MeriTalk, a public-private partnership focused on improving the outcomes of government IT, announced the results of its new report, The Video Vortex.

The study, based on a survey of 151 Federal decision makers —evenly split between physical security and IT managers— and sponsored by EMC Corporation, looks at video surveillance across Federal IT and the opportunities for agencies to enhance the value of their video data assets.

If Uncle Sam only catches half of the movie, he will have challenges following the plot and leveraging the information to achieve the goal – improved security.

“The numbers say it all – the key to a more secure country is improved collaboration.”

The stakes are high to make the most of video data – an overwhelming 99 percent of Feds believe that video surveillance technology will play a significant role in their ability to prevent crime, theft, and terrorism over the next five years.

With the quantity of video data exploding, the potential for enhanced situational awareness and better intelligence is massive – but only if it is analyzed.

The opportunities are considerable and agencies are using video data to obtain critical insights.

Survey respondents flag the most common applications for video surveillance: 57 percent utilize the data to monitor suspicious behavior, 49 percent use it to monitor traffic, and 38 percent harness it for anomaly detection.