UK, May 7 2010. VMS is launching VeriFi-CCTV, the most advanced professional CCTV quality assurance and compliance package on the market. The VeriFi package will be launched at the NEC Facilities Management Show later this month.
VeriFi is designed to address the threat to businesses highlighted by the police opinion that 80% of CCTV evidence is not fit for purpose (as stated in the Home Office National CCTV Strategy document).
Businesses often rely on CCTV footage in employment law or health & safety cases. Poor quality CTTV footage, badly presented in court, is easily discredited by a smart lawyer. That’s where the optional VeriFi forensic editing service can be used to bring simultaneous footage from multiple cameras onto the same screen and timeline. All too often these are shown as confusing separate discontinuous footage leading to confusion and acquittal. VeriFi can also highlight and enhance the key areas so the jury understands clearly what is going on.
Brian Larkins, joint managing director of VMS (CCTV) Ltd says, “In reality, the financial cost of losing such a case is the real CCTV risk. It’s much more of a risk than the oft-quoted 90% non-compliance figure for CCTV systems. Yes, the Information Commissioner’
VMS has assembled a nation-wide team of CCTV experts to deliver VeriFi, each with many years professional experience. They use unique VeriFi software to provide a secure, reliable and accessible support service delivered to a common standard throughout the UK. The VeriFi team administer the quality assurance, system assessments, plus a chain of evidence audit, backed by a specialist forensic video editing capability to ensure that video evidence is coherently presented in court.
The VeriFi Online service can also be delivered via Security Service Providers and Corporate Business Standards Audit Departments. Irrespective of who prepares a VeriFi Online report, all are submitted to rigorous quality assurance checking before the end user is provided with username and password to access the report.
Larkins says, “There are plenty of CCTV compliance auditors and standards out there. But in terms of producing effective CCTV evidence quality, which is the one thing that really matters, they all leave major loopholes. We cover the whole gamut, from the statutory requirements to the complexities of managing subject access rights applications - which includes the masking of unconnected third party images that may be present in the footage that has been requested.
In cases where the efficacy of systems is disputed, the VMS consultancy service uses the National Operational Requirement Mannequin as an objective benchmark to measure system performance.
VeriFi is the first comprehensive quality assessment service for CCTV including:
1. Site Specific CCTV Policy document
2. Information Commissioner’
3. Human Rights Act – Compliance
4. Forensic Video Editing – On Demand
5. Subject Access Rights Management – VeriFi provides professional management of applications including masking of unconnected third party images
6. Statutory Information Signs – Fitted
7. Annual System Performance Assessment - Included
8. Management Documentation – Supplied
9. Consumables – Included
10. Annual Management Audit - Included
11. Public Information – Online
12. Staff Awareness – Managed
13. Public Complaints Procedure – Managed
14. Security of Images – Checked
15. Discreet Evidence Download Service – Available
16. Best Practice – Quality Assured and kept up to date
VMS are on stand D85 at the Facilities Show, 11-13 May at the NEC Birmingham
ENDS (Background Information follows)
For interview requests, comment and photos, please contact Penny Haywood Calder, MD, PHPR Ltd, on 0131 669 5190 or 07850 657 714 or email penny[at]phpr[
About VMS & VeriFi CCTV:
http://www.cctv-
• VMS is a specialist CCTV compliance and forensics company based in Hampshire, UK.
• Founded in 1990 by CCTV veteran, Brian Larkins, VMS is jointly run by Brian and his son, Steve Larkins. They concentrate on providing practical solutions for CCTV management, from consultancy through to an unrivalled range of CCTV compliance support products.
• VMS has thousands of clients across a wide range of sectors, including financial institutions, retail and prisons .
• VMS have amassed a national network of CCTV Assessors working under the VeriFi CCTV brand, using unique software to ensure nation-wide quality.
• NSI approved CCTV installers or guarding companies can elect to become VeriFi assessors and include the service as an element within their annual maintenance charge.
• Alternatively, large corporate organisations with in-house standards audit departments can incorporate VeriFi CCTV into their own facility.
• Or independent VeriFi assessors may be employed directly.
