Surveillance technicians install and monitor electronic surveillance equipment, including cameras, microphones, and telephone recording devices. They work in high-security areas such as casinos and law enforcement agencies, and must be trained in photography, audio recording, and electronics. A two-year degree in electronics is often required, as well as completing a multi-year apprenticeship and obtaining a license. In gaming environments, surveillance technicians monitor players, staff, and resellers to reduce theft and dishonest gaming. They report suspicious activity to the head of security or casino management.
A surveillance technician is typically responsible for installing and monitoring many types of electrical surveillance equipment. Maintaining and testing surveillance equipment is another aspect of the work typically performed by a surveillance technician. Equipment such as cameras, microphones, and telephone recording devices are common tools of the trade for many surveillance technicians. Many of these technicians work in areas that require a high level of security, such as casinos or gaming facilities, or are employed by law enforcement agencies.
A surveillance technician’s job is to place surveillance cameras and related hardware in places that are often hard to notice. When a surveillance technician is working with a law enforcement agency, the equipment is often used at covert and sting-type events. This type of surveillance is usually done at a long distance or without the aid of artificial light. The technician must be trained in many aspects of photography, audio recording and electronics in order to obtain correct positioning for operating surveillance equipment. A two-year degree in electronics is often required to be employed in the electronic surveillance field.
Most people must complete a multi-year internship to become a surveillance technician. This apprenticeship is usually completed after earning a two-year college degree and usually requires the student to complete a written test and obtain a license within months of being employed as a technician. In the United States, testing is related to federal and state laws governing the installation and use of electronic surveillance equipment. In most areas, an applicant is also required to obtain a license to be employed as a technician. Many stipulations must be met to obtain this license, including misdemeanors, crimes involving moral torture, and gambling-related charges or convictions.
In a gaming environment, the surveillance technician can install cameras in plain sight to monitor not only the players, but the gaming agency staff as well. Resellers and other like-minded gaming operators are constantly monitored in an effort to reduce theft and dishonest gaming. A surveillance technician also typically monitors the action in another room in the casino via closed-circuit television monitors. Miniature microphones strategically hidden throughout the casino also allow monitoring of customer, employee and worker conversations. Surveillance technicians typically report suspicious activity to the head of a company’s security division or to a casino boss or manager.
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