Hanwha Techwin Helps Cannabis Dispensary Meet Stringent Regulatory Requirements

Republished from Security Today: November 4, 2018

In addition to the Hanwha cameras, Peake ReLeaf has two Wisenet XRN NVRs (one 8-channel and one 16-channel) for on-site viewing and uses Smart Viewer software for its video management system, as well as Camcloud for moving video off-site to meet the MMCC storage regulation.

“Our goal was to find cameras that would enable us to capture facial details with precision at every entrance and exit of the controlled zones, 24 hours a day,” explained Aaron Kahn, Commercial Team Leader at Skyline Technology Solutions. “But we also needed to put in place a storage system that could handle 24/7 recording with offsite data storage and 48 hours of battery backup, which is an atypical requirement for most business security systems. As with all security systems, the network is important but due to the regulations in MD, the design of the network infrastructure for the cannabis industry is even more crucial. Securing adequate bandwidth, discussing other IT systems and the impact they will have on a network and applying cybersecurity best practices are discussed as early as camera and access control needs, to ensure a smooth inspection process.”

While there is no direct integration between the Hanwha cameras and Peake ReLeaf’s Feenics access control system, it is easy for the company to correlate access issues with time-stamped video events for review and investigation.
“I can get an alert when a door is propped open or if anything is not working and see which doors have been accessed,” says Nate Miller, one of the founding members and the company’s Executive Vice President. “So, if an employee or security guard says someone accessed door one at 10:15 in our records, I can reference camera one at 10:15 and correlate that with the video evidence.”

The Hanwha cameras make it easier to identify and view video thanks to their ability to flag video based on motion or other factors using onboard video analytics.

“If you’re trying to reference something there are bar graphs of when those cameras detected motion. So you don’t have to wade through all of that footage to find what you’re looking for,” added Miller.

Since the dispensary’s opening, Hanwha cameras have continuously provided the performance and capabilities to ensure Peake ReLeaf remains in compliance with the strict MMCC requirements, even as they continue to evolve moving forward.

“Hanwha cameras offer us the video quality we need, and the cameras’ video analytic and other capabilities provide us with the flexibility that will allow us to quickly adapt to the inevitable regulatory changes that will come as we navigate this very new industry in Maryland,” Miller said.