Book Review: Digital Video Surveillance and Security

This comprehensive overview of modern video surveillance and video management systems is a well written, researched, and tested guide to utilizing these varying technologies. The author is a subject matter expert who has many years of experience in this aspect of physical security. This second edition is not simply a rehashing of the first edition, but it takes a fresh look at the concepts of video surveillance and demonstrates where they have evolved. 

Many works on this topic run hundreds of pages longer than this substantial volume, but the author packs plenty into the space. It will be valuable to those who work in the video surveillance end of physical security; however, its strength lies in its appeal and readability to those that may not have an advanced technical understanding of the latest developments in the field. Every chapter and concept is closely followed by an easy-to-read diagram, screenshot, or photograph that directly ties to the chapter’s subject. 

Security managers who are not directly charged with the video surveillance side of physical security but may be involved in selecting video management vendors will find this book to be a useful guide in helping to determine what their organizations need. As many organizations transition from analog to digital video, Digital Video Surveillance can serve as a quick education in what the conversion entails for both hardware and software.

Because most video surveillance deployments and transitions are expensive, long-term projects, the effective management of the entire process is vital. Author Anthony Caputo recognizes this and dedicates an entire chapter to project management, outlining the steps involved and key stakeholders required for success. This discussion is so well done that the technical aspects could be extracted and the reader would be left with an excellent education of the process of project management in general. 

Digital Video Surveillance will serve as a valuable reference book for any security professional and could easily serve as a text for an educational course.

Reviewer: Michael D'Angelo, CPP, is security manager for Baptist Health South Florida. He is a retired captain from the South Miami, Florida Police Department where he served for 20 years. He serves on the ASIS Healthcare Security Council.