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Carolina Panthers Increases Security Efficiency with Under Vehicle Inspection Systems (UVIS)

Keeping fans, players and staff safer with advanced imaging.

Professional sports leagues have regulations that are mandated to ensure the safety of fans, players and staff. Although the different sports leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA, etc.) require different security measures, individual sports teams (or the stadiums in which they play) also create their own security measures.

In 2015, the risk management team for the Carolina Panthers planned to implement multiple security upgrades at the same time. One of these upgrades included an update to the inspection procedure for vehicles that enter two parking lots that connect to their home stadium, Bank of America Stadium.

Advanced Detection Technology, LLC’s LowCam® UVIS provided the perfect solution to the challenges the security team wanted to overcome.

Security Upgrades Call for a More Advanced Strategy

The Carolina Panthers, headquartered in Charlotte, NC, was introduced into the NFL franchise in 1993. Since their first game in 1995, the risk management team worked diligently to keep their fans, players and staff safe from acts of terror by staying vigilant and in a constant state of readiness.

In 2015, Mr. Lance Emory, Executive Director of Risk Management for Carolina Panthers, and his team identified the need to upgrade several security applications. As they learned about new technologies, they felt it was time to upgrade their vehicle screening process – specifically at two entrances to parking lots for players, VIP guests, media, catering, deliveries, and operations staff.

A team of approximately six security professionals run each of these two access points. Mr. Emory and his team evaluated Advanced Detection’s LowCam UVIS for their image quality and ability to adapt to the security team’s needs.

“After researching Under Vehicle Inspection Systems technologies, we made the determination that the LowCam (UVIS) manufactured and marketed by Advanced Detection was the best device to put in to service to overcome identified challenges and achieve the desired goals,” said Lance Emory, Executive Director of Risk Management.

Keeping the Opposition in Plain Sight

The Carolina Panthers security team’s goals were to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of how vehicles were inspected at these two entrances. These entrances screen 75-100 vehicles (per entrance) on game day and therefore need to move traffic through quickly.

The primary challenge experienced by the security personnel was the inability to see a vehicle’s entire undercarriage. The security team used hand held inspection mirrors to view undercarriages, but also utilized K9 units and manual visual inspections. Hand held mirrors proved to be the weak link in the security process. As the mirror went toward the center of the undercarriage, its view became distorted. Only the edge of a vehicle could be seen clearly. Additionally, the mirror was ineffective during night games due to a lack of appropriate lighting. Inclement weather also caused mirror inspections to show less than optimal reflections.

Mobility and Image Quality Lead the Security's Defense

Advanced Detection created a solution that adapted to the specific needs of the Panthers security team by creating a custom mobile monitoring solution in the LowCam VI108 portable system. Two LowCam VI108 systems were commissioned to be set up at the stadium’s newly built guard booths at both parking lot entrances.

Staying stationary to monitor vehicles from a guard booth was not an option, so in addition to the standard LowCam VI108 Control Units housed in the security guard booths, monitoring from a tablet was also enabled. Security personnel have full access to the LowCam’s software features from a light and mobile iPad. Having the option to move freely while still being able to stop and replay a vehicle scan from a tablet allows greater flexibility and increases productivity.

Additionally, with all LowCam Portable UVIS, the ability to move to an improvised checkpoint is an option. LowCam Portable UVIS can be powered directly from a vehicle through a power supply inverter kit when traditional power methods are not available.

The LowCam VI108 includes eight full-color cameras that show the complete vehicle undercarriage from four angles. These cameras cover the entire span of the undercarriage and allow frame-by-frame inspection. Also, with real-time video playback, security personnel can stop, playback, and even adjust playback speed of the vehicle’s scan. The image quality and ease of use of the system enables complete control.

Security Writes a New Playbook

The security teams at both entrances now enjoy the ease of the LowCam’s scanning process, the increased inspection quality and the added benefit of the LowCam’s mobile viewing option.

“Using the LowCam gives us complete control during the screening/inspection process. After the vehicle rolls over the LowCam, the vehicle doesn't move until we clear it,” said Steve “Goodie” Goodrum, Security Staff Member for Post 1 & 2.

Keep it Easy: Vehicles move quickly and easily over the LowCam inspection ramp. From the safety of their guard booth, security can view the vehicle’s undercarriage in real time on the LowCam’s main Control Unit. The Control Unit’s user-friendly and icon-based control panel warrants minimal training.

See More: In situations when security would like to inspect a vehicle further, they can utilize the playback review to see highly detailed images that span the entire undercarriage.

Stay Mobile: When security personnel need to be mobile, the remote viewing tablet enables the viewer to move around freely instead of being confined to the Control Unit in the guard booth.

After more than a year of having Advanced Detection’s LowCam VI108 UVIS incorporated into game day security procedures, Mr. Emory and his team remain alert and vigilant to maintain their high security standards. 

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