By Frank Klimko

San Francisco’s 3VR, a supplier of video-security systems, produces solutions with built-in video analytics, such as facial surveillance and advanced object tracking, which enables objects such as license-plate numbers to be captured, indexed and rapidly searched, said Joe Boissy, the company’s chief marketing officer.

In addition, if police have a video or photo image of a suspect, it is possible to search through surveillance tapes from cameras that already contain a ready-made catalogue of indexed-facial characteristics. However, while search requests will turn up a list of matches, a human investigator makes the decision whether to use those images, Boissy said. "You have to have a human eye involved,” he said. "You can’t take that out of the equation."

Another important element of 3VR’s "Video Intelligence Platform" is the "CrimeDex" online network. It is a collaboration of more than 2,500 fraud-loss prevention and law-enforcement professionals who exchange information to stop shoplifting, organized retail crime and other white-collar offenses. Integrated with the VIP, CrimeDex allows professionals to share, search and leverage information on wrongdoers, Boissy said.