Security management - Expert commentary

Dortronics continues to focus on custom solutions in addition to its line of standard devices Security installers have new ways to add value to their specifications with switches and door controls that can be deployed in a wide range of applications to meet emerging needs of end-users. John FitzPatrick, president of Dortronics Systems Inc., Sag Harbor, New York, says the company continues to work closely with security integrators and their end-user customers to provide co...

With every technological advance that canbenefit museum management comes anotherthat may assist thieves  When protecting art treasures, the first instinct for many security professionals may well be to look at recent advances in technology. Hasn’t the advent of IP-addressable devices provided sufficient tools to protect art exhibits from theft in a discreet manner? Apparently not, and entrenched attitudes abound among curators. Consultants who so much as m...

The Eiffel tower illuminated with colours of the French national flag on November 16 Let’s say it up front: The physical security sector has limited solutions to address events like those in Paris on the 13th November. The series of coordinated terrorist attacks consisted of mass shootings, suicide bombings, and hostage-taking in which 129 people died. Among the dead were 89 people at the Bataclan theatre where American band Eagles of Death Metal was playing at the t...

  Williams Meredith recently stepped out of his Kentucky home to see a drone hovering over his porch, videotaping his young daughters by the family pool. It wasn’t the first time one of these small flying devices had wandered over to take a look, but it had never gotten so close. So he did what any red-blooded American would do when confronted with a home invader – he blew it from the sky with a single shotgun blast. The confrontation is another example o...

Observers suggest asking open-ended questions and focusing in on specific details as the conversation moves ahead If a trained interviewer has ever questioned you, you may have started out by promising yourself to keep certain information secret. Then during the interview, you spilled it all. Police detectives, officers and savvy security professionals have learned how to talk to people in ways that will elicit information that subjects prefer to conceal. How do they do th...

(Click to see larger image) The ASIS Foundation & the University of Phoenix College of Security and Justice's Enterprise Security Competency model Are you competent in your security job or profession? How do you know? According to research carried out by the ASIS Foundation, security has begun to evolve beyond guarding doors, checking IDs and screening briefcases and purses. Today, something called Enterprise Security Risk Management (ESRM) is subsuming the...

Conley’s security officers must study for and acquire a Certified Protection Officer (CPO) certification After nearly 40 years of a sustained and concentrated effort to transition the security industry to the security profession, Tom Conley is still beating his “security profession drum” at full volume. He still hopes that the security industry-to-profession movement will one day be a reality. He sees himself as an eternal optimist embarking on a feat of...

The vision of a utopian urban future restsheavily on the success of Open Dataand a Cloud Computing paradigm Confronting urban challenges using technology requires the private sector to work in tandem with governments to enable "smart cities." In fact, one report predicts the number of safe cities worldwide will quadruple in the next decade. It’s a topic that is increasingly top-of-mind. For example, the Safe Cities Asia 2015 conference in Singapore in May brought to...

The security industry’s continued migration to networked IP-based systems ensures that PoE will be integral in their design and installation Power over Ethernet (PoE) has without question become the de facto choice of security installers for delivering power to security and access control devices. This should come as no surprise given PoE’s ability to reduce labour and installation costs by delivering power and data over a single cable, thereby increasing overall t...

In the last 10 years CCTV manufacturers havebegun offering video search solutions aimedto reduce time and effort involved in searches Petabytes of security video recorded around the world every day. Obviously, we feel more secure knowing that we can “turn back time” and investigate the past – at least in situations for which video surveillance exists. However, people who have experience requesting CCTV footage would say: “This takes way too much time.&...

For high value individuals such as the Pope,agencies have access to unlimited publicresources in terms of money and people  The Pope’s visit to the United States reminds us that protecting big-name executives, celebrities and dignitaries is a highly specialised security function. Public and private executive protection groups begin preparing for the visit of major world figures months ahead of time. “It is a task of massive proportions,” says Tom M. Con...

NVRs make it easy to benefit from HD solutions and integrations to access control, alarm systems, intercoms and other technologies Developments in the IP video camera market have a direct impact on the other components in a system. With the emergence of higher definition cameras – whether 4K cameras or 8K or even higher – the market now needs back-end devices that can perform the decoding work. Also, more intelligence is needed, including smart functions such as pe...

7K cameras are best suited for large openspaces such as stadiums and city centres,capturing the finest details in their footage With several manufacturers now offering 4K CCTV cameras, Avigilon, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, raised the bar in April 2015 with the launch of their 7K HD Pro surveillance solution. The 30-megapixel camera is the latest addition to the company’s Professional Series, an innovative model Avigilon believes will drive competition in the se...

How do you get all of your various vendors, services, resources, manpower, and technology to integrate and work together? Creating an efficient operating environment in physical security is no small feat - especially when the organisation undertaking such an endeavour has a nationwide presence. How do you get all of your various vendors, services, resources, manpower, and technology to integrate and work together? How do you aggregate all of the data being recorded into in...

It’s dangerous to compromise on safety features in search of a low-cost security solution, as it can put employees at serious risk Driving quality in the private security industry is vital to the ongoing effectiveness of the products and services that the industry provides. Figures show that, post-recession, buyers are increasingly aware of the importance of quality when it comes to choosing security providers, with 20% citing quality over price as a crucial factor i...

Enterprise security strategies identifyliabilities & ways to mitigate risks, showinghow the cost of mitigation prevents largerliabillity costs  The security profession continues to take on new risk management responsibilities. The big thing now is called Enterprise Security and Risk Management (ESRM). ASIS International has issued a standard on the subject: ANSI/ASIS/RIMS RA. 1-2015, and a couple of booths at the recent ASIS International 2015...

Automation is another hallmark of PIAM solutions, which can perform a wide variety of processes that are prone to error if performed manually Security departments in organisations face a number of threats from both internal and external sources, thus forcing security personnel to remain vigilant and aware of the growing number and scope of new and emerging risks. The most powerful weapon in this seemingly endless battle is data. Every organisation has it – probably more...

The potential costs and consequences of hackers getting through firewalls and onto the user’s computer networks can be devastating Theft of NATO data. Leakage of emails. Hackers setting up a live streaming website for over 100 New York City private webcams and even hacking the infrastructure servers of the U.S. government. As news of malicious takeover of private and corporate networks as well as incidents of malicious software programs, referred to as malware, conti...

NVR appliances ease analogue to IP transition by providing end users with a hybrid-ready product There should be a palatable migration path from a large installed base of analogue to the latest IP technology. The biggest missed opportunity related to network video recorder (NVR) NVR appliances in the video surveillance marketplace is effectively using existing analogue camera investments while transitioning to the network. For example, IP encoders can be utilised as a brid...

Organisations can develop security master plan internally or use the assistance of an independent security consultant Whether it’s a college campus, a healthcare facility or a large corporation, organisations often tackle issues related to security management, operations, programs and technology in a reactionary manner. They often fail to consider the need to plan and develop a written roadmap to define and provide direction for the big picture of their security programm...

Have interactive services lost their edge? Are users discouraged and disenthralled? That’s a myth that needs busting, because security companies continue to have success offering these solutions to customers. Alarm companies who began their business with traditional intrusion detection continue to deliver interactive services as part of a total, connected home solution. Companies like Complete Security Systems, Marlboro, N.J.; Marshall Alarm Systems, Yorktown Heights, N.Y.; and The Securi...

The pre-seminar will also offer educational sessions on cutting-edge subjects It is that time of the year again, when security industry stalwarts gather together at ASIS to showcase the latest in physical security systems and other technological innovations. The event will focus on domestic threats as well as intelligence gathering tools to protect organisations against social media threats. The organisers of the ASIS International 61st Annual Seminar and Exhibits — ASI...

Police intelligence can help security directorsto understand the criminal trends across theirarea or city  Corporate security has changed dramatically over the last few years. Traditionally, security has always been associated with physical protection and installation of security systems. In this article, Tom M. Conley, president and CEO of The Conley Group, discusses the importance of information received from law enforcement. A good rapport with law enforcement can help...

Executive protection can be costly, but it isa fraction of the loss that protecting a topexecutive could prevent  Corporate security departments work hard to protect people and property. Executive protection is one of the key components of corporate security services. In fact, many corporate security departments are now taking on this new responsibility. “We are seeing more companies adopting executive protection as a normal part of corporate security,” says B...

The worst insider threats are existential, dangerous enough to literally destroy an organisation The key to maintaining an effective security system is timely detection of security breaches. Widespread use of technology has resulted in massive amounts of data transfer which in turn makes organisations vulnerable to both internal and external threats. Mass shootings, data thefts and other internal breaches of security have cast a spotlight on the issue of insider threats. Accor...

A variety of control and usage options are available for automated key management systems in data centres The protection of networks and data centres is a growing concern given the recent spate of high profile security breaches, and it is forcing organisations into taking serious steps to improve protection. For many businesses, this means implementing a combination of passive and active security measures designed to deter, detect and react against threats. Included in these m...

9-11 caused a sharp refocus of attention on security assessment and risk management Fifteen to 20 years ago, security was a relatively sleepy, small-time business. Companies typically hired a guard or two to walk around the property, usually at night, sometimes during the day. If a guard spotted someone who wasn’t supposed to be there, he (it was usually a he) ran the person off. Larger companies had more sophisticated video and access control systems, but those system...

The Protection Bureau is one of the top-10 security integrators in the US You really can’t talk about The Protection Bureau without discussing its founder, the late Keith Ladd. If you’ve been in the industry any length of time, you probably had a chance to meet him. I certainly did. In fact, when I was a cub reporter with one of the first security publications I ever worked for, my inaugural visit to a customer and central station was to The Protection Bureau. That...

The police have a new IT system that could provide fast and secure transmission of video evidence CCTV systems for public safety across Scotland are fragmented, lack strategic direction, are in parts obsolete and may be breaching data protection laws, according to an internal police report. With governments everywhere focusing on tightening security checks for public spaces, it is highly essential to have a robust security surveillance system in place. Government bodies must e...

More and more commercial buildings today are replacing mechanical keyed locks with card access systems. The basic reason is familiar to security professionals: card systems, once installed, cost less to manage and maintain. “When people are let go, if you don’t get their keys back, you have to rekey the locks and give everyone new keys,” says Brett St. Pierre, director, education solutions with Austin, Texas-based HID Global. “With a card system, all y...