Public Safety Video Walls

Executive Summary

• Public safety operations centers have used video wall software and AV-over-IP components to consolidate multiple information sources into a single visualization environment for emergency coordination.
• Implementations described include multi-room facilities with dedicated emergency operations, emergency call handling, and non-emergency call handling functions, supported by networked displays and centralized processing.
• Documented workflows emphasize displaying live camera feeds, geospatial tools, weather information, and incident-tracking tools to support dispatch, situational awareness, and resource allocation during evolving events.

Key Industry Developments

• Emergency communications and operations environments have deployed video wall software to combine disparate intelligence sources into a single common operating picture within an emergency communications center (ECC).
• A public safety operations center (PSOC) design can include multiple mission areas in one facility, including a dedicated emergency operations center (EOC), a 911 Emergency Call Center, and a 311 Non-Emergency Call Center.
• Large-scale visualization systems can be built from many networked displays connected through centralized processing. One PSOC implementation is described as having “more than 100 networked displays” connected by “two Alpha FX Core processors” running video wall management software.
• AV-over-IP distribution is used to route content across rooms and displays. In one PSOC, CineLink HD encoders and decoders are used as an AV/IP platform to send content anywhere in the building from any device.

Real-World Use Cases

• In Kern County’s ECC, Haivision Command 360 video wall software is used to display camera feeds and location positioning on a high-definition video wall, supporting monitoring and response activities across operations centers.
• The Kern County ECC deployment is described as supporting monitoring weather patterns and responding to flooding, debris flows, and hillside instabilities, using the video wall as the visualization surface for operational awareness.
• Video wall users can use displayed information to identify and confirm fire in its incipient phase, with the stated operational intent of scaling resources and dispatching teams faster.
• In a PSOC environment, different rooms use different content mixes tailored to their workflows:
• The EOC video wall displays live camera feeds, weather data, news programs, and real-time tracking tools to support coordination and situational monitoring.
• The 911 Emergency Call Center video wall displays surveillance footage and digital tools including CAD call-mapping and Live Earth geo-mapping to support call handling and dispatch context.

Why It Matters

• A single visualization layer can reduce fragmentation when departments and critical services are distributed across multiple locations with limited data interconnectivity, by centralizing what operators see and share during incidents.
• Facility constraints can shape technical design choices. One PSOC context notes restricted wireless capabilities due to interference from nearby Federal agency offices and military outposts, reinforcing the role of wired, networked display infrastructure and centralized processing.
• Multi-room routing and display control supports differentiated operational needs (EOC coordination, 911 dispatch visualization, and 311 service prioritization) while maintaining the ability to move content across the building using an AV/IP platform.

Sources

• https://www.haivision.com/case-studies/alertcalifornia-communications-center/
• https://www.haivision.com/case-studies/city-chesapeake-public-safety/