A monitoring system includes sensors that monitor activity within a designated territory. The sensors including visual sensors that make video recordings. A local processing system located within or proximate to the designated territory receives signals from the sensors. The local processing system processes and analyzes the signals from the sensors to produce messages that describe activity within the designated territory as monitored by the sensors. The messages do not include audio, visual or other direct identifying information that directly reveal identity of persons within the designated territory. A monitoring station outside the designated territory receives the messages produced by the local processing system and makes the messages available to external observers.