FAQs
Security Patrol
Video Security - "Community Cams"
MECHANICS OF THE PATROL
Will the patrol cover all of Maxwell Park? Every street
Yes, Unless there are streets with no subscribers, which will not be covered.
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Will there be one patrol vehicle?
Yes, there is one patrol vehicle.
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How will the specific hours during which an agent is patrolling be established?
In conjunction with the Maxwell Park NCPC Board steering committee.
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Will the patrol agents pay more attention to subscriber homes than other homes on the street being patrolled? Explain?
We will not be on streets with no subscribers unless they are thoroughfares. We will not be attempting to evaluate activity on non-subscribers properties, that being said, we will report apparent crimes in progress regardless of location.
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Will agents routinely stop at subscriber’s homes to observe any activity? Will they go onto subscriber’s property? Under what circumstances?
Agent will stop to observe for criminal activity, trespassing and can enter property if necessary
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Will agents carry firearms?
No.
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If a subscriber sees evidence of attempted break-in or suspicious activity, can they call the patrol agent or dispatcher at any time? How long will be the response time?
Subscribers can call at anytime, however we do not currently have 24 hour service in the area; If the call is during hours of service response time will depend on officer’s location in the neighborhood. During non-patrol hours, another East Bay agent may be available in an emergency.
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What written reports are generated?
Agents will be keeping written activity and incident reports. A monthly activity/Incident report will be prepared
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How will the number of hours on the patrol be determined? Will the Patrol be 7 days per week?
The patrol will be 5 days per week. The number of hours will be based on number of subscribers. Hours will increase with increase in number of subscribers
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CONTRACTUAL ISSUES
What is the length of the contract?
Three months with cancellations provided in writing at least 30 days prior to renewal. Exception, subscriber moving out of area
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What happens if a homeowner wants to cancel?
30 day notice prior to three month renewal..
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Describe the other services that will be offered with the patrol service ?
Vacation house checks (daily), alarm response and nuisance or suspicious activity call response during hours of service
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How is the patrol an advantage over just having a burglar alarm?
It provides a deterrence to criminal presence in neighborhood
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Explain what vacation watch is
Subscriber calls dispatch center, or submit the written form, and dispatcher will take pertinent information. Officer will physically check house each day, pick-up newspaper, etc. and call subscriber in an emergency.
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What will be the monthly rate charged for the patrol service? Is the payment cycle monthly?
$18 per month, three months in advance. Hours of service determined by number of subscribers. Refer to agreement and proposal.
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Is there a third party indemnification clause?
No.
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ACTIONS TAKEN BY PATROL AGENTS
What will agents do when a burglar alarm is triggered? Will an agent respond to alarms of other alarm companies?
Physical security check of residence and report to alarm company. Will respond to any company’s alarm.
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Will the agent enter the subscriber’s house and/or property if an alarm is triggered?
Will enter property, will not enter residence..
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What will agents do if they observe suspicious, criminal or potentially criminal activity on a subscriber’s property?
Aside from the primary objective of “deterrence through presence”, they are assessing activity at subscriber’s residence to determine need for additional action. This action could range from simply incident logging, to asking if they may be in need of assistance(why are you here?), to seeking assistance from a law enforcement agency
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Will OPD respond quicker if First Alarm agents report the activity, rather than an alarm company’s call center?
On general terms, yes, law enforcement agencies are looking for “verified response”, that is what we would be doing. If a crime in progress is observed it absolutely ranks higher than no information, however, response may still depend on how busy they are.
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Will agents have arresting authority?
Yes. The agent is authorized by the company to take any legal action on behalf of our clients that they feel falls within their training and safety. Will an agent hold a suspect until OPD arrives? Depends on if the individual officer feels the action can be safely taken.
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DEMEANOR AND ATTITUDE OF PATROL AGENTS TOWARDS PEOPLE AND GUESTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
What will agents do if they observe suspicious activity, not criminal, in the neighborhood?
Record the vehicles and or personal descriptions of those involved. May take photos. May observe person and vehicles for a period of time.
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Will agents stop people walking in the neighborhood at late hours? What if their dress and manner appears suspicious? What might the agent do?
We are not being contracted to patrol “the neighborhood”, we are being contracted to patrol individual residences on private property. We do not have the authority to make interrogation contacts on city streets or public sidewalks.
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If agents observe several youths parked in a car on the street at night, what might the agent do if he suspects they might be up to no good?
We can record the plates and observe from a dispatch if the officer has time, refer above.
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How will agents promote a friendly presence in the neighborhood and build community relations?
By projecting a friendly, helpful and communicative presence.
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Profiling is a big issue and concern.. What training do agents receive of race relations?
Our company philosophy is that everyone is treated with the same courtesy and respect. Our training dictates that all contacts and incident are handed the same, regardless of race.
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How does the Samsung camera compare to a dropcam?
Don't see your question answered here? Email us at camerasmaxp@gmail.com and we will try our best to help!
Overall, it is a superior product. The Dropcam requires monthly fees to a third party provider if you want to have your images recorded. Other benefits of the Samsung include:
How does it compare to a system installed by an alarm company?
- Rated for exterior use
- Wider viewing angle
- Brighter night vision illumination
- Ability to mark zone for recording movements
- No monthly fees
It will depend on what you pay. You will definitely pay more than $250 for the installation plus a monthly monitoring fee of approximately $60 for two cameras. It also is less likely to get you a high-definition camera as alarm companies tend to run on older technology or older inventory [check with your security camera to see what their latest technology is]. Additionally, the services offered by an alarm company only extend to notifying you of activity/break-in and then calling the non-emergency number on your behalf. They do not have the ability to call 911 on your behalf.
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What am I not getting by choosing a higher-grade or more expensive system?
There is no limit as to what you can spend here. The city of Piedmont just acquired a $20k plus camera…but we have specifically chosen, tested and are recommending a system that we think does a very good job of providing you with what you need and is relatively inexpensive. Of course the more cameras you add to the mix, the more expensive your system will become. However, in more expensive systems you can get additional features such as the ability to illuminate an object more than 50 feet away and the ability to integrate with other technologies like license-plate recognition.
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How does it work exactly?
Once a criminal hits the demarcation zones and movement is detected, the system will start recording and will send a notification to your chosen device. Using an app that you can download to your smartphone or tablet, you will have the ability to monitor the activity at any time. You may also download the software for your PC.
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Can I effectively hide the camera in the house?
Yes. It can be hidden inside plants, lamps, old vintage cameras – anything you can devise so the criminal won’t see it. There are a lot of ideas on YouTube as to how best to hide a camera.
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Are the camera and recording unit wireless?
The camera uses wireless technology to speak to your wireless router and to send images to your notification device. But the camera and the backup unit need a power source. The backup unit plugs into an outlet and there is a long cable between the camera and the backup unit (30ft.). From this, the camera gets its power source. This power source can come from an outlet or you can hardwire the backup unit into your existing electrical system. The camera and storage device are not battery-powered for backup purposes, however you can purchase an additional battery-backup unit and have the camera and storage device receive their power from there. In order to make it most effective, you would also need to power your wireless router to this backup source (see below for a recommended power backup option).
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What happens if the rascals cut the power to house or the electricity goes out?
This is rarely the standard case, because they need light to do their dirty jobs, but back-up batteries can be set on any camera (or even your wireless router). The easiest and cheapest way to do that is with a computer back-up UPS, for an additional $50-$60. Check out the APC Back-UPS 550VA 8-outlet power-saving product from Staples.
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What if I don’t want to be notified of my pets up and down on the couch?
The beauty of the system we recommend is that you can set “demarcation zones.” This is a fancy term for “only detect movement at this point of a doorway.” This will allow you to set the height to capture a person’s movement but not necessarily the family pet. Please note that we cannot guarantee this won’t send you a picture of Kitty climbing up the door jam ...
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Will this slow down my internet speed?
Not in any way you will notice. When the system uploads videos, it uses a part of your broadband which is vastly underused.
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Do I need more than one camera?
That is entirely up to you. We recommend walking around your house and thinking of all possible entry points into the home by a burglar. Then think about what pattern s/he will have around the house and where your valuables are that they might go for or places they would automatically look for valuables? With the size of many Maxwell Park homes, it’s feasible to only need one camera for the interior if you place it in the right location. Exterior installs usually do best with at least one camera near the door and one near a back entrance. It’s important to note that each camera works with its own backup unit. The units are not sold separately so if you were to want one camera pointed outside at your front door and one for inside the house, you will need to purchase two cameras and two backup units that come with it. Each with need their own power source.
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Can I use this same setup for the exterior of my house?
Yes, you can. This camera is rated for exterior use. You will need to add an additional component of an illumination light or two for nighttime recording.
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Can I set up a bunch of these cameras to record to one backup unit?
Unfortunately not. These systems are not designed for that type of a setup. If you are looking for multiple cameras to record to one unit, you will have to set up a server and a DVR system to get the best possible use out of the system. This an expensive venture, although not an impossible one! You may also consult with your alarm company to see what they have to offer in this regards.
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What is the camera used for outside?
It is the Samsung SmarCam SNH-6440BN. It is available locally at HomeDepot, and online from Amazon and B&H, the last one for $179, no tax no shipping to CA. You will also need a 32 Gig SD Card, available at BestBuy for $12.
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What is the camera used for inside?
What will the volunteer installation team do?
We have assembled a small team of Maxwell Park volunteers to help with setup for those in the neighborhood that are on a limited income and are not technically savvy enough to do it on their own. Please note these volunteers will only install using pre-existing electrical outlets. If you are in need of additional outlets or you want to hardwire the unit into your existing electrical system, you will need hire an electrician.
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Can I buy some other cam system and still be a part of the community cam effort?
Sure! We recommend the Samsung system because we can provide full support to our neighbors, we have used it for a while and have lot of experience with it.
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Will you share the views of my cam with the Police?
Only with your permission. If we receive a request from OPD we will contact you by e-mail, phone or text and ask for you permission.
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Will you take care of upgrades in the software of the cameras.
Yes! This is part of our programs for all community cams.
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Will you take any donations for the work that you guys are doing.
We are always in need of donations because our work is all volunteer and small supplies are always need for the work. If you want to make a donation, make your checks payable to
Maxwell Park Neighborhood Council
and in the Memo area note "Public CAM donation" and address it to:
Att: Krista Gulbransen – treasurer
25 Crestmont Dr.
Oakland CA 94619 Close answer X
Maxwell Park Neighborhood Council
and in the Memo area note "Public CAM donation" and address it to:
Att: Krista Gulbransen – treasurer
25 Crestmont Dr.
Oakland CA 94619 Close answer X
Don't see your question answered here? Email us at camerasmaxp@gmail.com and we will try our best to help!