Ostrava strengthens public safety with a centralized security platform
Key outcomes
- Centralized management of nearly 1,500 cameras strengthened city-wide security operations
- Genetec Security Center enabled operators to efficiently handle more than 4,266 security incidents in the past year
- The city-wide system helped identify 75 wanted individuals and detain 21 suspects within 12 months, supporting faster investigation
- Expanded coverage across sports facilities, cultural institutions, and schools improved incident response and public safety
The city
The City of Ostrava is one of the Czech Republic's largest regional hubs, known for its rich industrial heritage. As part of its digital transformation strategy, the city has invested heavily in modernizing its infrastructure, digitizing services, and enhancing safety for residents and visitors. OVANET, Ostrava's ICT service provider, manages the city's metropolitan IT infrastructure and operates large-scale video surveillance systems. As the integrator and operator of the municipal camera system, it brings together multiple city organizations within a unified security framework, enabling more efficient operations, improved situational awareness, and a coordinated approach to public safety.
The challenge
As the city-wide surveillance efforts grew, so did the need for a unified platform that could streamline operations and improve coordination among emergency services. The team wanted to bring existing siloed systems together so that data could be easily shared across different organizations. At the same time, they needed to ensure reliable connectivity, even in locations without fiber infrastructure, working closely with the owners of buildings where cameras were installed. As the system expanded, it became essential to standardize operations and build a scalable foundation that could support future growth.
“We needed a system that would give us full visibility and control, allow us to manage access easily, and support further expansion without complications.”
Martin Flíbor, Head of Implementation, OVANET
Why the city of Ostrava chose Genetec
A key priority for Ostrava was to modernize and unify security monitoring across municipal organizations, while ensuring the solution met the city's stringent cybersecurity and data privacy requirements.
After evaluating many solutions, the city felt confident Genetec Security Center could support day-to-day operations and future growth. It provided robust video management capabilities, built-in privacy and data protection features, and an open architecture that supports many third-party integrations. This made it easy to bring previously separate systems into a unified solution, while meeting compliance requirements.
Connecting municipal organizations with a centralized view
The Genetec platform helped Ostrava bring various camera systems into a single environment, creating the Municipal Integrated Camera System (MIKS). The unified platform connects security, traffic, and perimeter systems across city organizations, making it easier to manage events and share information. Today, MIKS includes nearly 1,500 cameras, with plans to integrate hundreds more devices. The city’s long-term vision is to grow the system beyond 2,000 cameras within Security Center.
Simplifying operations with an open and adaptable platform
As an open architecture platform, Security Center provided the flexibility to expand the deployment gradually. This meant the city could add existing security infrastructure and upgrade it over time. The user-friendly interface, available in the local language, has also made it easier for both operators and administrators to manage daily tasks and handle incidents.
Improving incident response with real-time visibility
City operators use the system 24/7 across more than a dozen operational centers, including municipal police stations, traffic control centers, and emergency services. Having access to video, alarms and other information in one view, operators can respond to incidents and make informed decisions quickly. Other users across select locations, such as the administrative offense processing department, can use the web-based interface to access only the video and data pertaining to them. This ensures more efficient security operations across municipal buildings and the city at large.
Building a public safety foundation primed for growth
Today, the city continues to explore new technologies to enhance its public safety and smart city capabilities. This includes mobile phone systems, body-worn cameras, digital acoustic detectors, and IoT sensors for monitoring air quality and light pollution. Ostrava is also introducing advanced video analytics to further streamline operations, and it’s evaluating cloud services to support scalability and future expansions.
“Thanks to the Security Center unified platform, we now have a centralized view of our entire city-wide system. This ensures our teams can respond more quickly to incidents, and we’ve also been able to significantly reduce our dependence on external suppliers.”
Martin Flíbor, Head of Implementation, OVANET
Results
The Genetec solution has delivered measurable improvements in safety and operational efficiency across the City of Ostrava. In just one year, the system recorded more than 4,266 incidents, helping authorities detain 21 suspects and identify 75 wanted individuals. Another major benefit has been improved collaboration between municipal police, fire, and other departments, which has led to faster sharing of information and more coordinated incident response.
Looking ahead, the City of Ostrava plans to keep expanding the system with modern technologies. These include sound detection at public transport stops and new video analytics capabilities to improve early threat detection and response in public spaces. Designed for scalability, the unified platform will continue to strengthen cooperation between organizations and create opportunities for broader camera integrations across the region. All of this supports a more comprehensive and proactive approach to public safety.