Physical Security Information Management (PSIM)

Four out of every ten (41%) of England-based medium and large-sized businesses, which are running CCTV systems, have already deployed facial recognition analytics in their systems, in order to capture human faces and compare images to human face databases, with a view to identifying matches for access control, event security or for public safety purposes. Facial recognition analytics One in six (16%) of CCTV system owners admitted to having access to this capability on their system, but not yet going live with it. Over a third of CCTV system owners (36%) in businesses, with over 50 employees, had already deployed some event or behavioural recognition analytics. Examples given include spotting loitering or highlighting abandoned bags (bags with no person in close proximity). A further 22% believed that they had this capability in their systems, but had not yet turned it on. ANPR and video motion detection technology Just over a third (34%) of CCTV system owners questioned had already deployed ANPR Just over a third (34%) of CCTV system owners questioned had already deployed Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology, to capture number plates at perimeter barriers, for example, and the same number of system owners (34%) had deployed Video Motion Detection (VMD), to help reduce their system’s video storage requirements, by only recording when motion is detected, in front of a camera. One in five (20%) business owners claimed to have access to ANPR analytics in their systems, but have not yet turned it on. A further 27% claimed to have Video Motion Detection (VMD) capability in their systems, which they have not yet activated. Objection Detection or Object Classification  Exactly a third (33.33%) of CCTV system owners in England claimed to have deployed object tracking technology, which is a relatively new capability that enables security teams to track individuals, from camera to camera, through a large site in ‘Auto Track’ mode. Nearly a third (32%) of business owners had deployed Objection Detection or Object Classification, in order to help the video security system distinguish between humans, vehicles, animals, swaying trees, shadows, rain, luggage, water, roads, and etc. 23% of these business owners confirmed that they had this capability in their systems, but had not yet activated it. Deploying Directional Detection analytics Only marginally less (31.6%) CCTV system owners claimed to have already deployed Directional Detection analytics, so as to detect which direction an object or a person is moving over a line. A further 28% of business owners claimed to have this capability at their disposal, but not to have turned it on as of now. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) analytics heavily used to read the identification numbers on parcels and other goods in transit has been deployed by 31% of England’s businesses, as per NW Security’s recent business survey. A further 35% of CCTV system owners claimed that they already had this capability in their systems, but had not yet put it to work. Business intelligence-led video analytics Business intelligence-led video analytics was not far behind, in terms of adoption by businesses in England Business intelligence-led video analytics was not far behind, in terms of adoption by businesses in England. For example, heat mapping, which is commonly used to detect crowds forming before events or analyse the busiest areas of a shop, has already been deployed by 28% of CCTV system owners. Nearly another quarter (23%) claimed to have this capability at their disposal, but had not yet configured it or made it live. 28% of CCTV system owners had turned on people counting analytics on their systems. NW Security discovered that some of these people had adopted this capability, in order to monitor room capacity levels, owing to COVID-19 safety reasons. Nearly as many, 26% of businesses in England, thought they had people counting analytics available in their system but had not yet made it live. Facial detection and traffic monitoring analytics Over a quarter (27%) of CCTV system owners recorded that they were using facial detection analytics and a further quarter (25%) of businesses had deployed traffic monitoring analytics in their systems. While 22% of CCTV system owners recorded making crowd density analytics live on their systems. Even higher numbers (24%) of businesses in England have confirmed that they had access to crowd density measurement analytics, but had not yet deployed it. Video analytics at the edge We have been surprised by the level of adoption, of even fairly sophisticated video analytics, across CCTV system owners" Frank Crouwel, the Managing Director of NW Security, commented “We have been surprised by the level of adoption, of even fairly sophisticated video analytics, across CCTV system owners. That said, more and more camera vendors are offering analytics at the edge. Many video analytics types are present in over half of existing systems and 7 different types of analytics have already seen over 30% adoption, across our total base of over 152 CCTV system owners of medium and large-sized businesses across England.” Josh Woodhouse, Lead Analyst at Novaira Insights, a UK-based video surveillance market research company and publisher of the ‘World Market for Video Surveillance Hardware and Software’ market report earlier in the year, stated “Basic features like motion detection and virtual tripwire have been embedded in most cameras for many years. However, it is an ongoing trend, where more analytics workload can be achieved at the edge.” Cameras with advanced analytics Josh Woodhouse adds, “An increasing number of new cameras sold feature more advanced analytics like event or behaviour recognition. It is estimated that 43% of all professional grade network security cameras, shipped in the world in 2020, featured these more advanced analytics. This is forecast to nearly double to 81% by 2025, leading to cameras having the functionality for advanced analytics, such as object detection or facial recognition, as standard capabilities.”  

Allegion, a global provider of security products and solutions, has announced the first integration between Overtur, Allegion’s digital environment connecting all building phases in opening design, construction and ongoing management, and Software for Hardware, an industry-renowned software developed for door, frame and hardware distributors. Software integration The partnership announcement comes in advance of the DHI conNextions 2021 conference, where both companies will be demonstrating the collaboration. Contract and integrated hardware dealers, who engage Allegion on specifications, written by the company’s Architectural Services or who use Overtur platform themselves, for opening specification writing and collaboration, can now export hardware specification information to Software for Hardware’s platform and continue to the project process. Data-centric approach to opening design Transitioning an opening specification to the submittal phase can be time consuming" “Transitioning an opening specification to the submittal phase can be time consuming, especially if manual entry is involved,” said Michael Rebbec, Overtur platform integration’s Product Owner at Allegion. Michael Rebbec adds, “With this integration, we aim to equip Software for Hardware customers with the benefits of Overtur’s data-centric approach to opening design, with Software for Hardware’s expertise in estimating and detailing a project, in the construction phase.” Overtur’s software platform Overtur’s comprehensive platform enables all project team members to collaborate on a project’s opening data. In the design phase, collaborators can upload plans and door schedules, through a plugin within Autodesk’s Revit programme or by directly uploading Adobe PDFs, and Microsoft Excel documents. Once loaded, hardware consultants can assign and configure individual products to each opening, such as a lock, a closer or an exit device. Once finalised, project information is available in multiple formats, including Hardware Set schedules and a fully written specification. Exporting data into Software for Hardware platform Customers who use Overtur for their opening specifications (either through Allegion’s Architectural Services or on their own) can now further benefit from this technology. Once the opening information is finalised, customers can export their data into the Software for Hardware platform, without the need for manual entry of data. Once imported to Software for Hardware platform, customers can add necessary configuration and dimensional information for estimating and submittals. No need for manual data inputs The Overtur and Software for Hardware integration benefits our shared customer base" “The Overtur and Software for Hardware integration benefits our shared customer base, by providing a process to save valuable time and effort,” said Ian Oxman, the Co-Owner of Software for Hardware, adding “Data duplication and error are eliminated, as the Overtur integration removes manual data input.” Frank Ruane, President, Quarters Hardware, located in Woburn, Massachusetts, said “Technology like Overtur can save the distributor many hours of data entry and reduce errors. Allegion and Software for Hardware have created a really useful tool for door, frame and hardware distributors.”   DHI conNextions 2021 Starting Wednesday, on Oct. 20, 2021, attendees can visit booth #313, at DHI conNextions 2021 conference, to experience a live demo of the Overtur and Software for Hardware integration. Overtur is Allegion’s digital environment connecting all building phases in opening design, construction and ongoing management of door security and openings. It provides a centralised place to capture, maintain and verify door opening requirements, information and decisions, with easy options to push information to industry-renowned tools.

Access control and integrated security management vendor Maxxess has expanded its UK and Ireland operations with the appointment of Russell Baker as business development & account manager. Responsibilities Russell will be based out of the company’s European head office in Bracknell, UK, and will handle the substantial increase in demand for the firm’s signature solution, the eFusion™ access control, and security management platform. Building on the success of Maxxess solutions in the corporate, higher education, hospitality, and healthcare sectors, offering enterprise-class access control and integrated security, he will support existing partners and end-users and as well as developing new relationships with systems integrators,  consultants and end-users across the UK and Europe. Work experience Russell has over two decades of experience spanning video surveillance, access control, intruder, and systems integration A familiar face in the security industry, Russell has over two decades of experience spanning video surveillance, access control, intruder and systems integration. He started his career at Chubb and went on to sales management roles with security systems integrators and tech vendors including Vicon and Zenitel Group. A longstanding member of the Association of Security Consultants (ASC), Russell has a proven track record in consulting roles as well as sales management. Feedback   Lee Copland, Managing Director Maxxess EMEA, said, “We’re delighted to welcome Russell on board. He is well-positioned to leverage the increasing demand for cost-effective, integrated systems that drive operational efficiency by digitising processes and workflows.”  “He will build on Maxxess’s existing installed base as well as helping many more organisations upgrade and digitise their infrastructures and bring new technologies on line.” Developing better access solutions Russell Baker commented, “With Maxxess eFusion and eVisitor enabling more affordable integrated site security and safety solutions, I am looking forward to working closely with consultants and systems integrators to develop project opportunities.” “These solutions are now very much in demand as customers look towards better access and people management solutions to support more flexible workplace operations post-pandemic.”

GeoVision has announced the release of GV-Control Center (V4.0), integrated security management software, designed for central monitoring systems. GV-Control Center is designed for enterprise system users, to handle high-volume video data. From real-time monitoring, video playback, event detection pop-up, I/O central monitoring, 3D E-map and communications, GV-Control Center helps security guards to quickly identify threats, and take swift actions. GV-Control Center (V4.0) GeoVision unveils a re-designed user experience on GV-Control Center (V4.0), to streamline its interfaces and aim at building a consistent experience, across the platforms of GV-VMS and GV-Edge Recording Manager. Additionally, GV-Control Center V4.0 introduces the new viewing windows, Face Recognition (FR) Watch and ASManager View, to integrate the monitoring of face recognition, access control and LPR events into the central monitoring operation. The AI (video analytics) events from forefront GV-VMS software and GeoVision AI cameras are also incorporated in the new version.

On the occasion of the Milipol 2021 (Milipol Paris 2021) exhibition, the event dedicated to homeland security and safety (taking place from Oct. 19-22, 2021, in Paris, France), Deveryware will introduce its range of security solutions, to support investigators and enhance homeland security. As the European expert in investigation technologies and global security services, Deveryware will present its innovations, specially designed to facilitate police and the Gendarmerie’s investigations. Tools and services for investigations With features, such as judicial geo-location, analysis of phone records, digital forensics for phones, hard drives and any digital device, mobile DNA analysis, etc., Deveryware offers investigators the tools and services to extract and analyse the data, which is necessary for conducting their judicial investigations and solutions that are designed to process digital evidence and accelerate their investigations. Deveryware’s investigation solutions offer: Real-time geo-location of smartphones, trackers (through the DeveryLoc and DeveryLight platforms), Call data record analysis (DeveryAnalytics Telephony Data software), Fight against fraud and financial crime (services of the OAK Branch subsidiary), Digital investigation (solutions and services of TRACIP, Deveryware subsidiary and the 1st French private laboratory for digital forensics). Innovations introduced at Milipol Paris 2021 Deveryware will introduce 3 major innovations at its stand, which are based on its main areas of expertise For those who want to test and manipulate the on-premise search kit and the digital forensics equipment, they will be available at the TRACIP booth (#5R 122) at the Milipol 2021 exhibition. Deveryware will introduce 3 major innovations at its stand, which are based on its main areas of expertise. Call data record analysis - DeveryAnalytics Telephony Data The analysis of telephone investigation data constitutes a major challenge for investigators. Deveryware has developed a unique solution for them, DeveryAnalytics Telephony Data. It notably allows them to: Detect contacts and interactions between individuals, Uncover networks, Save time and enhance investigation capacities. The DeveryAnalytics Telephony Data software was adopted by the French Gendarmerie Nationale in March 2021 and is currently being deployed. Responding to cyber-attack incidents - TRACIP TRACIP, the data recovery and digital forensics expert, offers a unique methodology to clean up and recover data following a cyber-attack (compromised of computers and smartphones, infection of IT stock through ransomware). This process offers several advantages: On-site deployment in a couple of hours thanks to mobile, lightweight infrastructure, Back to normal within a couple of days, Preservation of evidence of the attack for compensation purposes (insurance claims, legal proceedings). GHALE, the next-generation emergency call platform Deveryware has developed GHALE, the platform that revolutionises emergency calls and offers greater connectivity between emergency mobile applications and public safety answering points. Thanks to the development of a new European standard, PEMEA - Pan-European Mobile Emergency Application, GHALE makes it possible to: Use its emergency mobile app, while travelling across Europe Have multilingual and multimedia communications with PSAPs: Location sharing, sending of photos and videos, chat Make video calls adapted to speech/hearing impaired people

Branch, the startup that pioneered instantly-bundled home and auto insurance, announced a partnership with SimpliSafe, maker of award-winning security systems, to offer its members significant discounts on their home insurance. Through this partnership, Branch members can receive meaningful discounts of up to 15.5% on their home insurance by protecting their home with a professionally monitored SimpliSafe system, which can help prevent major hazards, such as theft, fire and water damage. Additionally, Branch is giving new members a free 7-piece home security system from SimpliSafe and a complimentary month of SimpliSafe's most comprehensive professional security monitoring. Home protection "The insurance industry is broken, and consumers overpay as a result. At Branch, our mission is to make insurance more affordable and one of the ways we do this is through our innovative connected home discounts," shared Steve Lekas, Cofounder and CEO of Branch. "There is ample data to support how professionally monitored home security drastically reduces claims for our members, so we're eager to pass meaningful savings along to those who choose to protect their homes with an industry-leading provider like SimpliSafe." Homeowners who already use SimpliSafe may be eligible for deep discounts on home and auto insurance Branch and SimpliSafe share the belief that home protection should be both accessible and affordable. The complimentary SimpliSafe hardware and professional monitoring coupled with the substantial policy savings generated through the Branch connected home discount will make this partnership a clear win for Branch members. Auto insurance Additionally, in the coming weeks, homeowners who already use SimpliSafe to protect their homes may be eligible for deep discounts on home and auto insurance when they purchase a new policy through Branch's frictionless and instant buying experience. "At SimpliSafe, we remain singularly focused on making home the safest place on earth," said Matt Wolf, Head of Partnerships at SimpliSafe. "We've found a real opportunity to deliver on that mission by teaming up with leading insurers, like Branch, to offer homeowners proactive protection. We're excited to work with Branch to deliver tremendous value to homeowners and build the future of comprehensive protection."

Recent cyber-attacks have disabled and even shut down physical assets. Robust foundational security and training staff, able to recognise an attack can help mitigate the threat, as ABB’s Rob Putman explains. Edge devices and data analytics As cyber security specialists, we must navigate an ever-changing threat landscape, one that is made even more complex by the increased interconnectivity between Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT), as companies look to leverage edge devices and data analytics, as well as remote connectivity, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the threat surface evolves, the industry must guard against attacks on key physical infrastructure, carried out by a range of malicious actors, including nation states and criminals intent on blackmail. The chemicals sector, a high-value target for cyber-criminals Cyber-criminals view the chemicals sector, as a high-value target, because of the potential cost In 2017, not long after a ransomware attack that targeted Maersk, the world’s largest shipping firm, made the news around the world. Another cyber-attack, this time targeting physical industrial assets, generated fewer headlines, and yet could have resulted in both real, as well as financial, damage. Cyber-criminals view the chemicals sector, as a high-value target, because of the potential cost, both financial and reputational, to the operator, should production be interrupted or stopped entirely. Cyber security vulnerabilities put physical assets at risk The attack in question, a ‘Triton’ custom malware attack on a petro-chemical facility in Saudi Arabia, targeted a safety system, taking over system controllers. Bugs in the code triggered an emergency shutdown, but could have led to the release of toxic and explosive gases. It was a vivid reminder of how cyber security vulnerabilities are increasingly putting companies’ key physical assets at risk. Two more-recent high-profile incidents illustrate my point. In February, a Florida water treatment plant was hacked. The malicious actor remotely accessed the system for three to five minutes, during which time they opened various functions on the screen, including one that controls the amount of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in the water. The hacker changed the NaOH from about 100 parts per million to 11,100 parts per million, which could have resulted in a mass poisoning event. Colonial Pipeline cyber-attack incident Then, in May, the Colonial Pipeline system that originates in Houston, Texas and carries gasoline, and jet fuel, suffered a ransomware attack. Using a VPN, hackers targeted back-office IT systems, forcing Colonial to shut down IT hosts and network infrastructure, severing communication with those OT systems that are responsible for communicating ‘transactional data’ associated with fuel delivery. In this instance, a single compromised password disrupted Colonial’s ability to invoice its customers. This dependency on OT data stopped pipeline and business operations, and the company was elected to pay the hackers an initial ransom of US$ 4.4 million, in order to restore operations. The Colonial attack was multi-dimensional, in that it not only impacted Colonial’s business, but also the wider US economy and national security, since the pipeline transports nearly half of the east coast's fuel supplies. Outdated IT system elevates physical risk The increased interconnectivity between IT and OT can also create vulnerabilit Attacks such as these prove that, armed with little more than a laptop, an email account and access to the dark web, determined hackers can cause disproportionate damage to physical infrastructure. As mentioned at the outset, the increased interconnectivity between IT and OT can also create vulnerability. Producers often want to know: Is it risky to connect a production asset or their operational environment to the Cloud? My answer is, if you do so without having done any risk audits around people, processes and technology, or without enhancing and maintaining that environment, then yes, that is risky. For example, we often observe that the life cycle of a production asset far outlasts the IT systems that are used to run it. Take a cement kiln. Several generations of plant operators may have come and gone, but that asset may still run, using legacy software, such as Windows XP and why not? Need to replace aging distributed control systems Well, that’s fine, if you are not concerned about having that asset compromised, and all that entails. A ‘flat’ IT network, an aging distributed control system, and machines with legacy versions of Microsoft Windows, all these elements, which are still commonplace in many industries, make it much easier for attackers to find and infiltrate a company, without needing sophisticated tools. The age-old mantra of not interfering with a piece of equipment or software that appears to be working, often applies to the individual assets. For example that cement kiln that are still controlled by the same Windows XP-based control software. However, if we’re honest, things have changed quite a bit, not because something was broken, but because innovation came in. That same kiln control system is most likely connected to other systems, than when first commissioned and that opens it to exposure to threats that it was never designed for. The human element There is a misconception that IoT-connected devices can open companies to risk There is a misconception that IoT-connected devices can open companies to risk, but many recent, high-profile cyber-attacks have been conducted from a laptop, by hacking someone’s VPN, or are a simple phishing/malware attack. In all these cases, the human element is partly to blame. Take the Florida attack. The compromised computer at the water treatment facility was reportedly running an outdated Windows 7 operating system and staff all used the same password, in order to gain remote access via the Teamviewer app, which the hacker was then able to use. Physical and human assets, key to robust cyber security Discussion on the best way to mitigate the threat is often framed solely around specific technical solutions and ignores the fact that robust foundational cyber security is really driven by two very different, but equally important, types of capital: physical assets (e.g. production machinery), and human assets. The truth is that smart digital software and industry-renowned cyber security applications, while critical, are in many cases, only as good as the weakest human link in the chain. Industry would, therefore, do well to ask itself the following question: Do we have a security problem, or a complacency problem? At this juncture, it is important to point out that the majority of companies that ABB works with, are at least aware of the threat posed by cyber attackers, and the potential impact of an attack, on their revenues, reputation and bottom line. User error and human-generated exposures Making sure staff are aware of the threat and training them to respond properly, if they are targeted, is vital However, user error and human-generated exposures are where most of these attacks occur. Those human failures are mostly not due to malicious intent from employees, but to the lack of training of the employees on secure behavior. Making sure staff are aware of the threat and training them to respond properly, if they are targeted, is vital. However, there are also age demographics at play here. Much of the operations employee base is heading towards retirement and often, there is no plan or ability to backfill these people. Need to invest in new digital and automated technologies If you think you don't have enough people now, in order to stay on top of basic care and feeding of the OT environment, with regards to security, what is that going to be like in 20 years? For this reason, there must be a major industry reset, when it comes to its workforce. Companies must invest in new digital and automated technologies, not only to ensure that they stay ahead of the curve and mitigate risk, but also to attract the next generation of digitally literate talent. Robust cyber security is built on solid foundations When we talk about foundational cyber security, we mean fundamentals, such as patching, malware protection, high-fidelity system backups, an up-to-date anti-virus system, and other options, such as application allow-listing and asset inventory. These basic controls can help companies understand their system setup and the potential threats, identify vulnerabilities, and assess their risk exposure. The Pareto principle states that around 80% of consequences come from 20% of the causes. In the context of cyber security, that means 80% of exposure to risk comes from 20% of the lack of security. If companies do the foundational things right, they can manage out a significant amount of this risk. Importance of maintaining and upgrading security controls However, having basic security controls, such as anti-virus software in place, is just the first step on that journey. Equally important is having someone within the organisation, with the requisite skill set, or the extra labour bandwidth, to operate, maintain and update those security controls, as they evolve. Educating, training and recruiting existing employees, and the next generation of talent, along with forging partnerships with trusted technology providers, will ensure that industry can leverage the latest digital technologies, in order to drive business value, and secure physical assets against cyber-attacks.

The COVID-19 pandemic is only accelerating the expansion of Automation, Robotics, Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), and changing how people live their daily lives. This expansion leads the way with technologies that are developed to solve problems, improve operations, streamline processes and assist people, to focus on learning new skills, creativity, and imagination. Transformation of the physical security industry One of the latest industries to be permanently transformed is physical security. The era of utilising security cameras is slowly changing into more advanced and more efficient technological applications - security robotic solutions. SMP Robotics is a California-based company, which is a pioneer in developing robotic technologies, powered by AI, to assist, improve and deliver on new expectations in today’s world. One of their services is smart surveillance systems. This represents a proactive approach to security. The company, SMP Robotics’ Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Leo Ryzhenko, stated “Autonomous robotic technologies will become a driving force in future security solutions.” Robotics and AI in autonomous security solutions The robots can patrol 24/7, counteracting intrusion and communicating via voice message with guards The company uses robotics and AI technology to implement autonomous security solutions, which reduce liability and overhead, as well as improving the quality of services. Robotic guards are capable of patrolling all types of facilities, in both urban and rural contexts. The robots can patrol 24/7, counteracting intrusion and communicating via voice message with guards. The inspection robots, deployed by SMP Robotics, are easily integrated with many existing security technologies, armed with obstacle avoidance and anti-collision measures, automatically recharge, and can recognise faces up to 50 metres. As the world grows increasingly complex, technology like this is essential to ensure safety for all. AI-enabled autonomous video monitoring ground vehicles The advancements in technological breakthroughs of SMP Robotics position the company and its AI-powered, autonomous video monitoring ground vehicles, to be the most adaptable to any industry, cost-effective for clients’ business needs, in providing various types of services from public safety, crime prevention, to asset protection and physical security. SMP Robotics continues to implement new innovative solutions and groundbreaking technologies in its latest generation of autonomous models. Currently, many were already deployed or in a process to be delivered to a number of key clients, in various industries throughout the globe, from oil & gas, nuclear power plants to data centers, healthcare facilities, and amusement parks. Smart security robots Tal Turner, the Vice President (VP) of Business Development and Partnerships, SMP Robotics, said “We provide autonomous, artificial intelligence, all-weather, all-surface, smart security robots that are turnkey and operate independently on their own, using real-time obstacle avoidance, face recognition, and other cutting-edge technological advancements.” According to Coherent Market Insights, the Robots as a Service (RaaS) market direction will grow by 15.9% by 2028 and reach the threshold of 41.3 billion dollars. SMP Robotics stands at the forefront of the security robotic revolution, making an impactful change to make the world a safer place.

Schools were never designed and built with social distancing in mind. So it’s perhaps not surprising that as children returned to schools for the autumn term this year, the prospect of outdoor classes and assemblies was mooted in the media and by the Government. Many in the education sector are making the case that, should there be further COVID-19 outbreaks, in the coming months, it would be better to utilise outside space, rather than resort to closing schools. In the COVID-19 era, head teachers are considering taking learning and large gatherings, such as assemblies outdoors, when possible. Managing ‘class bubbles’, hygiene and ventilation While Dr. Yvonne Doyle, the Medical Director of Public Health England (PHE) has publicly reassured parents that schools are not the ‘drivers’ or ‘hubs’ of COVID-19-19 infection in communities, there is a lot of pressure on school leaders to manage ‘class bubbles’, extra cleaning and hygiene, ventilation, and COVID-19 testing, to protect families and staff. It’s a logical step to switch, in certain circumstances, to outdoor activities where fresh air is on tap, and social distancing is far easier to manage. Specially built outdoor classrooms Across the school and nursery sector, there’s ongoing investment in specially built outdoor classrooms Across the school and nursery sector, there’s ongoing investment in specially built outdoor classrooms, which had been growing in popularity, even before the pandemic. These facilities offer numerous benefits as an extension of existing learning spaces and provide children the opportunity for hands-on learning, beyond a stuffy classroom. However, if outdoor spaces are routinely called upon as part of COVID-19 contingency planning, how can schools ensure that their outdoor classrooms and wider areas are secure, robust, and fit for purpose? When specifying outdoor classrooms and learning spaces, it’s essential to take into account the well-being of the students and staff, who will use them, noise pollution and acoustics. Most importantly, education managers need to ensure the surrounding area is secured and adequately protected from threats, including terrorism. Perimeter security measures for schools How can schools and nurseries secure their perimeters, so that outdoor learning is totally safe for all? A starting point is to seek out architects and suppliers, who have a good understanding of security standards. Worryingly, Jacksons Fencing’s research recently found that only one-third of architects are seeing both LPS 1175 and the UK police initiative, Secured by Design (SBD) physical security standards, specified for schools. This highlights a lost opportunity for architects to propose solutions that are appropriate to the level of risk and needs of the school, without turning the site into an unwelcoming fortress. Helping schools identify specific security needs Head teachers would be wise to work with architects, who not only know the latest security standards inside and out, but are also are willing to play a more advisory role, helping the school identify exactly what is needed. Head teachers should prioritise solutions appropriate to their site’s specific risks It’s also vital that architects don’t simply replace existing fencing and gates, with the same security systems that have been in place for years. Instead, they will need to meet changing needs and risks. Our research finds that teachers often report issues, with the school perimeter and gates, from being climbed over (28%) and causing injury, to gates not locking properly (10%). Head teachers should prioritise solutions appropriate to their site’s specific risks, which sometimes require altering of existing measures. School fencing is an important aspect of any education site. As well as defining its boundary and making a visual distinction between public and private property, the fencing and gates that surround and secure a school, will typically meet a wide variety of other important criteria, including preventing unauthorised entry to the grounds, protecting pupils, staff, and visitors from accidents and injury, deterring theft and anti-social behaviour, and reducing the risk of malicious damage, and acts of terrorism. Welded mesh panels for perimeter fencing Popular options for schools include welded mesh panels for perimeter fencing or sports areas, and railing systems to act as demarcation, in order to control foot and car traffic. Within the outlying boundary, barriers, bollards and parking posts will keep pedestrians, and vehicles safe from each other, while timber fencing and gates can be designed to control the flow of people, around the grounds and reduce the areas, where students can be hidden from view. Automated gates and access control Perimeter fencing must be complemented with safe entrances and exits for vehicles and pedestrians. Every school has unique entry-control requirements, determined by factors, such as size, location and the local environment. These needs influence the decisions you make, when preparing technical specifications for school security gates. Do you require gates to be steel or timber, manual or automated, single or double leaf? Specialist suppliers will be in the best position to offer inputs on school gates, which typically need to offer solid security and durability, with a welcoming aesthetic. Specifying access control system When specifying a school access system, it’s important to consider the areas of the school When specifying a school access system, it’s important to consider the areas of the school, such as sports fields, car parks, and children’s play and learning areas, and whether it requires playground segregation. Selected gates should meet the design of the fencing, to create a secure perimeter with no weak points, with automated gates conforming to all current safety regulations. . Noise pollution can be a problem as well, including noise coming in or leaving the school in residential areas. If more teaching is to be carried out outside, it’s worth considering acoustic barriers to reduce noise in and around the school. Timber acoustic barriers for security and privacy Timber acoustic barriers offer security and privacy, and can reduce noise levels, by as much as 32 decibels (in laboratory conditions), so are ideal for city centre schools or those located close to busy highways. There are many ways to build an outdoor classroom. Timber products can help to create a welcoming environment, such as wooden shelters, pergolas, fencing, and decking. Always check that high quality timber, ideally guaranteed for 25 years against rot and insect attack, is being used to provide an attractive, cost-effective, safe and sustainable solution, for all weather conditions. DBS approved installers And of course, installers must be DBS approved, so that they can install outdoor classrooms, during school holidays, or within term time, with minimal disruption. The COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on schools and learning. While nobody wants to think of fresh outbreaks of the infection, or any other virus, installing an outdoor classroom made from high-quality, long-lasting materials is a great way to future-proof school learning and ensure safety, and preparedness. Putting extra thought and care into the security angle will provide schools with decades of protection against a host of unforeseen events.

Vehicle barriers first rose to the forefront of public attention after 9/11. The focus from 2001 to 2010 was on anti-terrorism, and vehicle barriers appeared at military and government facilities around the world. The U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021, brought heightened attention to the risks in a society that is increasingly fractured and volatile. Various protest events in recent months have made customers more aware of possible threats and prompted many to proactively install vehicle barriers and other systems to protect their premises. Shifting market focus Since 2010, and with the anti-terrorism market mostly saturated, the market focus for vehicle barriers shifted to public safety applications such as stadiums, schools, universities, large tech companies, and data centres. It’s an example of deploying technology developed in “wartime” to the broader public good, says Keith Bobrosky, the new president of vehicle barrier company Delta Scientific Corporation. Withstanding the pandemic The only remaining hurdle for Delta Scientific is to deal with continuing uncertainty going forward Like many in the security market, Delta Scientific has withstood a tumultuous two years during the duration of the novel coronavirus pandemic. They have “come through with flying colours,” says Bobrosky. The company never closed down, and its vaccination rate is high. The only remaining hurdle is to deal with continuing uncertainty going forward. Delta Scientific’s commitment Bobrosky began working in sales at Delta Scientific in 2007. Along the way, he has expanded into management, production, and engineering management. Through it all, he has seen a company that provides employees the autonomy to do their jobs and who have a strong commitment to customers, he says. The privately-owned company is nimble; decisions can be made quickly to respond to market changes, adds Bobrosky. Addressing needs during a pandemic The company was concerned about lower demand when the economy shut down, says Bobrosky, but they did not see an impact. The business was steady as a result of government entities and other organisations taking advantage of being closed to evaluate and address security needs. “We saw a decent flow of government business because of the shutdown,” says Bobrosky. Delta Scientific focuses on the domestic U.S. market but also has a presence selling to partners in the Middle East and Europe, where the equipment is known for its ability to take multiple hits. Even after withstanding an impact according to ASTM standards, their barrier is still operational. Increased steel purchased Delta Scientific ramped up its purchasing power, staving off any shortages and striving to keep lead times short As material shortages have spread through the industry, Delta Scientific has ramped up its purchasing power, staving off any shortages and striving to keep lead times short. Steel is their major component – literally, 98% of the weight of the products is steel, and there are 5,000 pounds of steel per barrier. The price of steel has gone up and there have been shortages. The company has maintained supply by leveraging its reputation and purchasing power. Most of their components are made in the USA, which has helped them dodge the recent challenges of the global supply chain.  Application of barriers and bollards Automotive dealerships are another market for Delta Scientific; their bollards and barriers are used as anti-theft devices to keep vehicles from being stolen from a sales lot. Delta Scientific’s products can foil car thieves who might otherwise use a large vehicle to plow through a barrier and then enable a parade of accomplices to drive away in additional vehicles. Auto resellers buy anti-terrorism products to protect their inventories. DSC550 Open Frame vehicle barrier Delta Scientific’s products have evolved from push buttons and relay to touch screens and microprocessors New efficient product designs enable Delta Scientific to use less steel while keeping prices competitive and maintaining crash ratings. The products are more innovative, says Bobrosky. New barriers include the DSC550 Open Frame vehicle barrier, which does not block the view as solid barriers do. During the last decade control systems for Delta Scientific’s products have evolved from push buttons and relays to touch screens and microprocessors, although some customers still prefer the simplicity of the older approach. Portable crash barriers The equipment can also be controlled remotely and integrated with PSIM-type systems. Although the systems are stand-alone, some clients have been toying with the idea of controlling them through the internet, emphasising the importance of appropriate cybersecurity. A separate line of portable crash barriers can be towed into place in 15 minutes by a vehicle or even a golf cart. They are used for events such as the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, the Oscars, music festivals, etc. There are hundreds of units in the field, available as needed for various events and rented out to event management companies and other organisers. Improving customer relations  As the president of Delta Scientific, Bobrosky says his biggest opportunity is to continue improving customer relations – a never-ending goal. He will also strive to increase communication. Looking ahead, additional crash tests are scheduled for 2022, and the company will continue to look for ways to “do more with less.”

Video is an enormous wellspring of unstructured data in the enterprise environment. Finding new ways to use video data requires easy access for analysis. Gone are the days when video was recorded just to be played back later. New computer capabilities can analyse video to provide business intelligence and trends, all of which requires that a lot of unstructured data be captured, stored and kept immediately accessible. It's a driving force for companies specialising in video storage such as Quantum, which is focused on storing and managing unstructured data, including video, photos, music and sound. Managing various analytics “Unstructured data is driving the massive growth in storage today, and video surveillance fits right in there,” says Jamie Lerner, CEO and President, Quantum. As data multiplies in business, matters of storing and accessing the data take on a larger profile. Especially challenging is meeting the need to store and access expanding amounts of unstructured data, such as video. Video is also part of a changing end-to-end architecture in the enterpriseWhereas 10 years ago, video surveillance was all about recording and playback, now the emphasis is much more on an end-to-end approach. In addition to capturing and playing back video, systems have to manage various analytics, archival and data retention aspects as well as recording. Video is also part of a changing end-to-end architecture in the enterprise, including hybrid, cloud and on-premise storage. Video surveillance industry Historically, structured data, such as financial information, was stored to allow future analytics. The same trend extends to unstructured data, such as video analytics. Quantum has expanded its video storage capabilities with acquisition this year of the video surveillance business of Pivot3, provider of a hyperconverged system that provides recording, analysis and seamlessly archives data on a converged platform that is less expensive and easier to manage. In acquiring Pivot3, Quantum is refocusing the smaller company on the video surveillance industry. “We are now focused 100% on surveillance and having the highest quality while being very cost-effective,” says Lerner. “The industry is ready for an IT-forward solution that is totally focused on surveillance. You can’t make a platform all things to all people.” Traditional security customers There is overlap in large stadiums and theme parks, where Lerner sees even more opportunity to expand Pivot3 will also help to expand Quantum’s customer base. The larger company has a history of serving customers in entertainment, movies, television and sports production. The addition of Pivot3’s 500 new customers in large surveillance, transportation and critical infrastructure markets will expand the mix. There is overlap in large stadiums and theme parks, where Lerner sees even more opportunity to expand. Pivot3 also helps to bridge the gap between traditional security customers and the information technology (IT) department. “Pivot3 has a reputation as simple to use,” says Lerner. “My belief is that physical security can run separately [from IT] until you reach a certain size, then IT has to be involved. Pivot3 gives IT people in the security space a product that is well formed and fits into an IT strategy. They are not undertaking a piece of equipment that will be a burden.” Physical security presence Customers expect their infrastructure vendors to provide systems that allow them to “Set it and forget it,” says Lerner. It’s one of the big advantages of cloud computing and also central to Quantum’s approach with their traditional products. “At the end of the day, you want to run a hospital, for example, so you want your systems to be easy to use,” says Lerner. The Pivot3 acquisition will also allow Quantum to expand their physical security presence more broadly and globally. Previously, the geographic reach of Pivot3 was limited by the high cost of placing personnel in diverse locations. Under Quantum, which has been serving global companies for 40 years, the problem disappears. “Quantum has global support on all continents and in more countries,” says Lerner. “It’s a higher level of support, given size and legacy of our organisation.”

A new generation of video cameras is poised to boost capabilities dramatically at the edge of the IP network, including more powerful artificial intelligence (AI) and higher resolutions, and paving the way for new applications that would have previously been too expensive or complex. Technologies at the heart of the coming new generation of video cameras are Ambarella’s newest systems on chips (SoCs). Ambarella’s CV5S and CV52S product families are bringing a new level of on-camera AI performance and integration to multi-imager and single-imager IP cameras. Both of these SoCs are manufactured in the ‘5 nm’ manufacturing process, bringing performance improvements and power savings, compared to the previous generation of SoCs manufactured at ‘10nm’. CV5S and CV52S AI-powered SoCs The CV5S, designed for multi-imager cameras, is able to process, encode and perform advanced AI on up to four imagers at 4Kp30 resolution, simultaneously and at less than 5 watts. This enables multi-headed camera designs with up to four 4K imagers looking at different portions of a scene, as well as very high-resolution, single-imager cameras of up to 32 MP resolution and beyond. The CV52S, designed for single-imager cameras with very powerful onboard AI, is the next-generation of the company’s successful CV22S mainstream 4K camera AI chip. This new SoC family quadruples the AI processing performance, while keeping the same low power consumption of less than 3 watts for 4Kp60 encoding with advanced AI processing. Faster and ubiquitous AI capabilities Ambarella’s newest AI vision SoCs for security, the CV5S and CV52S, are competitive solutions" “Security system designers desire higher resolutions, increasing channel counts, and ever faster and more ubiquitous AI capabilities,” explains John Lorenz, Senior Technology and Market Analyst, Computing, at Yole Développement (Yole), a French market research firm. John Lorenz adds, “Ambarella’s newest AI vision SoCs for security, the CV5S and CV52S, are competitive solutions for meeting the growing demands of the security IC (integrated circuit) sector, which our latest report forecasts to exceed US$ 4 billion by 2025, with two-thirds of that being chips with AI capabilities.” Edge AI vision processors Ambarella’s new CV5S and CV52S edge AI vision processors enable new classes of cameras that would not have been possible in the past, with a single SoC architecture. For example, implementing a 4x 4K multi-imager with AI would have traditionally required at least two SoCs (at least one for encoding and one for AI), and the overall power consumption would have made those designs bulky and prohibitively expensive. By reducing the number of required SoCs, the CV5S enables advanced camera designs such as AI-enabled 4x 4K imagers at price points much lower than would have previously been possible. “What we are usually trying to do with our SoCs is to keep the price points similar to the previous generations, given that camera retail prices tend to be fairly fixed,” said Jerome Gigot, Ambarella's Senior Director of Marketing. 4K multi-imager cameras “However, higher-end 4K multi-imager cameras tend to retail for thousands of dollars, and so even though there will be a small premium on the SoC for the 2X improvement in performance, this will not make a significant impact to the final MSRP of the camera,” adds Jerome Gigot. In addition, the overall system cost might go down, Gigot notes, compared to what could be built today because there is no longer a need for external chips to perform AI, or extra components for power dissipation. The new chips will be available in the second half of 2021, and it typically takes about 12 to 18 months for Ambarella’s customers (camera manufacturers) to produce final cameras. Therefore, the first cameras, based on these new SoCs, should hit the market sometime in the second half of 2022. Reference boards for camera manufacturers The software on these new SoCs is an evolution of our unified Linux SDK" As with Ambarella’s previous generations of edge AI vision SoCs for security, the company will make available reference boards to camera manufacturers soon, allowing them to develop their cameras based on the new CV5S and CV52S SoC families. “The software on these new SoCs is an evolution of our unified Linux SDK that is already available on our previous generations SoCs, which makes the transition easy for our customers,” said Jerome Gigot. Better crime detection Detecting criminals in a crowd, using face recognition and/or licence plate recognition, has been a daunting challenge for security, and one the new chips will help to address. “Actually, these applications are one of the main reasons why Ambarella is introducing these two new SoC families,” said Jerome Gigot. Typically, resolutions of 4K and higher have been a smaller portion of the security market, given that they came at a premium price tag for the high-end optics, image sensor and SoC. Also, the cost and extra bandwidth of storing and streaming 4K video were not always worth it for the benefit of just viewing video at higher resolution. 4K AI processing on-camera The advent of on-camera AI at 4K changes the paradigm. By enabling 4K AI processing on-camera, smaller objects at longer distances can now be detected and analysed without having to go to a server, and with much higher detail and accuracy compared to what can be done on a 2 MP or 5 MP cameras. This means that fewer false alarms will be generated, and each camera will now be able to cover a longer distance and wider area, offering more meaningful insights without necessarily having to stream and store that 4K video to a back-end server. “This is valuable, for example, for traffic cameras mounted on top of high poles, which need to be able to see very far out and identify cars and licence plates that are hundreds of meters away,” said Jerome Gigot. The advent of on-camera AI at 4K changes the paradigm Enhanced video analytics and wider coverage “Ambarella’s new CV5S and CV52S SoCs truly allow the industry to take advantage of higher resolution on-camera for better analytics and wider coverage, but without all the costs typically incurred by having to stream high-quality 4K video out 24/7 to a remote server for offline analytics,” said Jerome Gigot. He adds, “So, next-generation cameras will now be able to identify more criminals, faces and licence plates, at longer distances, for an overall lower cost and with faster response times by doing it all locally on-camera.” Deployment in retail applications Retail environments can be some of the toughest, as the cameras may be looking at hundreds of people at once Retail applications are another big selling point. Retail environments can be some of the toughest, as the cameras may be looking at hundreds of people at once (e.g., in a mall), to provide not only security features, but also other business analytics, such as foot traffic and occupancy maps that can be used later to improve product placement. The higher resolution and higher AI performance, enabled by the new Ambarella SoCs, provide a leap forward in addressing those scenarios. In a store setup, a ceiling-mounted camera with four 4K imagers can simultaneously look at the cashier line on one side of the store, sending alerts when a line is getting too long and a new cashier needs to be deployed, while at the same time looking at the entrance on the other side of the store, to count the people coming in and out. This leaves two additional 4K imagers for monitoring specific product aisles and generating real-time business analytics. Use in cashier-less stores Another retail application is a cashier-less store. Here, a CV5S or CV52S-based camera mounted on the ceiling will have enough resolution and AI performance to track goods, while the customer grabs them and puts them in their cart, as well as to automatically track which customer is purchasing which item. In a warehouse scenario, items and boxes moving across the floor could also be followed locally, on a single ceiling-mounted camera that covers a wide area of the warehouse. Additionally, these items and boxes could be tracked across the different imagers in a multi-headed camera setup, without the video having to be sent to a server to perform the tracking. Updating on-camera AI networks Another feature of Ambarella’s SoCs is that their on-camera AI networks can be updated on-the-fly, without having to stop the video recording and without losing any video frames. So, for example in the case of a search for a missing vehicle, the characteristics of that missing vehicle (make, model, colour, licence plate) can be sent to a cluster of cameras in the general area, where the vehicle is thought to be missing, and all those cameras can be automatically updated to run a live search on that specific vehicle. If any of the cameras gets a match, a remote operator can be notified and receive a picture, or even a live video feed of the scene. Efficient traffic management With the CV52S edge AI vision SoC, those decisions can be made locally at each intersection by the camera itself Relating to traffic congestion, most big cities have thousands of intersections that they need to monitor and manage. Trying to do this from one central location is costly and difficult, as there is so much video data to process and analyse, in order to make those traffic decisions (to control the traffic lights, reverse lanes, etc.). With the CV52S edge AI vision SoC, those decisions can be made locally at each intersection by the camera itself. The camera would then take actions autonomously (for example, adjust traffic-light timing) and only report a status update to the main traffic control centre. So now, instead of having one central location trying to manage 1,000 intersections, a city can have 1,000 smart AI cameras, each managing its own location and providing updates and metadata to a central server. Superior privacy Privacy is always a concern with video. In this case, doing AI on-camera is inherently more private than streaming the video to a server for analysis. Less data transmission means fewer points of entry for a hacker trying to access the video. On Ambarella’s CV5S and CV52S SoCs, the video can be analysed locally and then discarded, with just a signature or metadata of the face being used to find a match. No actual video needs to be stored or transmitted, which ensures total privacy. In addition, the chips contain a very secure hardware cyber security block, including OTP memory, Arm TrustZones, DRAM scrambling and I/O virtualisation. This makes it very difficult for a hacker to replace the firmware on the camera, providing another level of security and privacy at the system level. Privacy Masking Another privacy feature is the concept of privacy masking. This feature enables portions of the video (say a door or a window) to be blocked out, before being encoded in the video stream. The blocked portions of the scene are not present in the recorded video, thus providing a privacy option for cameras that are facing private areas. “With on-camera AI, each device becomes its own smart endpoint, and can be reconfigured at will to serve the specific physical security needs of its installation,” said Jerome Gigot, adding “The possibilities are endless, and our mission as an SoC maker is really to provide a powerful and easy-to-use platform, complete with computer-vision tools, that enable our customers and their partners to easily deploy their own AI software on-camera.” Physical security in parking lots With a CV5S or CV52S AI-enabled camera, the camera will be able to cover a much wider portion of the parking lot One example is physical security in a parking lot. A camera today might be used to just record part of the parking lot, so that an operator can go back and look at the video if a car were broken into or some other incident occurred. With a CV5S or CV52S AI-enabled camera, first of all, the camera will be able to cover a much wider portion of the parking lot. Additionally, it will be able to detect the licence plates of all the cars going in and out, to automatically bill the owners. If there is a special event, the camera can be reprogrammed to identify VIP vehicles and automatically redirect them to the VIP portion of the lot, while reporting to the entrance station or sign how many parking spots are available. It can even tell the cars approaching the lot where to go. Advantages of using edge AI vision SoCs Jerome Gigot said, “The possibilities are endless and they span across many verticals. The market is primed to embrace these new capabilities. Recent advances in edge AI vision SoCs have brought about a period of change in the physical security space. Companies that would have, historically, only provided security cameras, are now getting into adjacent verticals such as smart retail, smart cities and smart buildings.” He adds, “These changes are providing a great opportunity for all the camera makers and software providers to really differentiate themselves by providing full systems that offer a new level of insights and efficiencies to, not only the physical security manager, but now also the store owner and the building manager.” He adds, “All of these new applications are extremely healthy for the industry, as they are growing the available market for cameras, while also increasing their value and the economies of scale they can provide. Ambarella is looking forward to seeing all the innovative products that our customers will build with this new generation of SoCs.”

Type of site: Grade A multi-tenant office Location: The Bailey, 16 Old Bailey, London, UK Site size: 115,000 sq. ft over ten floors Client needs: Easy access for users Touch-free and digital sign-in Free flowing movement through reception, avoiding crowds and queues Fast access to other floors via lifts Visitor management system that can be used by multiple tenants and reception staff easily Secure and clear intercom/entry phone and door automation for out-of-hours, deliveries and trades people access Easy access and parking for disabled users Reliable and resilient security, including CCTV monitoring of strategic locations Integriti intelligent integrated access control system Inner Range’s enterprise-level intelligent integrated access control system, Integriti, provides robust security, as well as seamless integration, to an array of other building management systems. Some of the key features of Integriti include: Easy to use proximity card entry for users and tenants Forge Bluepoint, powered by Yardi, visitor management system to create secure, but easy to use credentials for visitors, including via smartphone High-level lift integration, by Mitsubishi that reads user credentials and directs users to the quickest lift, for their desired destination Integrated CAME BPT video entry phone and access control to automate doors, for disabled access near dedicated parking bay, for disabled users, as well as for out-of-hours access, deliveries and trades people Hard-wired IP closed circuit television system (CCTV) with Hikvision cameras, to monitor strategic locations End-to-end encrypted messaging, through every interface and integration, by Inner Range’s Integriti for high-level security Provision for future entry turnstiles/speed lanes Richard Harvell, Engineering Director at Knight Harwood, who managed the refurbishment at The Bailey, said “Our key requirement was to be able to move users, including visitors, swiftly through reception, to their correct floors, with minimal or no touch points. And, all of this, without compromising security.” High-level lift integration Antron Security’s solution, centered on Inner Range’s intelligent access control system, Integriti" Richard Harvell adds, “Antron Security’s solution, centered on Inner Range’s intelligent access control system Integriti, more than delivers. The high-level lift integration automatically directs users to the fastest lift for their floor and only allows access beyond reception, for those with bona fide credentials. We have been impressed with Integriti’s sophistication and integration capabilities, as well as Antron Security’s expertise and diligence in designing and installing our bespoke access and security system.” The Client - The Bailey UK property firm Endurance Land, which is a member of the Hong Kong-based property conglomerate, Nan Fung Group, owns The Bailey. The property, which is situated directly opposite the famous Old Bailey High Court in London, was originally built in the early 20th Century for the Chatham and Dover Railway Company. Its Grade II listed Edwardian Baroque façade features classical reclining figures, while a larger ‘western extension’ was built in 1999, to modern city office standards. Knight Harwood commissioned for refurbishment Knight Harwood was recently commissioned to refurbish the whole site, along with architect, Orms and building design consultancy, GDM Partnership. The commercial site meets Grade A office specifications and offers exceptional internet reliability, and speed for tenants. It achieved a platinum connectivity rating, by WireScore, the Mayor of London’s digital connectivity rating scheme, in 2020. Sophisticated access and security management system A new and sophisticated access and security management system was part of the refurbishment brief. Knight Harwood stipulated an access and security management system that would ensure a free flow of users and tenants through reception, without crowding or queues. This would need to include integrating intelligent lift controls, so as to ensure users were swiftly taken to their designated floor, as well as a good visitor management system that all tenants could use, without the need for a central security team to manage requests. Touchless access and digital sign-in for users Touchless access, as well as digital sign-in for users was also important for the client Touchless access, as well as digital sign-in for users was also important for the client. An intercom or entry phone and access control operated doors were needed for disabled users, who would be accessing the building from the dedicated disabled parking bay, as well anyone arriving ‘out of hours’, or for trades people and deliveries. High-levels of physical and cyber security were needed to keep all legitimate users and the site safe, without hindering access. CCTV monitoring would be needed in strategic locations. Future proofing, including laying under-floor cables ready for entry turnstiles/speed lanes, was desired. Antron Security managed the project Antron Security project managed the design, supply and installation of the access control and security system for The Bailey and acted as the ‘go to’ contact for Knight Harwood. Antron Security is a globally renowned installer of bespoke security solutions and has been providing security installations for the past 30 years. Taking care of the supply, design, installation and maintenance of security systems, Antron Security is NSI and Safe Contractor approved, meaning all staff and systems installed comply with the latest industry standards and are regularly inspected. Bespoke security solutions Inner Range provided the core access and security management system, Integriti, which enabled Antron Security to build the bespoke solutions needed for The Bailey. Inner Range has been a globally renowned company in the design and manufacture of intelligent security solutions, since it was established in 1988. Inner Range systems have been installed in over 25 countries. Its flagship product, Integriti, offers enterprise-level intelligent security and integrated smart building controls, for single sites through to global estate portfolios. Key integration Inner Range’s powerful Integriti intelligent access control system integrates with Mitsubishi’s high-level lift controls Inner Range’s powerful Integriti intelligent access control system, known for its breadth of integration options, integrates with Mitsubishi’s high-level lift controls and Bluepoint’s visitor management system, to ensure all users and visitors can access their floors, and designated areas with ease. The Mitsubishi lifts are able to read credentials from proximity cards, or mobile phones, at a user check-in point, at the reception, or in the lift lobby itself. High-level lift controls to reduce crowding and queues The high-level lift integration with ‘destination control’ means the lift software takes into account, where each of the building’s lifts are, where the user’s ‘home floor’ is, as well as where other users are going/due to go, and instantly calculates the quickest lift for the new user. The user is immediately directed to the most efficient lift via a display screen at reception, or in the lift lobby. If users are able to go to more than one floor, they can update their preference in the lift itself. This integration ensures users move through reception quickly and efficiently, with no unnecessary stops. Fully integrated visitor management Inner Range’s Integriti intelligent access control system also allowed Bluepoint’s visitor management system to integrate with the Mitsubishi lifts. For visitors to access tenanted floors within the building, the following has to take place: A tenant creates the meeting via Bluepoint An email is generated and sent to the visitor’s inbox, where they can create a mobile QR code pass and save it to their smart phone wallet When the visitor arrives, they use their mobile phone to scan the QR code in the Bluepoint invite, at the reception desk to check-in The reception team can then direct them to the Mitsubishi lifts, which display the lift car that they need to get to their meeting To leave, the visitor presents their QR code at the lift or door reader, which tells the system they’re leaving The QR codes are only valid for one entry and one exit, and only on the appointment date and at the planned appointment time. Afterwards, the QR code becomes invalid and is deleted from the system CAME BPT entry panels and video intercom system The QR code gives the visitor the ability to access everything they will need, including the lifts and any locked doors en-route. The integration between Integriti and Bluepoint’s visitor management system was achieved using the Bluepoint API. Bluepoint is cloud-based, hosted on the Microsoft Azure platform. CAME BPT entry panels were installed to allow disabled users to access the building, near the dedicated disabled parking bay, as well as for any visitors entering the facility out-of-hours, to contact the security team, or for deliveries and trades people to use, in order to access doors at the rear of the building. The entry panels allow for a reliable and intuitive video entry intercom system. Hikvision CCTV cameras installed CCTV cameras from Hikvision have been installed throughout the site, to create a hard-wired IP CCTV system CCTV cameras from Hikvision have been installed throughout the site, to create a hard-wired IP closed circuit television (CCTV) system. They are integrated with the Integriti access control system, which allows for intelligent ‘cause and effect’ monitoring. System protocols automatically bring up specific camera feeds for security managers to view, in response to alerts and footage can be viewed together with additional information from Integriti, such as if a door has been left open. Intelligent access control Inner Range’s enterprise product, Integriti, provides seamless integration with a multitude of other smart building management systems, underpinned by robust security. This includes encrypting all communications through every device and interface, and providing intruder detection to European standard EN50131. Integriti helps building managers create greener and more energy efficient sites, by tracking how tenants use the building, and amending heating and lighting settings, as a result. Integriti also provides trace reporting, that can identify a user’s movements, if they have become unwell and identify who else has been near them. System benefits for users include: Touch-free entry and digital sign-in for users and visitors No unnecessary stops for users on their way into the building Reduced risk of crowding or queues in reception area Easy to use visitor management system Robust security that doesn’t impinge on access Future proofing with cabling provision for speed lanes/entry turnstiles in place

Foreign embassies are an essential part of establishing and maintaining peaceful cooperation, and collaboration between countries all over the world. They can also be the focus of tensions, peaceful and violent protests, terrorism, and many other risks, which mean that thorough and effective security solutions are essential to keep people, property and sensitive documents safe. Foreign embassies Usually located in capital cities, each foreign embassy is the workplace and often residence, of a Country Ambassador. They are used for important diplomatic meetings, holding events, hosting VIPs, and a range of other activities that focus on the political, cultural and social relationships with the host nation. In some instances, foreign embassies even provide sanctuary to their nationals and individuals from other nations In some instances, foreign embassies even provide sanctuary to their nationals and individuals from other nations, during times of trouble. G4S security services in Jordan “Anywhere in Amman, where a foreign embassy has outsourced their security, you can be certain that G4S is the company they have come to,” said Ashraf Abul-Hajj, the Managing Director of G4S in Jordan. Ashraf Abul-Hajj adds, “We’ve been doing this for decades and have excellent, long-standing relationships providing security for many embassies in the capital city. We secure over 30 embassies at the moment, and we’ve been working with some of them for over 20 years.” In fact, it was a small Jordanian security company, called Safe and Sound (now under G4S), which started to provide embassy security in Amman, Jordan, all those years ago, before it became a part of G4S, in 2004. Embassy security services G4S now provides a wide range of services to the embassies that it secures in Jordan. These include manned guarding, installing and maintaining security systems, such as CCTV, access control and alarms, secure escorting for VIPs, during their visits, with G4S vehicles and highly-trained drivers, and coordinating security for events, which are being hosted at the embassy. “The main purpose of most of our security solutions is to ensure that nobody gains access to an embassy, who shouldn’t be there,” said Ashraf Abul-Hajj, adding “There are a lot of different risks that embassies face - big and small. Terrorist incidents, while very rare, remain a threat, so our security teams are trained to be vigilant and notice any suspicious behaviour.” Securing embassies during protests Protests at embassies are more common, when people disagree with the actions of a specific country" Ashraf Abul-Hajj adds, “Protests at embassies are more common, when people disagree with the actions of a specific country. Protests, even peaceful ones, are volatile and have the potential to turn violent, so our security officers and systems are there to monitor tensions, continuously assess the risk levels and prevent breaches.” Terrorism and protests are the more extreme examples of security threats, but day-to-day G4S security teams also deal with lower level threats that still need to be managed sensitively and professionally. Preventing breaches Ashraf Abul-Hajj stated, “People try to access their foreign embassies for a variety of reasons, often at times of personal stress or hardship, and can become distressed, and even aggressive, if they are not permitted to enter.” He adds, “Sometimes, we have to deal with very unusual scenarios. At one embassy, a man turned up saying that he had been informed by the embassy that he had won a competition and he was visiting the embassy to collect his cash prize. It was obvious to the team that he was the victim of a con, but his behaviour became very challenging, when he realised this and could not gain entry. Our security officers had to try to calm him down, while stopping him from entering the embassy, without consent.” Ashraf Abul-Hajj concludes, “This shows how varied the challenges facing our teams at foreign embassies can be. An embassy can be peaceful for a long time, but it can only take one negative news story or a single social media post, to spark a significant protest. With our security systems, highly trained security officers and extensive experience, G4S is more than prepared to meet those risks. We are proud to deliver such an important service, keeping foreign embassies safe and secure in Jordan.”

Honeywell announces it was selected to lead the Bengaluru Safe City project under the Nirbhaya Fund by the Government of India’s Ministry of Home Affairs. The project aims to create a safe, secure and empowering environment for women and girls in public places to enable them to pursue all opportunities without the threat of gender-based violence or harassment. The Bengaluru Safe City project is valued at INR 496.57 crore ($67 million USD). Advanced video analytics Honeywell will create an integrated Command & Control Center to manage a state-of-the-art video system that features more than 7,000 video cameras deployed at more than 3,000 locations across the city. The video system will provide advanced video analytics, including facial recognition, a ‘Dial 100’ application, and drones. Honeywell will also upgrade the city police department’s existing Suraksha app to help improve incident response rate and citizen engagement. Bengaluru is among eight cities selected for India’s Safe City project, which involves the identification of hot spots for crimes against women and the deployment of various components, including infrastructure, technology adoption, and capacity building in the community through awareness programs. Making informed decisions Honeywell helps develop future-ready cities with its wide portfolio of smart city offerings" “Globally, Honeywell helps develop future-ready cities with its wide portfolio of smart city offerings, including a focus on connected safety and security technology,” said Matthew Britt, Smart Cities General Manager, Honeywell Building Technologies. “Our technology-led integrator approach combined with our global expertise in delivering complex integrated solutions can help city administrators make informed decisions and improve safety for citizens in near real-time, with the goal of turning Bengaluru into a city that’s safer, smarter and more resilient.” The Bengaluru Safe City project will be implemented in phases. Honeywell will operate and maintain the security infrastructure for five years. Smart city systems Honeywell’s smart city systems connect more than 100,000 IoT sensors and touch the lives of more than 100 million people. The company’s solutions help create actionable insights that city authorities and municipalities can use to improve their situational awareness, economic development and quality of life for residents. Honeywell has delivered similar projects under India’s Smart Cities Mission across multiple states, including Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat, to name a few.

3DX-Ray have won the contract to supply security screening in the form of their ThreatScan-LS3 at the prestigious 18th Francophonie Economic Forum, which has been delayed now to 2022 but is likely to be held on the island of Djerba in Tunisia. At the 117th extraordinary meeting of the Permanent Council of La Francophonie yesterday agreed to postpone the 18th Summit of La Francophonie to 2022, ‘to allow Tunisia to organise this major event in the best possible conditions.’ Portable scanning system 3DX-Rays Sales and Marketing Director, Vince Deery said, “Although we are disappointed that the Francophonie Summit for 2021 has been delayed to 2022, we are thrilled that our first entrance into Tunisia, will be to protect the members of this important annual summit.” The Threatscan-LS3 is a compact and powerful x-ray portable scanning system The Threatscan-LS3 is a compact and powerful x-ray portable scanning system, which fits securely into a backpack. The 305mm x 256mm imagine area enables bags and packages to be scanned in one scan. The ThreatScan-LS3 operates with ThreatSpect software to produce high quality, sub millimetre resolution images. High-profile gathering The ThreatScan-LS3 is designed so that the operative can achieve accurate high-quality images quickly and efficiently, thereby keeping any delay and disruption to the event to an absolute minimum. The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) has 88 states and governments: 54 members, 7 associate members and 27 observers, who all share a common language, French. It is an institutional mechanism dedicated to promoting French and implementing political, education, economic and cultural cooperation. The 18th Francophonie Summit is a high-profile gathering of dozens of French speaking nations and international organisations to promote shared values and address global issues of common concern.

Heron Bros. is an award-winning construction and property development company with its headquarters in Draperstown, Magherafelt, Northern Ireland. It operates throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe and employs over 250 people. The company recently built a garage, which will be accessed by approximately 140 vehicles, the majority of which are cars and vans with a smaller number of HGV lorries. The new garage is accessed down a narrow single-track road that takes two-way traffic. To ensure the security of the site, Heron Bros. wanted vehicles to be able to access the garage through automatic gates without stopping to show a card to a reader. Access control software Inova Gates Ltd who design, manufacture and install high-quality automatic gates, were asked to install two sliding gates, each 7 metres wide to allow large vehicles to be able to turn in and out of the site. The requirement was that if a car or van approached, only the left-hand gate would open, but if a lorry approached, then both gates would open. An additional challenge for vehicle identification was that the access road runs at 90 degrees to the gates with no approach area in front of the gates. Each valid vehicle was issued with a Transit button-activated windscreen tag With the help of Nortech technical support, Inova specified a system using two Nedap Transit long-range readers together with a CRC200 control unit and Norpass3 access control software. Each valid vehicle was issued with a Transit button-activated windscreen tag. This avoids false detects, as the driver presses the button to activate the gate as the vehicle arrives at the gate. Long reading range One reader was installed on the inside of the gates for exit control and the other on the outside of the gate for entry control. The long reading range and wide read angle of the Transit reader enabled the installers to adjust the position and angle of each reader such that it detects tags in all types of vehicles. The access control system determines the type of vehicle by the access rights of the detected tag and operates the gates accordingly. The benefits of the reader are as follows: Robust industrial reader design. Read a range of up to 10 metres. Reader is able to detect vehicle tags at difficult approach angles. Reliable long-range tag detection avoids manual intervention and reduces running costs. Easy windshield mounting of windscreen tag using a suction pad. "Although the installation gave some challenges with the angle of the road to the reader, the technical teams of both Inova Gates and Nortech worked together to create a very satisfactory installation," said Cathal Rogers - General Manager, Inova Gates Ltd.

There is a saying that ‘Everything is Bigger in Texas,’ and the Dallas police department fits the bill. The Dallas Police Department is the ninth-largest municipal police force in the U.S., with 3,099 sworn officers and 598 non-sworn staff. It is led by Chief of Police Edgardo (‘Eddie’) Garcia. In the last several years, the Jack Evans Police Headquarters building (named after the 53rd mayor of Dallas) has been upgrading its physical security using a layered approach to ensure the safety of officers and visitors 24/7. The most recent addition is a brand-new fence line fortified with vehicle gates and Boon Edam Turnlock full height turnstiles to control pedestrian access into secured parking areas. Isolating potential hazards The Jack Evans Police Headquarters building was built in 2003. The six-floor facility has 358,000 square feet and is spread over a three-acre site, with a separate 1,200 car parking garage and a two-acre, open parking lot for additional police and visitor parking. In an average month, there are 5,000 public visitors to the Jack Evans building The Headquarters building was under construction when 9/11 terrorists flew airplanes into the World Trade Buildings in New York. Therefore, security was a concern in its original design. Police officials worked with a Police Design Consultant – McClaren, Wilson, and Lawrie Architects of Phoenix, AZ – to help design the building to resist a terrorist attack and isolate potential hazards. The building also needed to control visitor traffic and access. In an average month, there are 5,000 public visitors to the Jack Evans building. Conducting security assessment After midnight on June 13, 2015, a 35-year-old male placed a duffle bag with a remote-controlled bomb to detonate later between cars in the parking lot of the headquarters building. The suspect then began shooting continuously at the lobby windows with a rifle. Officers responded to the scene, a vehicle chase began, and the incident ended outside the city. Fortunately, officers in the lobby took cover and were not injured. Following that incident, the Dallas Police Department conducted a security assessment of the building, and also at seven patrol stations throughout the city. The assessment included testing various construction materials for bullet resistance to various types of weapons. Gensler Architects and Guidepost Solutions, LLC developed the solutions and plans. Paul M. Schuster, Senior Corporal/Facilities Management, was responsible for managing the implementation of the security upgrades. Present outright attack The police officers and staff only want a place that is safe and where they can do their good work" “The police tend to be a symbol of government and some citizens see that as a visible target to lash out at,” says Schuster. Police officers are trained to expect the routine types of calls, such as domestic violence, traffic accidents, and other crimes. “Yet they must be flexible to anticipate the non-routine that can be dangerous and change in a heartbeat. Yesterday we were concerned about handguns, today we are worried about rifles, and the idea of terrorism is always present with outright attacks or bombs. The police officers and staff only want a place that is safe and where they can do their good work.” Public records service Layer 1 – Upgrading the Building’s Lobby Security with Detection and Prevention - In 2016, funding of $1.3 million was approved to upgrade the lobbies of the seven patrol stations to withstand rifle rounds, and $1.9 million to improve headquarters lobby security, and to upgrade an aging security system. In 2016, funding of $1.3 million was approved to upgrade the lobbies of the seven patrol stations Turner Construction Company and Convergint Technologies, LLC conducted the renovations and security technology integration. The headquarters’ lobby was initially built as a two-story glass-walled structure, with an information desk and public records service windows. Visitors could freely enter the lobby and were only screened in an open area to the side if going to the upper floors. Upgrading lobby security “The challenge in upgrading lobby security was the two-story lobby entrance glass. The glass was not bullet rated, due to budget constraints. Changing the front of the building to support ballistic rifle-rated glass would have caused extensive time, exposed the inside of the lobby to weather, and would not have solved all of the security issues. In addition, there were concerns about keeping an ‘open’ and friendly service concept in mind and ensuring that the lobby would not resemble a ‘fortress’,” Schuster said. The solution was to retain the original, two-story glass exterior but add a layer of security inside once a person enters the lobby – a new separate security screening room. A new interior wall with bullet-rated glass and solid bullet-resistant wall materials was constructed inside the lobby to channel visitors to the room. Security revolving door The door will reject both users and they must request permission from the guard Now, all visitors must pass through a metal detector and have their belongings x-rayed prior to entering the original lobby. The room itself also has bullet resistant walls to enable containment of any violent disruption or shooting inside.   Once a visitor has been cleared, they exit the screening room into the main lobby via a Boon Edam Tourlock 180 security revolving door which is set to allow only one-way traffic into the lobby. The Tourlock is the most advanced security revolving door in the Boon Edam product range for its ability to prevent tailgating by unauthorised users. If more than one person tries to enter a compartment, the door will reject both users and they must request permission from the guard to pass through again, one at a time. Overhead police helicopter At the end of their visit, visitors will exit the building via the lobby through a separate Boon Edam Tourlock 180 that leads into the front vestibule where they first entered the building. The Tourlock is set to allow public visitors to exit only and will reject attempts at re-entry. The first layer of security was completed inside the Headquarters building However, any police officer or staff can present a credential and use the door to enter the lobby with a valid credential. In this manner, the first layer of security was completed inside the Headquarters building, while keeping the best aspects of the lobby design, including the antique police car, and the overhead police helicopter. Western access points Layer 2 – Upgrading the Headquarters’ Perimeter Security with Protection and Deterrence - In 2021, the Headquarters building implemented its next, planned security layer to deter crime and violence in the outer ten acres of the property complex, which consists of the three-acre building site, a two-acre, open parking lot, a five-acre garage and an access street between those. This phase was financed by a $1.2 million bond in 2017. Surrounding the north, south and western access points around the facility is a brand new, Impasse II heavy-duty steel palisade fence by Ameristar in a black powder coat finish. The fence is comprised of individual steel pales secured vertically to a framework of specially formed rails and I-beam posts. The pales bend outward at the top to deter climb-over attempts by intruders. Pedestrian entry option Close by is a Public Transit Light Rail station which some officers use to and from work At the north and south entrances located on an access road behind the Headquarters building, HySecurity and Lift Master motorised gates are positioned to allow only authorised police officers and staff to access the exterior secure areas by car. Adjacent to each of these vehicle gates are Boon Edam Turnlock 100 full height turnstiles to allow pedestrian police officers to enter the parking area and walk into the headquarters building. Close by is a Public Transit Light Rail station which some officers use to and from work; and some officers choose to park their personal vehicles outside the secure area; therefore, the Turnlock 100’s provide a discrete, pedestrian entry option that safeguards users who otherwise might walk through the vehicle gates and risk injury or allow unauthorised vehicles to enter. Outdoor weather conditions The Turnlock 100 turnstiles were selected for their ability to stop tailgating and also for their rugged construction that can withstand outdoor weather conditions. Their full height structure deters climb over attempts and a black powder coat finish was selected to match the adjacent fencing perfectly. The Turnlock 100 turnstiles were selected for their ability to stop tailgating On the west side of the property, adjacent to the quartermaster’s building, is a public parking lot for visitors. Another Impasse II fence separates this parking lot from a staff-only, side entrance into the Jack Evans headquarters building. The fence forces all public visitors to walk on the sidewalk to the front of the building to enter via the main entrance and screening room. Police fleet parking However, any police officers that are walking across the lot from the quartermaster’s building can use their badge to access the staff-only, side entrance to the Headquarters building by entering through a third, Boon Edam Turnlock 100 turnstile. The exterior fencing around police fleet parking and the Headquarters building improves the safety of officers, staff and the building itself by keeping potential threats out at a distance. Police facilities, and particularly police headquarters, are subject to incidents ranging from ‘random’ violence on individual officers to large protests related to local or national incidents. “While usually peaceful, we have noticed that as the groups disband or move to other protest sites, groups of individuals will test site security by pulling on exterior entrances to see if they can gain access and potentially be disruptive to operations,” stated Schuster. Police facility design Separation of the public from the movement of prisoners is at the core of good police facility design “A concern is if one person can open the entry, others will follow and outnumber responding officers. The one-at-a-time access granted by the Turnlock 100 turnstile allows police to better control and separate individuals that might be disruptive or who might follow officers accessing the secure area.” Police facilities are usually designed to provide enclosed areas to move arrested persons from vehicles to holding or processing-controlled environments. If these staging areas are overflowing, officers may park their vehicles in the fleet area and walk the prisoner into the building. Separation of the public from the movement of prisoners is at the core of good police facility design. Open parking lots “There have also been incidents nationally, where officers are beginning their shift and walk to their patrol vehicles to secure their work gear and are attacked by pedestrians walking through open parking lots. If you think of patrol vehicles as ‘mobile offices’, it is easy to see that officers can become distracted as they begin their shifts and not always aware of their surroundings until they leave the property. Securing these fleet areas should be the practice everywhere,” says Schuster. These areas are often directly adjacent to the building and are therefore a concern because of threats Every facility must also contend with deliveries, and medium to large facilities usually have loading docks and trash recycling. These areas are often directly adjacent to the building and are therefore a concern because of threats such as vehicle bombs or incendiary items in trash dumpsters; for the police headquarters it made sense to secure these areas from public access. Physical security plan “Securing the private access road to the Jack Evans Police Headquarters has always been a desire, and now the addition of the steel fencing, the vehicle gates and Boon Edam turnstiles has created a barrier of safety that protects all of our people and assets to the very edges of our property,” states Schuster. “This new deterrence layer makes our officers and staff feel safer and it protects our fleet of vehicles and the back sides of the building from random attacks, bombings or shootings. We are very glad to have this second phase of our long-term physical security plan completed.”

A new generation of security professional is waiting in the wings. They will be faced with unprecedented challenges, as they seek to transform the security marketplace to the ‘next level’. Technology changes ensure the market will be very different 10 years from now and the fresh labour pool will need to be able to meet the host of new challenges. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What exciting career opportunities in the security industry await the next generation?

Assembling security solutions has long been considered the role of the integrator, whose role is to pick and choose the best technology tools and then to assemble the complete system. However, more manufacturers are offering pre-integrated end-to-end solutions that include multiple elements from the same manufacturer, designed to work seamlessly together. At the end of the day, end users want to know: Whose role is it to provide security ‘solutions’ – the manufacturer or the integrator? We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable.

Residential security and smart homes are rapidly changing facets of the larger physical security marketplace, driven by advances in consumer technology and concerns about rising crime rates. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people spent more time at home and became more aware of the need for greater security. As workplaces opened back up, returning workers turned to technology to help them keep watch over their homes from afar. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the trends in residential security in 2021?