Mall security

Allied Universal, globally renowned security and facility services company in North America, is proud to celebrate Women’s History Month, which commemorates and encourages the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history. Security is one of the fastest-growing professional careers worldwide. Today, more and more security companies are employing women. “Allied Universal celebrates the hard-working women who work for us each and every day at all career levels within the organisation,” said Steve Jones, CEO, Allied Universal. “We employ many women in a wide variety of positions including security professionals, administrative and executive positions.” Honouring women security professionals While security is not traditionally a sector that most women consider to build their careers, the landscape has shifted dramatically. It has been an evolution, rather than a revolution, that has attracted the diverse population of employees who now serve as our country’s security professionals. “Every day, thousands of female security professionals put on their uniforms and ensure the safety and security of countless workplaces, schools, shopping malls, and communities,” says Caress Kennedy, Northeast Region President for Allied Universal. The Committee of 200 (C200) It is important to recognise these women for their distinguished service" She is also associated with many industry associations, including The Committee of 200 (C200) - a prestigious network of top-level women entrepreneurs and corporate innovators, New York Staffing Association, NYPD Law Enforcement Explorers, NYC Workforce Investment Board and serves on St. John's University Homeland Security Academic Program Advisory Board. Caress adds, “It is important to recognise these women for their distinguished service.” Elizabeth Core, a military veteran and Shift Advisor for Allied Universal, decided to join a security company due to the opportunity to share her military knowledge with her team such as discipline, respect and honesty. For most of her 26-year career in the military, Core was stationed at Joint Base Andrews in Washington, DC. The security industry is ever-changing and combines the evolution of technology and physical security, coupled with the opportunity for continual learning and growth. Empowering working women “We are able to not only positively impact our clients, but also our world at large,” said Liz Thomas, Vice President of Sales, Northwest Region, Allied Universal. She adds, “Having the opportunity to work at Allied Universal, who serves so many different vertical markets, has opened the door to connect with diverse groups of people and create incredible relationships and long-term friendships with customers and employees, which is the greatest benefit of all.”

Foundries.io, a popular open OS platform provider for lifetime deployment of secure IoT and Edge devices, announced the adoption of its flagship product, FoundriesFactory, by a number of customers ranging from large global enterprises to emerging startups. FoundriesFactory is a secure, customisable embedded Linux platform that enables customers, regardless of size, to develop, deploy and maintain secure Internet of Things and Edge devices for life. Analysts forecast that IoT and Edge deployments will reach more than 75 billion devices by 2025. These endpoints - which span data center equipment to smart home appliances to critical municipal infrastructure - often represent the weakest security point in a network and are a frequent target of malicious hackers. Over-the-air secure update service Foundries.io provides an over-the-air secure update service that enables IoT and Edge device manufacturers to update all subscribed devices on demand, ensuring that every machine receives the most current and secure software available. Foundries.io has garnered significant traction for FoundriesFactory across several market segments, including factory automation, robotics, WiFi security, and global asset tracking. FoundriesFactory offers support for a wide range of SoCs, SoMs and single board computers as the starting point for customers to securely deliver, deploy and maintain software on their own hardware. Arm, a provider of semiconductor IP licensing company, has adopted FoundriesFactory to continuously integrate and test software, bringing enhanced security and making it easier for developers to build IoT devices based on the Arm Corstone-700 reference design or Arm Cortex-A5 processor. AI-driven logistics FoundriesFactory offers a flexible solution that enables us to customise our platform to be secure and updatable" It is not just enterprise customers, however, that are realising the benefits of FoundriesFactory. Aeler, Maidbot and Spriteguard are three organisations already benefiting from FoundriesFactory with very different use cases: Aeler’s vision is to build an optimal set of AI-driven logistics tools that advance how global trade is conducted. The company selected FoundriesFactory to support Aeler’s commitment to device security throughout the lifetime of its products, regardless of their location. “FoundriesFactory offers a flexible solution that enables us to customise our platform to be secure and updatable no matter where our Aeler C3 containers are located globally, at both a software and firmware level”, said David Baur, CTO of Aeler. “Working with Foundries.io is allowing us to get to market faster and gives our customers the peace of mind that comes with knowing our products will always be secure.” Cost-efficient automated solutions Maidbot provides safe and cost-efficient automated solutions to the hospitality industry, creating a robotic vacuum system designed to clean large spaces, such as hotels, malls and airports. “It is paramount that our products remain updated and secure throughout their active lifespan,” said Micah Green, CEO of Maidbot. “FoundriesFactory allows us to deploy updates without interrupting the daily tasks of our devices, making them more efficient and secure, all while ensuring our customers’ routines are not adversely impacted.” Developing a unique system FoundriesFactory provides us with a customisable platform that we can tailor to meet our exact needs" Wi-Fi Securities has developed a system called Spriteguard that protects users on public Wi-Fi connections by stopping connections to fake hotspots. Security is the company’s number one priority, and being able to maintain the highest level of security on SpriteGuard devices once they’re installed is vital. Spriteguard, powered by Wifi Securities Ltd, is developing a unique system designed to work with all WiFi providers. “FoundriesFactory provides us with a customisable platform that we can tailor to meet our exact needs,” said Cliff Kirby, CEO of Wifi Securities. “With security being such a critical part of our business, it’s important we ensure our devices are updated throughout their lifetime. FoundriesFactory allows us to do that with a solution that is flexible enough to adapt to our needs as we scale our company.” Embedded World 2020 In further recognition of its innovative approach to IoT and Edge device security, FoundriesFactory has been nominated for the Embedded World Best In Show Software award, and has also been named one of Tech Nation’s Rising Stars 2.0.

barox Kommunikation AG, the global manufacturer of professional standard switches, media converters and IP extenders specifically designed for video applications, will be exhibiting on the Milestone Systems stand, C28, at the Saed Arena, Intersec Dubai, 2020. Promoting their range of Powerhaus switches designed to cope with the specific requirements of IP video, visitors to the Milestone Systems stand will be able to see how barox IP switches support installers and end-users with many advanced features. Milestone plugin On the stand, barox have deployed their Milestone plugin and switches integrated into Milestone’s VMS software, to display how the ‘Smart-barox’ DMS SNMP plug-in can greatly extend the operability of Milestone XProtect Video Management Software. With Smart-barox, VMS system diagnostic data allows the fast pinpointing of network and device issues Allowing installers and operators to manage security networks and connected devices via the Milestone XProtect Smart Client, Smart-barox provides a live graphical overview of network topology, with invaluable network information. With Smart-barox, VMS system diagnostic data showing the status of cameras and switches allows the fast pinpointing of network and device issues. Built-in Cyber security Ideal for general and high-security video surveillance applications, such as within airports, ports, large compounds, borders, prisons, malls and hotels, all barox switches feature powerful built-in Cyber security and highly effective device management. “barox designs all of its products to address the specific demands of video surveillance networks,” says Rudolf Rohr, barox Co-founder & Managing partner. “On the Milestone stand, we’ll be revealing how the Smart-barox Milestone DMS SNMP plug-in allows installers to reduce their equipment redundancy and keep network downtime to an absolute minimum, whilst saving costs by minimising network set-up time and avoidable maintenance journeys to site.” At the exhibition, staff from barox will be on hand to demonstrate the many performance advantages built-in barox’s specialist video switch range, including a GUI demonstration, showing connected device activity and network diagnostics via the powerful barox Milestone plug-in.

ThreatScan® allows bomb technicians to perform rapid and accurate threat assessment in a wide range of operational scenarios. Each system consists of a portable X-ray generator, a detection panel and an operator’s workstation running the Company’s image processing software, together with a customer-specific range of ancillary equipment. ThreatScan® is lightweight, incredibly thin, has a large imaging area of 600 x 460mm, enabling bags and packages to be scanned in one scan. This system can penetrate up to 34mm steel at 120kV while producing high quality, sub-millimetre resolution images. Conveyor x-ray system ThreatScan® can be used to inspect suspect bags and packages in mass transit areas, such as rail and bus stations, shopping malls, airports, stadia, and sports arenas as well as, general security inspection by first responders such as Police, Military and Private and Government Security agencies. 3DX-Ray will also be showing its AXIS 53 small package conveyor x-ray system, the smallest in our range of conveyor systems, aimed to be used in confined spaces where space is a premium but where a quality image and speed of process are still vital. Find 3DX-Ray products on stand J63.

The Palms Shopping Mall (Lekki Shoprite) is a very famous shopping center located in the downtown area of Lagos’s Victoria Island in Nigeria. This large shopping and entertainment hub hosts hundreds of shops, and regularly attracts thousands of people. Naturally, such a busy area for shopping, commerce, and congregating, in a high-density city with tremendous amounts of foot-traffic, requires serious security at all times. The previous system was aging and in need of improvement. Hence, local systems integrator Totalnet Technologies Services Limited was asked to map out the specifications, and design an advanced system for the mall. They chose Hikvision’s CCTV surveillance products for a unified solution and to improve the overall quality of the previous one. The cameras installed included several of Hikvision’s advanced models designed for more than just retail security – they come equipped with smart features that offer insights into business and management data to add value to the safety they offer. IP cameras for public places Hikvision’s product was an ideal choice for the project after comparing products by different manufacturers" Hikvision provided 50 smart IP cameras for the security in public places. But that is only the beginning – Hikvision also provided an ANPR solution for the entrances puand exits, people counting technology for the main entrance, access control devices, and even more. This solution has helped secure the shopping center, decreasing the theft incidents and increasing the business operation efficiency. “Hikvision’s product was an ideal choice for the project after comparing different products by different manufacturers. They are wholly reliable with 99.99% uptime which makes our service reliable and our customers happy.” Kolade Kayode  - C.R.O. Totalnet Technologies Services Limited. Hikvision’s 3 MP Smart IP Vandal-proof Bullet Camera from its Ultra Series (model no. DS-2CD4635F-IZ), was chosen for outdoor settings. With its vandal-proof and weatherproof ratings, and excellent 3 Megapixel imaging day and night, it was the ideal choice Motorised lens with smart focus With its vandal-proof and weatherproof ratings, and excellent 3 Megapixel imaging day and night, it was the ideal choice. In addition to its performance and durable housing, the camera also features on-board recording in case the network fails, with support for 128 GB of SD card storage. The 2 MP Low-Light Smart Camera (model no. DS-2CD4126FWD-IZS), also part of Hikvision’s Ultra Series, features a smaller dome housing for inconspicuous indoor use. This small-but-powerful unit is ready to capture critical imaging and render clear, sharp details for security staff and law enforcement when it’s needed most. Future plans to upgrade and expand the system include introducing Artificial Intelligence for advanced functionality A 2 MP Low-Light Smart Camera in bullet housing (model no. DS-2CD4A26FWD-IZS) was chosen for capturing images and video on the main roadways. Its 1/1.8” Progressive Scan CMOS sensor, full HD 1080p video rendering, and 50-meter IR range made it a trustworthy component in this critical region. Beyond its high-performance imaging technologies, this camera also features IP67 weather protection, a motorised lens with smart focus. Speed limit detection system Last but not least, Hikvision’s Dual-Lens People Counting Camera (model no. iDS-2CD6810F/C) is the go-to choice for people counting, and the Shoprite shopping center is making good use of it – as are scores of businesses around the world. Supporting real-time people entering, exiting, and passing by data, as well as statistical traffic reports based on configurable time intervals (day/week/month/year), this camera brings a new level of intelligence to decision-makers in consumer businesses. Smart and powerful, this people-counting unit stores data in its flash memory, while the smart codec, high-bandwidth efficiency, low time delay, and optimised bit rate make it a camera that cannot be overlooked for an installation like this one. The security system is being operated 24 hours a day. Future plans to upgrade and expand the system include introducing Artificial Intelligence for advanced, automated security functionality, as well as a speed limit detection system for the transportation and parking areas.

ThreatScan® allows bomb technicians to perform rapid and accurate threat assessment in a wide range of operational scenarios. Each system consists of a portable X-ray generator, a detection panel and an operator’s workstation running the Company’s market-leading image processing software, together with a customer-specific range of ancillary equipment. ThreatScan® is lightweight, incredibly thin, has a large imaging area of 600 x 460mm, enabling bags and packages to be scanned in one scan. This system can penetrate up to 34mm steel at 120kV while producing high quality, sub-millimetre resolution images. ThreatScan® can be used to inspect suspect bags and packages in mass transit areas, such as rail and bus stations, shopping malls, airports, stadia, and sports arenas as well as, general security inspection by first responders such as Police, Military and Private and Government Security agencies. 3DX-RAY LTD, Sales and Marketing Director, Vincent Deery said: “We are delighted with this contract as it was from a customer with such exacting standards." "We were also in direct competition with many other major manufacturers, and we won.”, he adds. 3DX-Ray will be present at the 21st edition of Milipol in Paris on the 19-22 November at stand 5D122 in the UK Pavilion.

The statistics are staggering. The death tolls are rising. And those who now fear environments that were once thought to be safe zones like school campuses, factories, commercial businesses and government facilities, find themselves having to add the routine of active-shooter drills into their traditional fire drill protocols. The latest active shooter statistics released by the FBI earlier this year in their annual active-shooter report designated 27 events as active shooter incidents in 2018. The report reveals that 16 of the 27 incidents occurred in areas of commerce, seven incidents occurred in business environments, and five incidents occurred in education environments. Deadly active-shooter events Six of the 12 deadliest shootings in the country have taken place in the past five years Six of the 12 deadliest shootings in the country have taken place in the past five years, including Sutherland Springs church, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the San Bernardino regional center, the Walmart in El Paso and the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, which have all occurred since 2015. Although these incidents occurred in facilities with designated entry points common to churches, schools and businesses, the two most deadly active-shooter events since 2015 were the Route 91 Harvest music festival shooting in Las Vegas that left 58 dead and the Pulse nightclub killings in Orlando where 49 perished. As Christopher Combs, special agent in charge of the FBI field office in San Antonio, Texas, said during a news conference following the August 31 mass shooting in Odessa, Texas that claimed seven lives: “We are now at almost every two weeks seeing an active shooter in this country." Active shooter incidents Between December 2000 and December 2018, the FBI’s distribution of active shooter incidents by location looks like this: Businesses Open to Pedestrian Traffic (74) Businesses Closed to Pedestrian Traffic (43) K-12 Schools (39) Institutions of Higher Learning (16) Non-Military Government Properties (28) Military Properties—Restricted (5) Healthcare Facilities (11) Houses of Worship (10) Private Properties (12) Malls (6) What the majority of these venues have in common is they all have a front entrance or chokepoint for anyone entering the facilities, which is why any active-shooter plan must include a strategy to secure that entry point. Situational awareness in perimeter and door security Preventing people with the wrong intentions from entering the space is the goal" According to Paul Franco, an A&E with more than 28 years of experience as a consultant and systems integrator focusing on schools, healthcare and large public and private facilities, that while active shooter incidents continue to rise, the residual effect has been an increase in situational awareness in perimeter and door security. “Certainly, protecting people and assets is the number one goal of all our clients. There are multiple considerations in facilities like K-12 and Healthcare. Preventing people with the wrong intentions from entering the space is the goal. But a critical consideration to emphasise to your client is getting that person out of your facility and not creating a more dangerous situation by locking the person in your facility,” says Franco. High-security turnstiles “Schools today are creating a space for vetting visitors prior to allowing access into the main facility. Using technology properly like high-security turnstiles offer great benefits in existing schools where space constraints and renovation costs can be impractical.” What steps should they be taken when recommending the proper door security to ensure the building is safe As a consultant/integrator, when discussions are had with a client that has a facility in a public space like a corporate building, government centre or industrial facility, what steps should they be taken when recommending the proper door security to ensure the building is safe and can protect its people and assets? For Frank Pisciotta, President and CEO of Business Protection Specialists, Inc. in Raleigh, North Carolina, a fundamental element of his security strategy is making appropriate recommendations that are broad-based and proactive. Properly identifying the adversaries “As a consultant, my recommendations must include properly identifying the adversaries who may show up at a client’s door, the likelihood of that event occurring, the consequences of that event occurring, determining if there are tripwires that can be set so an organisation can move their line of defence away from the door, educating employees to report potential threats and creating real-time actionable plans to respond to threats. A more reactionary posture might include such thing as target hardening such as ballistic resistant materials at entry access points to a facility,” Pisciotta says. Veteran consultant David Aggleton of Aggleton & Associates of Mission Viejo, California recommends that clients compartmentalise their higher security areas for limited access by adding multiple credential controls (card + keypad + biometric), along with ‘positive’ access systems that inhibit tailgating/piggybacking such as secure turnstiles, revolving door and mantrap if your entrances and security needs meet the required space and access throughput rates. Integrated solution of electronic access control Defining a single point of entry in some public facilities is becoming the new standard of care according to many A&Es and security consultants, especially in a school environment. This approach allows a concerted effort when it comes to staffing, visitor monitoring and an integrated technology solution. The bottom line remains: most buildings are vulnerable to a security breach A proactive stance to securing a door entryway will use an integrated solution of electronic access control, turnstiles, revolving doors and mantraps that can substantially improve a facility’s security profile. The bottom line remains: most buildings are vulnerable to a security breach, so it’s not a matter of if there will be a next active shooter tragedy, it’s only a matter of where. Enhancing access control assurance “There is no easy answer to this question,” says Pisciotta referring to how a secured entrance can deter an active shooter. “There have been at least two high-profile incidents of adversaries shooting their way into a facility through access control barriers. So, if the threat so dictates, a ballistic resistant might be required.” He concludes: “There is obviously no question that turnstiles, revolving doors and man traps enhance access control assurance. Electronic access control is easy to integrate with these devices and providing that credentials are secure, approval processes are in place, change management is properly managed and the appropriate auditing measures in place, access control objectives can be met.”

Part 1 in our Intercoms in Security Series Lambert-St. Louis International Airport uses Code Blue intercoms Organisations are demanding a new level of interoperability among mission-critical security systems. Intelligible audio, the ability to hear, be heard and be understood, is critical to communication, which is essential to the core security processes within an organisation, as well as to emergency situations. Intelligible audio provides a platform to optimise various processes, including the use of security officers. “Our main thrust is to ensure our clients see intelligible and interoperable audio, not as an option, but as instrumental to their budget optimisation, stakeholder communication and risk mitigation efforts,” says Jim Hoffpauir, President of Zenitel North America, a manufacturer of intercoms and other communications solutions. Iintercoms in building safety and security  The role of intercoms in building safety and security is a given across many markets, and that use is growing. Intercoms are used in campus call boxes, elevators, muster locations, and for emergency notification. The trend is toward video, audio and access control, all tied together. There is also an emphasis on providing intelligible audio in any environment, even demanding ones. The education market has historically been a large sector for intercoms. Emergency phones and intercoms traditionally have been found throughout education settings, including colleges and universities, where they remain quite popular. Expanding markets for two-way communication In recent years, however, their popularity has also grown within the healthcare and mass transit sectors, where their versatility allows authorities to react to emergency situations while also providing a wide range of applications for non-emergency situations, such as car trouble or requests for directions. Intercoms can fulfill a variety of emergency and non-emergency needs in places like downtown Santa Ana, California (Photo courtesy Code Blue) “Markets of all sizes and shapes can benefit from a two-way communication solution that can help individuals place calls for assistance with first responders, police departments or customer service representatives,” says David Fleming, Chief Design Officer for Code Blue Corp. Intercoms for public and private sectors Aiphone is another intercom manufacturer for which education is a big market. Bruce Czerwinski, U.S. General Sales Manager, Aiphone Corp., says about 80 percent of both public and private K-12 and higher education campuses are using at least one intercom in some form. That percentage grows to nearly 100 percent for hospitals, which are using intercoms as nurse-call stations and at parking facilities, exterior door entries, nurseries and pharmacies, he says. "About 40 percent of commercial units – from strip malls to large, multi-tenant campus settings – are using intercoms" Up to 70 percent of larger multi-family facilities are also using intercoms. And that percentage is even higher in older, heavily populated Eastern cities. Many locales have laws mandating the use of audio and video intercoms on buildings beyond a threshold number of units. About 40 percent of commercial units – from strip malls to large, multi-tenant campus settings – are using intercoms, says Czerwinski. In the past year, Aiphone’s emergency stations have become very popular, particularly in campus settings; both commercial and higher education. Also, a growing number of unmanned parking garages are using the stations to allow patrons to immediately reach first responders or security personnel. Each of these markets still has growth potential, but by its sheer size, the commercial market offers the greatest opportunities, according to Aiphone. Video-enabled IP intercoms Intercom usage differs widely in various global markets, according to Craig Szmania, CEO of 2N USA, a manufacturer of IP intercoms. In the North American market, intercom usage is relatively low compared to the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, where intercoms are a more mature market. Security, convenience, systems integration and IP-versus-analogue adoption are driving usage and growth to more than 20 percent year-over-year. More and more video-enabled IP intercoms are seen as an integral part of a system wide security and video solution, according to Szmania. “Our intercom portfolio targets all the major verticals, but we have had particular success in the education sector – K-12 and universities,” says Szmania. “These end users are looking for specific features in securing their campuses, providing convenience to their administrators, employing programmability for differing use scenarios throughout the campus, and integration to their telephony or other systems.” More and more video-enabled IP intercoms are seen as an integral part of a system wide security and video solution Szmania says the latter point is becoming a particular need in light of a requirement for campus-wide communication and coordination in emergency situations. “Our intercoms integrate seamlessly with third party solutions such as Cisco’s telephone systems that are the communication backbones of many schools and campuses,” he adds. IP-based solutions in residential verticals Considering near-term growth potential, single family and multi-tenant residential verticals have fantastic opportunities for increased usage of door stations/intercoms in the United States, according to Szmania. The company has entered this space over the last several years and has grown to be a market leader in IP-based integrated solutions, especially in the home automation space. The adoption of IP networked solutions for condominiums and apartments is just taking off, driven in part by consumer demand for mobile-anywhere video, audio and door control. The service is also a driver for integrator/dealer adoption of the technology to provide recurring monthly revenue (RMR). 2N has also achieved triple-digit growth in commercial building installations over the past two years. Building owners, IT departments and security managers want and need a networked solution for control and security. 2N’s open platforms are a good fit, says Szmania. Read part 2 of our Security Intercoms series here

As the security industry continues to grow, recruiting must have more sophisticatedscreening and hiring processes, and a commitment to hiring quality personnel The physical security industry today is driving focus on finding the right talent. Deborah O’Mara, SourceSecurity.com's dealer/integrator correspondent, in an exclusive Q&A with Brent O’Bryan, Vice President of Training and Development for AlliedBarton Security Services, discuss the challenges that security companies face while recruiting top talent and practices the physical security industry should adopt to attract qualified security officers. Offering security training and education to hire top talent SourceSecurity.com: How important is it for the security industry to attract top talent today? What are some of the ways in which they should do this? O’Bryan: People want to join growth-oriented job sectors that offer continual training and advancement. The physical security industry and the systems integrator community can attract talent by demonstrating the path to leadership and the training and educational opportunities they offer. Physical security officer companies offer on-the-job training that is site-specific and customised for each client. The curriculum consists of numerous training modules covering various topics important to clients, the employee and the security industry in general. Ambitious employees can take advantage of a wide variety of courses and training, both online and in the classroom setting, from industry-specific curriculum to personal and professional development. The physical security sector demands that the security officers’ and managers’ qualifications merit the position. Today’s security officer requires a balance of formal education and industry-specific training to be competitive and effective in their position. Learning continues throughout the career of a security professional. Course work ranges from demanding advanced Master Security Officer courses, e-learning, scenario-based learning and executive leadership modules, classroom instruction and on-the-job training. Security officers receive significant and ongoing training. Training can include fire safety, terrorism awareness, emergency planning, and evacuation procedures. In addition, officers participate in industry-specific training geared to the market they serve whether it is a petrochemical installation, government facility, shopping mall, hospital, commercial building, residential complex, industrial facility or college. Security companies offer on-the-job training for their officers that is site-specificand customised for each clients’ needs Combining security technology and management experience SourceSecurity.com: What are some of the new and emerging disciplines that are needed, such as IT expertise, integrated systems expertise? O’Bryan: The physical security sector has benefited from advances in technology. Integrated technology solutions enable more complete and easily searchable databases for visitor logs, real-time incident reports and recordable security officer tours. Security officers monitor state-of-the-art security software and hardware, quickly identifying unusual activity enabling immediate responses. Digital devices and integrated video surveillance allow security officers on patrol to effectively monitor the entire facility. Additionally, security isn’t the only area of expertise needed in the security industry. The behind-the-scenes support and infrastructure that allow for seamless security programs require professionals in a variety of fields from IT to accounting, legal, HR and more. That, coupled with the business and management experience needed by security managers, positions this industry as a robust opportunity for job seekers looking for meaningful careers. Career advancement in the security industry SourceSecurity.com: What are some of the unique challenges to both the systems integration and end-user communities in attracting talent as the economy improves? O’Bryan: The physical security sector needs the current generation of high school and college graduates and returning military veterans to take a fresh look at this market as it presents meaningful career opportunities. As the security sector continues to evolve, we need to actively promote our growth and advancements so that professionals see value in a security career. SourceSecurity.com: What's important in particular with physical security providers to ensure they keep top talent, such as training, certification, other perks? O’Bryan: While many people don’t look at the physical security sector as a “glamour” field, the reality is that it is an industry that offers significant opportunity for education, growth and promotion. As the industry continues to grow, there is greater need for sophisticated recruiting, screening and hiring processes, as well as a strict commitment to hiring quality personnel who are a right fit for the position. The physical security sector actively promotes from within by encouraging continual training and education. Security officers must be trained and proficient in numerous security technologiesand systems integration to effectively monitor their facilities Employee engagement, recognition initiatives and formal employee feedback programs are all also critically important to retaining top talent. A strong learning culture is also essential. It is important that we, as an industry, invest in our people. At AlliedBarton, for example, in addition to the extensive training courses available to all employees, we also encourage continued learning through higher education and have partnered with several colleges and universities to offer tuition reduction programs to employees. Nurturing a leadership culture to prevent workplace violence SourceSecurity.com: Since workplace violence and active shooters are increasingly in the news, how can individual security companies be prepared in this area and perhaps also help their end-user customers in these areas? O’Bryan: Numerous studies over the years have proven the link between leadership and physical safety – especially at job sites where there is a higher risk of accidents, such as at industrial facilities. What has been less examined is the relationship between solid leadership and workplace violence prevention. Bill Whitmore, Chairman and CEO of AlliedBarton wrote “Potential Workplace Violence Prevention and Your Organisational Success,” which addresses this in great detail. We believe that strong and steady leadership is at the heart of workplace violence prevention. Any company that fails to embrace a leadership culture, with a definitive mandate on what defines leadership for each and every employee, will be more prone to an incident of workplace violence. In terms of helping our clients in their workplace violence prevention planning, every organisation should have a workplace violence prevention plan in place to help avoid a tragic event. Workplace violence happens every day and businesses that are prepared are better positioned to help prevent, respond and recover. We work with leaders at all levels to develop a plan that works best for their organisation since there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Knightscope’s long-term mission is to “make America the safest country in the world,” says William Santana Li, Chairman and CEO. “The company was started six years ago as we had grown tired and horrified by the ongoing violence in our country and decided to do something about it.” But are security robots the solution to crime and violence in the United States? “There are 2+ million law enforcement and security professionals trying to secure 328+ million people across the 50 states,” Mr. Li says. “The math just doesn’t work, which is why our country pays $1+ trillion in negative economic impact annually – a hidden tax we all pay in blood, tears and treasure.”  Robots provide professionals with new tools. “We make really smart eyes and ears that operate 24/7/365 for an affordable price,” says Mr. Li. “We have actually operated more than 700,000 hours in the real world, both outdoors and indoors, across 15 states and are now operating across five time zones – fully autonomous without any human intervention.” Utilising robotics and AI AI helps Knightscope robots interact better with humans and perform activities like identifying peopleKnightscope is a security technology company that utilises self-driving technology, robotics and artificial intelligence to provide security professionals additional eyes and ears to do their jobs much more effectively – as well as provide a consistent around-the-clock physical deterrence to help minimise negative behaviour. Knightscope says its K1, K3 and K5 security robots, and accompanying user interface, the Knightscope Security Operations Center (KSOC), continue to make significant contributions to the safety of its client base. Artificial intelligence helps Knightscope robots interact better with humans and perform activities like identifying people, looking up license plates, detecting rogue wireless devices, having a machine-to-human dialogue and, in the future, detecting dangerous objects in a scene automatically. “Our long-term plan is to have the machines be able to see, feel, hear and smell, so advances in sensor capabilities, efforts in sensor fusion, and the future with 5G capabilities will make for profound advances,” says Mr. Li. Facial recognition software at ISC West 2019 was Knightscope’s fourth time exhibiting at ISC West, and they have also exhibited at GSX/ASIS, ISC East, numerous other trade shows, and have hosted some of their own. Mr. Li has seen the reaction to security robots evolve over the years. People are realising that the technology is not science fiction but science fact and looking to see how it can be an integral part of their respective security programs “At first, it was typically ‘what is that?’ or ‘what does it do?’ But the last 12 to 18 months have been very different. There has been much more meaningful, implementation-focussed dialogue, feedback, requests for new features, etc. Now folks are realising that our technology is not science fiction but science fact and looking to see how it can be an integral part of their respective security programs.” Their ISC West presence this year highlighted facial recognition software that utilises deep learning to detect, analyse and compare faces. Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif., an existing Knightscope customer, is using the beta format on its K1 security robot platform. Additional benefits of using robots Knightscope has raised over $40 million to develop and deploy its technology and is backed by more than 6,000 family offices, accelerators, funds, private investors and four major corporations, says Mr. Li. As the machines get smarter and more capable over time – the number of applications will become endless" Robots also provide additional benefits beyond security, says Mr. Li, such as branding, community relations and public relations opportunities for clients. “In some cases, our clients have utilised our Concierge feature to allow for human-to-machine customer service interactions,” he says. “We have also been able to showcase and inspire STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) students with practical applications of technology for the good of society. And robot selfies have certainly become a thing.” Endless number of applications In terms of vertical markets, in the near term, Knightscope has seen positive scaling and growth on corporate campuses and at logistics facilities, manufacturing plants, hospitals, casinos, commercial real estate and malls. “As the machines get smarter and more capable over time – the number of applications will become endless,” says Mr. Li. They currently drop new software code every two weeks and new hardware typically a couple of times a year. “In my opinion, it is ill advised for early stage technology companies to utilise B2G (business-to-government) sales as the initial go-to-market strategy,” says Mr. Li. “For Knightscope we have been primarily focussed on B2B (business-to-business) sales and actually until 2017 were geographically constrained to California only. What we are doing is technologically extremely difficult as these are effectively self-driving cars. Additionally, despite the never-ending international interest, we are laser focussed on the United States.”

A multi-diversified international conglomerate with a history that spans over four decades covering multiple businesses and activities. It has out rightly developed the first outlet concept mall in the Middle East. The mall is a home for over 1,200 of the world’s premium and top brands. The mall is the mark of true and ultimate value retail destination. This two storey mall houses 240 stores and services. This particular mall includes multiple stores that required a religious control on the occupancy rate of a store at various times of a year, in order to improve their service management by deploying staff, accordingly. Managing and avoiding overcrowding was one of their major concerns, wherein, they aimed to monitor and ensure customer convenience in peak hours. Occupancy control feature The People Counting feature helped them to procure a detailed analysis of people entering and leaving the mall After a comprehensive discussion with their team, Matrix SATATYA SAMAS was proposed. Being the first Outlet concept mall, Matrix SATATYA SAMAS Crowd Management was an answer to all their questions. The People Counting feature helped them to procure a detailed analysis of people entering and leaving the mall. Specifically, to identify and address the peak hours which helped them in ensuring customer convenience. Particularly, with the help of the graphical reports based on the statistics, they were able to recruit people beforehand to manage the crowd. A thorough analysis of the reports helped them map and formulate seasonal marketing campaigns and discounts based on the statistics to reap surplus profits. By deploying the occupancy control feature, they could easily analyse the most crowded areas in the mall. Furthermore, they could coin which advertisements or discounts attracted customers. Results Detailed Reports and Their Analysis Improved Crowd Management Better Customer Experience

There is no doubt, online shopping is extremely fast, easy and convenient. That means bricks and mortar stores have to do more than ever to attract shoppers and keep them coming back. To add the value that is not available online, retailers need to deliver exciting, fulfilling and - critically - personalised in-store experience for every single shopper. “The customer experience is more important than ever as retailers are striving to differentiate themselves in a challenging and crowded market. Consequently, experience per square foot will be the new retail metric to measure success.” Intelligent video and Deep learning The good news for retailers is that latest-generation video, Deep Learning, and data analytics technologies can help to deliver the outstanding experiences today’s shoppers want and expect. Used in the right way, these technologies can help retailers to optimise everything from their store layout, to merchandising and even their in-store security strategy. Key features of intelligent video and Deep learning help to enhance customer experiences and improve commercial outcomes for retailers. Hikvision Fisheye cameras, allows retailers to understand which areas of the store most customers are attracted to Using an accurate people-counting camera, such as Hikvision’s Dual-Lens DeepinView People Counting Camera, stores can understand customers’ shopping patterns. This allows managers to ramp up staffing during peak times, ensuring that customers get the support and service they need, and reducing customers’ waiting time at the checkout. Facial recognition and Heat mapping Loyal VIP customers are enormously valuable to retailers, but service staff cannot always identify them immediately. Intelligent facial recognition cameras, however, can provide unique opportunities that were previously unavailable. When customers choose to participate in VIP programs, marketing promotions or other incentives, facial recognition technology will give retailers accurate tools to identify VIPs and loyal customers so staff can provide the right kind of service at the right time. Equally, facial recognition cameras can be used to identify ‘unwanted’ individuals on a list of interest, and to alert security teams of potential threats in real time. Queue detection solutions, which are built into Hikvision cameras, help retailers monitor queues in real time Heat mapping, which is a feature of the latest-generation of Hikvision Fisheye cameras, allows retailers to understand which areas of the store most customers are attracted to and how much time they typically spend there. This helps retailers to understand the ratio of ‘lookers’ to ‘buyers’, and to locate the most popular products in the ‘hottest’ areas of the store. Queue detection and Point of Sale (PoS) integration Long waiting times have a major negative impact on the customer experience - with a risk that customers will give up and revenues will be lost. Queue detection solutions, which are built into Hikvision cameras, help retailers monitor queues in real time and open new checkouts if lines get too long - ensuring that customers can always pay quickly and easily. Sometimes, sales are lower than expected and it is difficult to understand why. To overcome this challenge, retailers can overlay data from intelligent video cameras with PoS data. This provides key insights, such as promotions not being visible enough to customers, or goods being positioned in ‘cold’ areas of the store, for example - allowing retailers to take action and maximise their conversion. Enhanced customer management The Schalwijk Shopping Centre in Haarlem in the Netherlands is using Hikvision DeepinView People Counting cameras (iDS-2CD6820F/C) to better understand peak times. With 97% people counting accuracy, the centre has been able to ensure appropriate staffing levels throughout the day, optimise centre and store layouts, and enhance the experience for visitors. Visitor data is also being used to attract new, high-value retail stores to the centre - ensuring an even more successful future.

Globally-renowned Pay on Foot parking systems manufacturer, DESIGNA, has worked with the White Rose shopping centre in Rhyl, North Wales, to update its car parking system to the company’s advanced ABACUS software and equipment. Contactless card payment The installation included new state-of-the-art entrance and exit terminals accepting tap in/tap out contactless card payment technology After many successful installations abroad, the shopping centre is the first DESIGNA site in the UK to have installed its new tap in/tap out contactless credit card technology. The installation included new state-of-the-art entrance and exit terminals accepting tap in/tap out contactless card payment technology. There are also three full pay stations, a DBS server, manual pay station and intercom. All of this helps improve the efficiency and security of the car park, which is popular with shoppers due to its seafront location. As the first part of the shopping experience, the convenience and availability of a car park is crucial to the overall service and satisfaction of a customer. DESIGNA recognised this and developed ABACUS, an advanced car park access system that intelligently integrates various elements to create the ultimate system that is highly reliable and requires less maintenance. It can also cope with large volumes of traffic while providing the highest level of monitoring to ensure a secure parking environment. ABACUS car park access system The parking system is barrier controlled and makes use of DESIGNA barcode ticket technology. In addition to the standard ticket technology, the car park offers the facility to tap in/tap out using a contactless credit card. This operates with a unique identifier from the credit/debit card as a substitute for a ticket for the duration of the stay at the car park. When the customer presents a contactless card on entry, it recognises them and by tapping again at the exit it automatically calculates the tariff and allows payment to take place at the exit. The system has three pay on foot machines which accept coins, notes and credit cards. With more than 30 stores, White Rose shopping centre, Rhyl’s number one shopping destination, has a wide range of quality stores. Located in the centre of the town, White Rose is a short walk from Rhyl’s seafront, railway station and sea aquarium, and has direct access car parking for 300 vehicles. The centre previously had a chip coin solution installed on site. Advanced ticket machines The biggest advantage of having the DESIGNA system in place is the easy payment method" Sue Nash, Centre Manager at the White Rose commented, “The biggest advantage of having the DESIGNA system in place is the easy payment method. The advanced ticket machines make it possible to pay using several means, therefore reducing the problem of queuing at the pay machines and having to pay with change. Another payment option we now have is the facility to pay through mobile devices and via contactless cards.” She continued, “The majority of people move around with credit cards rather than cash and having a versatile payment option in the car park makes for a painless process. The maintenance of the system at our local level was extremely important to avoid costly and timely engineer callouts. Simple things like ticket and coin jams, system resets are now extremely easy to resolve as is the exchange of entry tickets when required. I would certainly recommend the DESIGNA system to others and we are extremely pleased with the results.” Car parking ease and convenience Specifier Andrew Bailey, of Parking Ideas, commented, “Parking Ideas is a complete car parking and transportation consultancy that helps institutions, property owners, landlords and managing agents develop and optimise their assets. I have worked with the White Rose shopping centre for a number of years and following a competitive tender found that DESIGNA’s systems best suited the client’s requirements.” He continued, “The ABACUS system is good value, commercially viable and ticked all the right boxes for the White Rose. It is very important to have the facility to pay by card, so the payment terminals having this feature are vital to the centre and have made all the difference to the running of the car park. Parking Ideas has been in the parking industry for more than 15 years, so we have worked with DESIGNA before and are very happy with the end result.”  DESIGNA ticket terminals The car park’s entrance and exit are installed with DESIGNA In+ and Out+ ticket terminals so that using the site is fast and easy The car park’s entrance and exit are installed with DESIGNA In+ and Out+ ticket terminals so that using the site is fast and easy. The advanced terminals operate on the lowest energy consumption of their class with the ability to hold more tickets than before, with the bin adapting itself to the fill quantity. Customers are greeted with excellent user-friendliness due to the simplicity of the equipment and illuminated display with clear instructions. The four-way barcode readers also ensure visitors can insert their ticket any way round into any of the pay stations around the site. DESIGNA Pay on Foot machines For payment, three of DESIGNA’s new Pay on Foot machines are in place in the car park. This allows customers to pay for their visit before returning to their car and exit the car park more quickly. The pay station is deliberately designed to allow disabled customers to pay freely without assistance. Each of the pay stations is installed with an interactive monitor that makes it easy to pay and offers several different languages. Shopping centre management has full control of the ABACUS system through the DBS server, with a manual pay station (MPS) to allow them to create or override payments. The control room also links with the ticket and payment terminals via a DESIGNA VoIP Intercom to assist customers if required. Global implementation DESIGNA has more than 15,000 systems installed globally across a wide range of car park situations DESIGNA’s parking systems are used in a number of impressive shopping centres around the world. These include the Dundrum shopping centre in Dublin, the Mid Valley Megamall in Malaysia and the Mall of Emirates in Dubai. In the UK the Belfry shopping centre in Redhill, the Woolshops shopping centre in Halifax and the Wellgate centre in Dundee have also benefited from the ABACUS system. Recognised worldwide for its high quality and intelligent systems, DESIGNA has more than 15,000 systems installed globally across a wide range of car park situations, including shopping centres, airports and hospitals. ABACUS is one of the company’s innovations and demonstrates the endless possibilities available to car park operators. The future-proof technology allows for expansions of premises or new property acquisitions by allowing additional systems to be added to the network. In its many global applications, ABACUS has proved to be an effortless system for both operators and users and is a great investment for companies looking to the future.

Rasilient Systems, Inc., the pioneer in video surveillance systems purposely architected for IP video recording, has been chosen to provide video surveillance storage solutions for Global Village Dubai, billed as the “world’s largest” tourism, leisure, shopping and entertainment project.  Now entering its 21st season, Global Village Dubai is the Middle East’s first family multicultural festival park. The attraction entertains more than 5.3 million guests each season and has more than $2.2 billion AED in business transactions ($599 million American dollars). From November through April each year, Global Village Dubai visitors enjoy a shopping experience in more than 30 pavilions, 120-plus kiosks and two dozen restaurants and cafes throughout the season’s 159 days of operation.  Video surveillance storage solutions “With more than five million visitors each year, Global Village Dubai required a solution that delivered high quality video recording and reliability,” said Sean Chang, CEO of Rasilient Systems. “At Rasilient, we are honored to have been chosen to provide a very important element of the overall security solution at Global Village Dubai. We designed our purpose-built video surveillance storage solutions for projects just like this.” “Our successful partnership with Rasilient means that we understand individual market demands, ensuring that we exceed expectations,” said Dr Mohammad Alketbi CEO of Forceis. When it comes to security solutions, we believe that quality counts. A 24/7 system availability can only be achieved through a robust and dynamic solution" “When it comes to security solutions, we believe that quality counts. A 24/7 system availability can only be achieved through a robust and dynamic solution.” Physical security integration services Rasilient partnered with Forceis Integrated Security Systems, a system integrator, to provide state-of-art security operation for Global Village Dubai. Forceis is an innovative forward-thinking organisation that provides expertise around physical security integration services in the United Arab Emirates. The video surveillance cameras at Global Village Dubai are managed by Milestone’s XProtect Corporate Video Management Software (VMS). Rasilient is a Milestone Systems Certified Solution Partner and together the companies have partnered in a number of successful video surveillance deployments, particularly in the growing Middle East region. “Global Village is pleased with the products and services Forceis Integrated Security Systems Offers. We have been extremely satisfied with the support provided by the technical staff and the professionalism throughout the company,” said Mansoor Salem, Senior Security Manager of Global Village. “The stability and resiliency of the Rasilient solution is impressive. System uptime is crucial to our business and we’ve had zero outages since we installed Rasilient. We are confident in our ability to rapidly scale our IT infrastructure no matter what size of customer now walks through the door.” ApplianceStor VMS storage servers The video surveillance storage solution used at Global Village Dubai includes six Rasilient ApplianceStor 74 Rack high performance VMS storage servers The video surveillance storage solution used at Global Village Dubai includes six Rasilient ApplianceStor 74 Rack high performance VMS storage servers that provide 100TB of storage. Rasilient’s ApplianceStor 74 Rack mount integrates VMS and storage into a simple-to-use, high performance video surveillance server solution. This eliminates the cost of a separate VMS server, significantly reducing cabling as well as the challenges of integrating VMS, OS, commodity server and storage. Proactive monitoring technology With Rasilient’s video surveillance storage solutions, every single camera frame is processed and recorded – what’s referred to as No Frame Drop – which is essential with the variety of security scenarios at Global Village Dubai that might call for video retrieval, said Chang. The ApplianceStor 74 is engineered to monitor its own “health” and operations to ensure that the system doesn’t fail when it’s most needed. This Proactive technology monitors the health of every disc drive in the system to enable cloning right before an actual drive failure. Global Village Dubai joins the list of the many projects Rasilient has completed in the UAE and surrounding areas over the last few years including the Zero 6 Mall that opened in April in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Rasilient Systems, Inc., the pioneer in video surveillance systems purposely architected for IP video recording, has been chosen to provide video surveillance server and storage solutions for Zero 6 Mall, the impressive new-generation shopping destination that opened in April this year in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Zero 6 is a 16,000 square-metre complex that offers a diverse selection of dining, retail and entertainment attractions. Strategically located in Al Juraina, in close proximity to prominent city landmarks like University City and Sharjah International Airport, Zero 6 celebrates Sharjah’s evolving lifestyle community experience. Security integration software “Security is always the top concern in designing and developing a popular tourist and resident destination like Zero 6 Mall. Rasilient is honored to have been chosen to help secure this impressive and unique facility,” said Sean Chang, CEO of Rasilient Systems. Rasilient worked with UAE-based system integrator Exceed Communications, LLC, on the Zero 6 Mall project. Exceed Communications is a leading provider of IT infrastructure and security system needs including network design, installation and management and video surveillance and IPTV systems. Video surveillance at Zero 6 is managed by SeeTec Video Management Software (VMS). An OnSSI Company, SeeTec is one of the leading solution providers for video surveillance in Europe. Unmatched data integrity “Video surveillance storage is critical for security point of view and we are fortunate to have the services of Rasilient Systems, which is a trusted name for unmatched data integrity and storage reliability,” said Issa Ataya, Managing Director, Alef Group. We are confident that Rasilient Systems will provide the most innovative and state-of-the-art technology for Zero 6 Mall"  “Zero 6 Mall is a one-stop destination in Sharjah that appeals more to a new generation as it’s a premier lifestyle-oriented place. We are confident that Rasilient Systems will provide the most innovative and state-of-the-art technology for Zero 6 Mall,” Ataya said. Video management software Rasilient provided video surveillance storage for Zero 6 that offers unmatched data integrity, storage reliability and scalability to address future growth. Rasilient’s purpose-built technologies lower CAPEX and OPEX by extending product life expectancy and enabling scheduled maintenance instead of reactive maintenance as systems age. The video surveillance system in place at the mall provides petabytes of storage using Rasilient’s fully redundant ApplianceStor AS85R Server and PS5000 Rackmount IP Storage. Rasilient’s ApplianceStor AS85R is a modular server system which packs four high performance server modules in a single 2U rack mount platform providing unmatched performance and density. Each module can be used to integrate VMS, failover, archive, administration and access control servers in a single high density 2U system. The AS85R significantly reduces cost over a separate VMS server, reduces cabling and the ordeal of integrating VMS, OS, commodity server and storage. Because the AS85R is ideally suited for use in conjunction with Rasilient’s PS5000 Rackmount IP storage, the Zero 6 project also utilises the PS5000. Rasilient’s PS5000 Rackmount IP storage provides a simple-to-use, high performance, and large capacity video surveillance solution Large surveillance installations Rasilient’s PS5000 Rackmount IP storage provides a simple-to-use, high performance, and large capacity video surveillance solution. The purpose-built storage array is optimised for high performance megapixel and large video surveillance installations – both key characteristics of the video solution used at the Zero 6 Mall. Rasilient's patented advanced video caching technology – VAN, FlowThrough, StreamAlign – enables no recording gaps and data locking and increases read/write performance. This allows the capability of using both high resolution megapixel cameras and heavy camera loads. With Rasilient’s video surveillance storage solutions, every single camera frame is processed and recorded – which is essential for the variety of mall security scenarios that might call for video retrieval. The Rasilient system is also engineered to monitor its own “health” and operations to ensure that the system doesn’t fail when it’s most needed. This Proactive technology monitors the health of every disc drive in the system to enable cloning right before an actual drive failure. Reliable video surveillance solutions Zero 6 Mall is just one of many projects Rasilient has completed in the UAE and surrounding areas over the last few years, said Chang. “With the successful implementation of quality and reliable video surveillance solutions for projects like Zero 6, Rasilient continues its growth in the very important Middle East market,” he added.

The Mall of Switzerland, located in Ebikon in Lucerne Canton, has a total floor space of 65,000 square meters. It is the second largest shopping centre of Switzerland. Visitors to this ultramodern building complex can take advantage of about 90 stores, 18 restaurants, a multiplex cinema with 12 auditoriums, a large indoor playground and multiple exercise facilities. The Mall of Switzerland is expected to receive up to five million visitors a year. This poses considerable challenges for building security, for which it is relying on Bosch’s experience and expertise. “These days, trends and customer needs change faster than ever before. Buildings have to be able to adapt easily – although this of course also poses new challenges, for instance with regard to security,” explains Jan Wengeler, who manages the mall. “But with Bosch as our partner, we know that we can handle whatever comes up.” Enhanced guest safety For the Mall of Switzerland, Bosch’s building experts implemented a tailored security solution for controlling access to restricted areas. At its core is the MATRIX access control system, which features a combination of electronic cylinders and door fittings plus readers, terminals, controllers and software. A management system with a customised user interface visualises the states of more than 100 doors to let staff very quickly and easily monitor and control them. This significantly enhances the safety and security of guests and personnel, also in complex situations with large crowds. The operators are now facing the future with confidence, since additional parts of the Mall of Switzerland can be quickly and flexibly integrated in the overall system as required.

Public spaces provide soft targets and are often the sites of terrorist or active shooter attacks. Public spaces, by definition, require easy accessibility and unrestricted movement. Given that openness, what security technologies can provide real results? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How is technology innovation impacting the security of public spaces?