Wilson Bank & Trust, Modernizes Video Surveillance Infrastructure with Panoramic cameras and IR Dome Cameras

“The ability to work with a company that does everything from manufacturing the chipset and camera to developing the software was a game-changer for us. We knew it would give us tremendous peace of mind.”

Elvis Huff, Assistant Vice-President and Director of Security at Wilson Bank & Trust.

♦ Challenge

Wilson Bank & Trust, member FDIC, is an independent, community-based bank that began operating in Tennessee in 1987. Today, they have mortgage offices, operations centers, ATMs and branches located in and around Middle Tennessee that serve the city and surrounding rural areas. In total, they have operations and security at approximately 40 locations. The bank had cameras from multiple manufacturers on multiple systems. Most of them were already 8-10 years old. The image quality was low, and they could not get the video retention rates they wanted. In addition, many of the cameras had licensing agreements, so they were paying fees for products that were not meeting their needs.

♦ Solution

The Bank wanted IT-based, PoE (Powered over Ethernet) cameras that could produce high-quality video and did not require licenses. They also wanted DVRs or NVRs that would give them longer-term retention rates, 90-days at a minimum. After investigating their options, Wilson Bank & Trust determined that working with Hanwha Vision cameras and systems would be the best fit for their requirements. During the decision-making process, one of the deciding factors was that Hanwha cameras and systems are manufactured in-house end-to-end. Upgrading the branches has included the installation of several panoramic cameras and network IR dome cameras. The PNM-9020V multi-sensor 180° panoramic camera provides up to 30fps at full resolution and are able to capture good quality images of a large area. For branch and building interiors, they installed a variety of dome cameras, including the QND – 6010R Network IR. This indoor camera provides 2MP maximum resolution, 30fps at all resolutions, motion detection, as well as tampering and defocus detection.

♦ Result
Today, the Bank has upgraded the security infrastructure at 40 of its locations with Hanwha cameras. By switching to industry standard PoE, IP-based cameras, the bank has realized significant savings with regards to installation and maintenance costs. The Bank has also installed cameras to record parking lot entrances and exists. This strategy has already helped the security team identify a vehicle associated with a fraud case by using an image of its license plate captured as it was leaving the facility.

The bank has also made use of the XNB-H6241A Network ATM Camera Kit with 8m cable. These cameras do not disrupt a branch’s aesthetics which is important for maintaining a positive customer experience. At the same time, these kits have allowed the bank to capture images that are not possible with a traditional top-down view. Waist-up images, which include a person’s face, can be vital when it comes to investigating or prosecuting theft and fraud. Having access to images from this angle is already proving to be invaluable. In a recent case of fraud involving identity theft, an individual presented fictitious and forged documents at one of the bank’s branches. “Thanks to the Hanwha high resolution camera, we had a clear image that we were able to use to identify the individual,” said Elvis Huff, Assistant Vice-President and Director of Security at Wilson Bank & Trust.