Certified video surveillance systems for more resilient urban societies

Resilience and security are prominent elements of twenty-first century European and international political agenda. The focus on resilient systems that are able to respond to threats, as well as to anticipate and recover, plays an important role in this regard. Increasingly sophisticated video surveillance systems form a part of security and disaster response mechanisms. In addition to technological advancement of surveillance systems, there are also concerns about the potential trade-off with human rights and freedoms of citizens. Thus, there is a need for means that allow for the protection of freedoms and human rights, while also ensuring security. One such solution, which deals with the potential of a new pan-European certification scheme for video surveillance systems, is presented in this chapter. This scheme focuses on evaluation according to the social dimensions of Security, Trust, Efficiency and Freedom infringement (S-T-E-Fi). Based on a description of the evaluation methodology and its criteria, two scenarios and how the methodology would be used for the purposes of evaluation of installed video surveillance systems operating within these scenarios are presented. The article finishes by outlining the future development of this scheme as well as further research needs.