Body camera company opens dealer network

CHICAGO—Occly, a manufacturer of a monitored wearable body camera alarm system founded in 2015, is now looking to build out a national dealer network, Marc Harris, company co-founder, told Security Systems News.

The four cameras on the Blinc system covers about 280 degrees around the user, when the device is worn on a user's arm. The current model operates through a Bluetooth connection with a smartphone. Occly is currently developing a cellular version, which it hopes to release in mid-2018.

Occly launched the Blinc system in June in the consumer space and since then has recognized a potential in offering it in more commercial settings, particularly with the upcoming cellular model.

Occly's market strategy will be “primarily dealer focused,” Harris said; it has a direct to consumer channel currently, which will be phased out as the dealer network expands.

“We have just completed a dealer portal where, once they sign up with us, they have online access where they can come build hardware and sign up new customers,” he said.

The company uses a third party monitoring center and is looking to integrate with others as well, Harris noted.

In addition to security dealers, the company is also looking for dealers among commercial safety suppliers. “For both of these different groups, whether it be security or safety, Occly is an opportunity for them to expand their customer base,” Harris said.

Occly's system has more uses than personal safety, Harris noted. “In addition to it being an employee safety tool, we also offer a host of worker management tools. So, we do GPS tracking, we actually have an indoor tracking solution in the works,” he said. “We allow employers to look into cameras, if they want this service, to see what employees are seeing. Employees can actually hit a button and upload video to the cloud, so that their management can see it.”

The system is applicable to a range of different verticals, according to Harris, including armed and unarmed security contractors, hospitality industries and railroads, among others.

The company's Blinc system can have a deterrent effect for consumers, similar to the yard sign for a security system, “As the device grows [in popularity] and people become more aware of what these things are, and criminals start to figure out what they are,” Harris said.

He envisions entering international markets, such as Canada and Europe in the future, as early as 2018.