working in refineries and I haven't blown one up so far.......Thank God!

 

[steveno]

In the 1980’s & 1990’s I worked in Ft. Collins but I lived in Windsor about 15 miles away. The trick in the afternoons was to find the easiest way home with the least amount of traffic. I found an easy way and on the way home one day the cops had put up one of their radar trailers. The numbers would flash if you was going too fast and turn steady when you got down to the limit and I’m sure everybody has seen them. They had it chained up to a tree.The next day somebody had torched it and it was sitting on the rims. If you didn’t know what it was the day before you wouldn’t know what it was after the fire.

 

[DWalt]

"The refineries I work at all now have "tank proof" gates or barricades that come up out of road way. Hoorray hooray. Just why would anyone go through that when they could blast through the chain link fence in any other location. They spot check incoming trucks and lunch boxes for stuff like explosives. Are you kidding me? Lots of huge bombs are already inside. Every bleeder valve is a fuse. Every furnace a detonator."

I worked for many years at Randolph AFB. After 9/11, they spent a great deal of money on upgrading the security of two main entry gates at opposite ends of the base. But they did very little to harden the miles of base perimeter fence which was for the most part easily scalable 8' chain link fence, and in some areas, just three-strand barbed wire fence. Anyone with a bolt cutter could get through it in no time.

 

[steveno]

there was always a number guards at the front gate of Rhein Main AB and sometimes there was even an armored car out front. if somebody had done their homework they could have came in the back gate without any trouble. at night it was a toss up if the German guard was even awake

 

[427mach1]

.....one of their radar trailers. The numbers would flash if you was going too fast and turn steady when you got down to the limit and I’m sure everybody has seen them.

I take those things as a challenge and try to set the high score...

We were in Mancos, Colorado a few weeks ago. They had an antique tractor chained to a park bench. Couldn't believe they thought an unsecured park bench could prevent someone from stealing a tractor....

 

[nachogrande]

A GOOD ADDITION.

You can't have a warm body watching every inch 24/7. Another tool in the toolbox of a layered system. Heads on a swivel & they never sleep. They have come a long way from VHS tapes & info can or is sent online offsite, so it can't be stolen. Just another brick in the wall.

 

[Grayfox]

Memphis PD has a bunch of those camera trailers. I believe these are referred to as SkyCop. They can be found at city/gov owned venues around town as well as some of the larger store parking lots.
I was parked within about 100 ft of one last January when my truck was broken into.

 

[NYlakesider]

Originally Posted by steveno
.....one of their radar trailers. The numbers would flash if you was going too fast and turn steady when you got down to the limit and I’m sure everybody has seen them.

I take those things as a challenge and try to set the high score...
[..

[/quote]






I think I did set the HIGH! For about a year I used a different route to go around that area. I found out they have a graph in there that records speeds and times.

 

[max]

My guess is that they were securing the bench.

I take those things as a challenge and try to set the high score...

We were in Mancos, Colorado a few weeks ago. They had an antique tractor chained to a park bench. Couldn't believe they thought an unsecured park bench could prevent someone from stealing a tractor....

 

[Doug M.]

there was always a number guards at the front gate of Rhein Main AB and sometimes there was even an armored car out front. if somebody had done their homework they could have came in the back gate without any trouble. at night it was a toss up if the German guard was even awake

**
Most of this stuff is security theater. One of my clients was in the Army in the late 70s, and served in Germany. They pulled all sorts of guard duty on sensitive stuff with wooden replicas of M16s ... there is a reason that (Lt. Col.) Dave Bolgiano said the only entity more afraid of firearms than the military is Disney.