Surveillance Technician

In today’s society, it seems someone is watching everywhere you go. There are cameras by the drop box at the library, the donation site down the street, next to the elevator in the hospital, and in the lobbies of many hotels. Cameras are just one component of increasingly complex systems that offer security to businesses and individuals alike.

A Surveillance Technicians installs, maintains, repairs, and replaces all of the components of audio and video surveillance systems. Whether you work freelance, completing one customer request at a time, or are employed by a security company to install and maintain the systems for customers, your job as Surveillance Technician is pretty much the same.

If you’re a Surveillance Technician, your job starts with an understanding of what the customer is looking for in a surveillance system. The customer could be a parent who wants cameras installed so they could monitor the activities of their children or staff, a preschool that wants a better view of what’s happening around the corner, or a casino that needs to watch every person and play on the floor.

With the details of the design and budget hammered out, you pack your tool bag and head to the site. Once there, you run cables, hook up cameras and video security screens, and train the owners (or Surveillance Camera Operators) on the new system. Of course, you’re available to answer questions and deal with problems after you leave the job site too. At the end of the day, you log your activities, store your gear, and peek at the agenda for the next day.