Weapon detection

STANLEY Security, a global integrator of comprehensive security solutions and an electronic security company, has announced its investment in Evolv Technology, the globally renowned company in artificial intelligence (AI)-based touchless security screening. This investment, backed by STANLEY Ventures, the venture capital arm of Stanley Black & Decker, forms a strategic partnership between the two companies. Evolv Express Evolv Express, the company’s touchless security screening system, makes it possible for venues of all kinds to keep visitors safe from concealed weapons, pandemic health threats and intruders. Powered by the Evolv Cortex AI software platform, the system uses proprietary sensors and AI to differentiate weapons from personal items in real-time. Evolv Express keeps high-volume entrances flowing, by reliably detecting guns and other weapons, as people walk through naturally, without emptying their pockets, bags, backpacks or other belongings. The system can screen more than 3,600 people per hour, which is 10 times faster than metal detectors. Touchless security screening solutions Evolv’s innovative, touchless security screening solutions are an integral part of the security industry’s future" "We're committed to helping organisations create safer, healthier environments for their employees, customers, students and partners, and our investment in Evolv Technology helps us deliver on that commitment,” said STANLEY Security, Global President, Matthew (Matt) Kushner. He adds, “Evolv’s innovative, touchless security screening solutions are an integral part of the security industry’s future. When paired with data analytics and expertise from STANLEY Security, these solutions will deliver even more value to organisations as they adjust operations and enhance security measures to reopen and stay open safely.” Powerful additions to security programs Evolv Technology’s systems are powerful additions to security programs at K-12 schools, higher education institutions, hospitals, sports venues, office and federal buildings, outdoor recreation venues and more. To date, the systems have been used to screen more than 50 million individuals at venues and facilities across the globe. “We’re proud to partner with STANLEY Security and Stanley Black & Decker to add even more capabilities to our technology and deliver superior value to our customers,” said Evolv Technology’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Peter George. Strategic partnership He adds, “This strategic partnership leverages the resources, capabilities, industry expertise and market presence of both companies. The breadth of STANLEY Security’s solutions portfolio and reach of its global installed base, coupled with Evolv’s modern technology and commitment to transforming the security screening space, makes for a powerful partnership.”

Milipol Qatar 2020, the Middle East’s international event for Homeland Security and Civil Defence which returns to Doha this October, will feature a powerful three-day seminar program in which decision makers and security experts will outline major strategies for a safer post-COVID 19 world amongst other main foresights. The program will run alongside the 13th Milipol Qatar at the Doha International Exhibition and Convention Centre from October 26-28. Biometrics, Cybersecurity And Contactless Technology In the cast of the Mega Events Security session, this will have particular relevance to Qatar" The two-hour seminars will open on the afternoon of Monday, October 26 with a session devoted to ‘Security by Design: Cybersecurity and new technology including biometrics and contactless technology.’ The morning of Tuesday, October 27 will be dedicated to ‘Mega Events Security’ while the afternoon session will focus on ‘Crisis Management and Health Security - Post-COVID feedback.’ The program rounds out on Wednesday, October 28th with a session on ‘Firefighting Emergency and Security Systems.’ Lessons from COVID-19 pandemic The seminars have been curated so that the Homeland Security and Civil Defense industries can together plan strategies" “The seminars have been curated so that the Homeland Security and Civil Defence industries can together plan strategies for a safer world in light of the lessons learnt from the COVID -19 pandemic. Much of the program’s outcomes will most probably impact very closely these sectors worldwide,” explained Préfet Yann Jounot, CEO of Civipol – the technical implementer of the French ministry of the Interior – and President of Milipol events. “As this will be the first major industry event of its type to be held following the pandemic’s outbreak, we anticipate some probing debate and recommendations for innovative processes and procedures to tackle future global emergencies.” “In the cast of the Mega Events Security session, this will have particular relevance to Qatar as it heads further down the road to the hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the much vaunted possibility of next year hosting a FIFA Pan Arab tournament.” Exhibitors include Fire and protection infrastructure The exhibitor line-up includes names from Homeland Security and Civil Defense sectors Milipol Qatar has attracted a strong exhibitor turnout from organisations across Scandinavia, Europe, the UK, USA, Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and Far East. The exhibitor line-up includes names from Homeland Security and Civil Defence sectors which span a wide breadth of equipment, systems, product, and consultancy offerings. Confirmed exhibitors include: fire and protection infrastructure support product and engineering systems suppliers; services and safety training consultants; manufacturers of access control, authentication and cyber-security systems; risk assessment and crisis management advisors; fibres and fabric suppliers; producers of measurement and analysis, mobility and optronic solutions; communications and transmission systems as well as weapons and ammunition suppliers. Online registrations open Milipol Qatar 2020 is expected to welcome over 200 exhibitors and close to 8,000 visitors The industry-only event, which is under the patronage of His Highness the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, is organised by Qatar’s Ministry of Interior in partnership with Paris-based international event organiser Comexposium, acting on behalf of the GIE Milipol headed by Civipol, the technical implementer of the French ministry of the Interior. Moreover, the French minister of the Interior is a guest of honour of the event. Milipol Qatar 2020 is expected to welcome over 200 exhibitors and close to 8,000 visitors. The event’s online registration platform for both exhibitors, and industry professional visitors, who enter free-of-charge, is now open.

Redline, an Air Partner company and a renowned provider of global security solutions, announced that it has won a long-term contract with the CAA, and is now also providing consultancy services to private aviation company Jet Edge. The CAA has awarded Redline a seven-year contract to be the UK’s sole certifier and quality assurer of free running explosive detection dogs (FREDDs). The certification and quality assurance process is set by the Department for Transport (DfT) and overseen by the CAA, which is responsible for ensuring that it operates effectively. In addition, private aviation company Jet Edge has engaged Redline to develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) across its entire operations in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, from aircraft decontamination to in-flight operations. International facilities management Redline has curated this service to support operators through this difficult time after it successfully developed and implemented a series of COVID-19 SOPs to operate aircraft and security screen passengers for its repatriation of UK and Irish nationals from Japan on behalf of the UK government. Jet Edge called on Redline in order to give its clients comfort that all necessary precautions have been taken to mitigate the risk of exposure to the virus when travelling with the company. These business wins follow the recent announcements that Redline has also secured two long-term quality assurance contracts with Aéroport Nice Côte d'Azur and the international facilities management company OCS Group UK, as well as a contract to provide security consultancy support on a HS2 project. Demonstrating clear value CAA contract adds to our forward long-term contract portfolio, further increasing recurring revenues" Mark Briffa, CEO of Air Partner, said: “Despite the difficult circumstances posed by COVID-19, Redline has already secured a number of prestigious contracts in the financial year to date, thereby demonstrating the clear value of its offering. The CAA contract adds to our forward long-term contract portfolio, further increasing visible and recurring revenues for the Group, as per our stated strategy." "I am extremely pleased with the company’s performance since acquisition, in both the aviation and non-aviation sectors, and look forward to seeing what the rest of the year has in store for this exciting part of our business.” Explosive detection dogs Paul Mason, Managing Director of Air Partner's Safety & Security division, added: "Redline has been a trusted supplier of security solutions to the aviation sector for 14 years now, and these two business wins demonstrate the breadth of the services we offer in this area. In recent years, we have established ourselves as leaders in explosive trace detection, and we are proud to now be certifying and quality assuring free running explosive detection dogs on behalf of the UK government." "In addition, we are delighted to be helping Jet Edge to navigate the challenging COVID-19 operating environment and safeguard their clients, drawing on our expertise from the extensive and successful evacuation work we carried out earlier this year.”

Connected Technologies, maker of the award-winning and patented Connect ONE cloud-hosted management platform, has unveiled a new Application Programming Interface (API) integration with the HALO IoT Smart Sensor from IPVideo Corp., Bay Shore, New York.  Now dealers can offer their customers a complete package of services, intrusion, access control, video surveillance and HALO detection, all controlled and managed with the Connect ONE user interface. “We’re excited about putting this together in one bundled package,” said Dan Simon, Connected Technologies Co-Founder and Managing Partner. Simon, who developed the HALO integration capability, said customers receive instant notifications onscreen through the Connect ONE interface or via email, text message or other push notification. Initiate unlimited notifications “In addition, we can take snapshots from video cameras in the areas where alerts occurred, trigger other events, such as locking and unlocking doors and initiate unlimited notifications with the Connect ONE cloud service.” With HALO, dealers can easily expand their range of services to monitor and detect vaping, sounds and gunshot, air quality and chemicals, notifying personnel of out-of-normal ranges or levels. Users control, manage and remotely support their HALO sensors centrally on one screen with the Connect ONE user interface. Innovative detection technology HALO can be deployed in areas previously off-limits to surveillance or other detection because of privacy concerns HALO, which has garnered widespread industry attention and accolades for its innovative detection technology, originally targeted youth vaping in schools and campuses with air quality detection, expanding into audio analytics, chemical and environmental monitoring for other vertical markets. In addition, HALO can be deployed in areas previously off-limits to surveillance or other detection because of privacy concerns, such as rest rooms, locker rooms and other locations – expanding the possibility for security detection and protection. With Connect ONE, there’s no need for a separate alarm panel to control installed HALO sensors, only internet connectivity. Privacy area security device Detection capabilities include: Audio Analytics – Abnormal noise level, gunshot detection and spoken keyword alerting Air Quality – Vaping, THC, smoke, formaldehyde, benzene, particulates Chemical – Ammonia, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen Light – Occupancy, sensitivity Environmental – Temperature, humidity, tamper, pressure “Our customers benefit from strategic partnerships like we have with Connected Technologies and all the possibilities it brings for loT connectivity,” said Rick Cadiz, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, IPVideo Corp. “This integration is a value proposition that allows dealers to pull in security for privacy areas, in addition to all the other alerts. We are in thousands of schools and expanding with new features like keyword alerting, turning HALO into a privacy area security device across markets like hotels, hospitals, universities and commercial buildings.”

As security embraces IT-centric solutions, it can provide business value over and above security. Now in charge of managing a variety of data – e.g., from video platforms – a company’s security function has access to a range of new metrics. While security may use video to analyse a security event, machine learning can analyse the same data for other business capabilities, such as quality control or when a policy has been breached. “It’s the same camera, but with dual purpose,” says Matt Kushner, President of STANLEY Security. STANLEY Security, one of the largest integrators with a global footprint, has positioned itself at the centre of the industry’s transformation by information technology (IT) and the Internet of Things. “Security will become an expanded business partner with corporations,” Kushner comments. In response to the trend, STANLEY is hiring more IT-oriented technicians and salespeople within the IT community and who can “speak at the C-level”, Kushner comments. Sonitrol is the most recognised brand by law enforcement for verified response Data centres, higher education and logistics STANLEY manages very large, multi-national clients. As a consequence, the STANLEY security organisation has some of the best and brightest minds for enterprise-class security. To maintain that level of talent, STANLEY is committed to education. “We bring them into the family and focus on education, such as IT and IoT training. That’s critical in a world where unemployment is less than 3%. Finding good people, growing good people, and retaining good people – we do that exceptionally well at STANLEY,” says Kushner. STANLEY’s strong vertical markets including data centres, higher education, and logistics. They are also strong in multi-location installations (such as banking.) STANLEY has a big footprint throughout North America and Europe.  PACOM access control and 3xLOGIC cloud-based solutions In addition to STANLEY’s core integrator business, the company also manages several manufacturing brands such as PACOM access control and 3xLOGIC cloud-based solutions.Mergers and acquisitions have been commonplace in the integrator space Beyond its company-owned integrator locations under the STANLEY brand, the company also owns Sonitrol, the strongest brand in the market for verified response with 65 franchises in North America. Sonitrol is the most recognised brand by law enforcement for verified response. Mergers and acquisitions have been commonplace in the integrator space, and Kushner says that STANLEY is “open and actively looking for properties that fit our commercial growth strategy”. He notes that STANLEY focuses on the commercial side of the market, where there are good margins and continuing growth. They pay less attention to the residential side which is “being heavily disrupted”. Strong partnerships with manufacturers STANLEY has strong partnerships with several manufacturer partners, through which they bring new breakout technologies to market from emerging companies. An example is Evolv Technology, a manufacturer of gun and bomb detection technology. “We see them as a leading provider of the technology, and they are, in my mind, a very disruptive provider,” says Kushner. STANLEY is also collaborating with a company – to be announced – that provides a unique gunshot detection technology, he says. STANLEY is also cooperating with dormakaba to implement Switch Tech, a Bluetooth wireless core that can replace any standard mechanical lock core. Existing locks can be transformed into electromechanical locks in minutes. STANLEY is also developing a tight integration with Lenel’s mobile credentialing system. STANLEY is also cooperating with dormakaba to implement Switch Tech GSX 2019 and ISC West 2020 At the recent GSX 2019 show in Chicago, Kushner says STANLEY heard a lot about cybersecurity, especially customers wanting to make sure they are investing in cyber-hygiene and who are looking to expand into providing cyber protection. “In concert with cyber-hygiene, they are looking for health monitoring or assurance that network devices are operating properly,” he says. “They want to ensure their security platforms are cyber-secure and up to date with the latest software versions.” STANLEY is also a big proponent of cloud offerings, and Kushner hints at a big announcement at the upcoming ISC West show in Las Vegas of additional cloud offerings and/or partnerships. “There will be a variety of new solutions to be introduced, including hosted solutions and applications that benefit both security and that add new value to businesses overall.”

In addition to providing the Northeast’s largest security trade show, ISC East will include free conference sessions and keynote speeches right on the show floor and several paid workshops. The Nov. 20-21 event at New York’s Javits Center will also include vendor solution sessions from Axis Communications, Hikvision and NAPCO. Wide variety of paid workshops An advantage of the International Security Conference & Exposition in New York is that much of the programming is complimentary to registered attendees, and location of the sessions on the show floor means attendees don’t have to leave the exhibition to take in a session. The paid workshops include technology sessions about cyber terminology for physical security integratorsThe paid workshops include an Active Shooter Workshop and technology sessions about cyber terminology for physical security integrators; and basic installation and configuration of video surveillance solutions. An OSDP (Open Supervised Device Protocol) Boot Camp Short Course will also be offered. As a smaller show, the topics of ISC East conference sessions are broader and of more general interest, rather than organised into focused “tracks” as at ISC West. Attendance at sessions can provide continuing education (CE) credits with organisations that partner with ISC East – one credit for each hour-long session. Attendees can use their Certificate of Attendance from any session to self-report their education hours to relevant industry bodies: ALOA (AEU education credits), ASIS (CPE continuing professional education credits) and NICET (CPD Continuing Professional Development points). An advantage of the International Security Conference & Exposition in New York is that much of the programming is complimentary to registered attendees Keynote sessions at the Main Stage The Main Stage will be the venue for keynote sessions delivered by Deanne Criswell, Commissioner, New York City Emergency Management (on Day 1 – Nov. 20); and Angela Stubblefield, Chief of Staff at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (on Day 2 – Nov. 21). The two SIA Education@ISC East educational theaters on the show floor will be booked up both days with a variety of interesting topics. A new session covers penetration testing for physical security, presented by Michael Glasser of Glasser Security Group. A session on LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors will be presented by Frank Bertini, UAV and Robotics Business Manager, Velodyne LiDAR. Another popular topic is Safe Cities, and FLIR will present a session on moving from secured to smart cities with intelligent, connected systems. New addition is Active Shooter Workshop  The Active Shooter Workshop is a new addition to the ISC East programme. It has been a popular session at ISC West for three years now. At ISC East, presenters of the workshop will be David LaRose, System Director Public Health, Lee Health; and Ben Scaglione, Director of Healthcare and Security Programming, Lowers and Associates. At the end of the workshop, an additional hour of programming will be the “Stop the Bleed/Save a Life” session presented by Jerry Wilkins, Co-Owner of Active Risk Survival. The Main Stage will be the venue for keynote sessions delivered by Deanne Criswell, Commissioner, New York City Emergency Management, and Angela Stubblefield, Chief of Staff at the Federal Aviation Administration Woman in Security event A Women in Security Forum breakfast event will be held on Nov. 21 (Thursday). It’s the second annual event and this year will focus on diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace of the future. Valerie Anderson, President of Boon Edam, will lead a discussion on “Diversity 2.0: Next Steps for Creating an Empowered Workforce”Moderator Valerie Anderson, President of Boon Edam, will lead a discussion on “Diversity 2.0: Next Steps for Creating an Empowered Workforce”. Panelists are Lisa Terry of Allied Universal, Andrew Lanning of Integrated Security Technologies, Elaine Palome of Axis Communications and Dawne Hanks of Milestone. The Women in Security event is likely to attract up to 100 attendees. SIA’s Women in Security is an active organisation, with monthly meetings and a newsletter that recognises prominent women in the security industry. “It’s really a group for both men and women,” says Mary Beth Shaughnessy, Event Director, ISC Events at Reed Exhibitions. “There are many programmes, recruiting efforts, and professional and networking opportunities. They are a robust group of people who are active in making a difference. It’s important to support women in the security industry, which is 95% male, and to develop a new generation of women to be a part of the industry’s future.” The keynote addresses at ISC East will also highlight two high-profile women.

During the Parkland, Florida, school shooting in 2018, the shooter was caught on a security camera pulling his rifle out of a duffle bag in the staircase 15 seconds before discharging the first round. However, the School Resource Officer didn’t enter the building because he wasn’t confident about the situation, and the Coral Springs Police Department had no idea what the shooter even looked like until 7 minutes and 30 seconds after the first round was fired. If the video system had included technology to recognise the gun threat in real time, alerts could have been sent to the security team. An announcement could have been made right away for all students and faculty in Building 12 to barricade their doors, and law enforcement could have responded a lot faster to a real-time feed of timely and accurate information. Automatically recognising gun threats The technology is centred around a CNN that aims to replicate how a human brain would process informationActuate offers such a technology, which the company says enables existing security cameras to automatically recognise gun threats and notify security in real-time. The technology is centred around a convolutional neural network (CNN) that aims to replicate how a human brain would process information. This neural network is trained to recognise what hands holding a firearm look like from hundreds of thousands of images in a proprietary data set. Over time, the system is able to mathematically calculate what a gun threat in a security camera feed looks like with a high degree of accuracy (well over 99% detection accuracy within the first 5 seconds), according to Actuate. “Active shooter situations are often marred by chaos and confusion,” says Sonny Tai, Chief Executive Officer of Actuate. “People are in fight-or-flight response and prioritise immediate survival instead of reaching for their phones and calling 911. When the 911 calls are made, callers often provide delayed, conflicting, and inaccurate information, inhibiting law enforcement’s ability to respond.” Enhances law enforcement response Tai says Actuate helps to clear up that chaos and confusion. “It provides visual intelligence of the location of the shooter, what they look like, what direction they’re heading, and what they’re armed with,” he says. “This real-time information enhances law enforcement response and enables building occupants to make critical decisions that maximise survivability." AI methods including deep learning enable high levels of accuracy in detecting weapons in real-time camera footage Tai is a Marine Corps veteran and a social entrepreneur who co-founded Actuate with the mission of addressing America’s gun violence epidemic. The start of the company stems from Tai’s upbringing in South Africa, where gun violence rates are some of the highest in the world. Growing up, several of his family friends were personally impacted, resulting in a lifelong passion for the issue of gun violence. In early 2018, Tai interviewed dozens of law enforcement leaders across the country and found that their biggest challenge in gun violence response was the lack of timely and accurate information. Actuate mitigates that challenge and enables both first responders and security staff to respond more rapidly, he says. More than 99% accuracy in detecting weapons Actuate is a software-only solution that plugs into security camera hardware and software, including VMSActuate's solution is completely AI-based, says Ben Ziomek, Chief Product Officer. AI methods including deep learning enable high levels of accuracy in detecting weapons in real-time camera footage. “Legacy, non-AI based solutions generally rely on older methods like motion detection, which is not reliable in differentiating between objects such as phones and firearms,” says Ziomek. “Our AI solution lets us achieve more than 99% accuracy in detecting weapons with an exceptionally low false-positive rate.” Ziomek runs engineering, data science, and operations for Actuate. Before joining the firm, he led teams of AI engineers and data scientists at Microsoft, leveraging AI to identify high-potential startups globally. Actuate is a software-only solution that plugs into existing security camera hardware and software, including video management systems (VMS). Existing capabilities of a customer’s VMS does initial, basic analysis and then routes the remaining video to Actuate’s processing units for AI analysis. Alerts can then be sent back however a customer wants, including through a VMS. Actuate can also feed information into a PSIM or command-and-control system if requested by a customer. Equipping customers with AI tools Our current focus for the company is to get our technology into the hands of as many customers as possible"As an early-stage company, Actuate is pursuing customers through multiple routes, including directly to end-users and via security integrators, distributors, and dealers. They are currently deployed at diverse customer sites including schools, office buildings, industrial facilities, and public buildings, says Ziomek. “Our current focus for the company is to get our technology into the hands of as many customers as possible,” says Ziomek. “We are working closely with customers across segments and industries to equip them with the tools they need to make their spaces safer. We’re currently working on educating the market on our offerings, as this technology is very new to many security organisations.” There are no privacy or compliance concerns because Actuate stores no customer data until a weapon is detected, and even then the data is not cross-indexed with any sensitive information, says Ziomek.

Artificial Intelligence. You’ve heard the words in just about every facet of our lives, just two words, and they’re quite possibly the most moving, life-changing words employed in everyday conversations. So what exactly is AI, who currently uses it and should be using it? What is AI? AI is a powerful way of collecting, qualifying and quantifying data toward a meaningful conclusion to help us reach decisions more quickly or automate processes which could be considered mundane or repetitive. AI in its previous state was known as “machine learning” or “machine processing” which has evolved into “deep learning” or, here in the present, Artificial Intelligence. AI as it applies to the security and surveillance industry provides us the ability to discover and process meaningful information more quickly than at any other time in modern history. Flashback - VCR tapes, blurred images, fast-forward, rewind and repeat. This process became digital, though continued to be very time-consuming. Today’s surveillance video management systems have automated many of these processes with features like “museum search” seeking an object removed from a camera view or “motion detection” to create alerts when objects move through a selected viewpoint. These features are often confused with AI, and are really supportive analytics of the Artificial Intelligence, not AI themselves. Machine Learning Fully appreciating AI means employment of a machine or series of machines to collect, process and produce information obtained from basic video features or analytics. What the machines learn depends on what is asked of them. The truth is, the only way the AI can become meaningful is if there is enough information learned to provide the results desired. If there isn’t enough info, then we must dig deeper for information or learn more, properly described as “deep-learning” AI. Translated, this means that we need to learn more on a deeper level in order to obtain the collaborative combined information necessary to produce the desired result. Deep learning AI Deep learning AI can afford us the ability to understand more about person characteristic traits & behaviors. Applying this information can then further be applied to understand how to interpret patterns of behavior with the end goal of predictable behavior. This prediction requires some degree of human interpretation so that we are able to position ourselves to disrupt patterns of negative behavior or simply look for persons of interest based on these patterns of behavior. These same patterns evolve into intelligence which over time increases the machine’s ability to more accurately predict patterns that could allow for actions to be taken as a result. This intelligence which is now actionable could translate to life safety such as stopping a production manufacturing process, if a person were to move into an area where they shouldn’t be which might put them in danger. Useful applications of intelligence  Informative knowledge or intelligence gathered could be useful in retail applications as well by simply collecting traffic patterns as patrons enter a showroom. This is often displayed in the form of heat mapping of the most commonly traveled paths or determining choke points that detract from a shopper’s experience within the retail establishment. It could also mean relocating signage to more heavily traveled foot-paths to gain the highest possible exposure to communicating a sale or similar notice, perhaps lending itself to driving higher interest to a sale or product capability. Some of this signage or direction could even translate to increased revenues by realigning the customer engagement and purchasing points. Actionable Intelligence From a surveillance perspective, AI could be retranslated to actionable intelligence by providing behavioral data to allow law enforcement to engage individuals with malicious intent earlier, thus preventing crimes in whole or in part based on previously learned data. The data collection points now begin to depart from a more benign, passive role into an actionable role. As a result, new questions are being asked regarding the cameras intended purpose or role of its viewpoint such as detection, observation, recognition or identification. Detecting human presence By way of example, a camera or data collector may need to detect human presence, as well as positively identify who the person is. So the analytic trip line is crossed or motion box activated or counter-flow is detected which then creates an alert for a guard or observer to take action. Further up the food chain, a supervisor is also notified and the facial characteristics are captured. These remain camera analytics, but now we feed this collected facial information to a graphic processing unit (GPU) which could be employed to compare captured characteristics with pre-loaded facial characteristics. When the two sources are compared and a match produced, an alert could be generated which results in an intervention or other similar action with the effort of preventing a further action. This process- detect, disrupt, deter or detain could be considered life-saving by predictably displaying possible outcomes in advance of the intended actions. The next level is deep-learning AI which employs the same characteristics to determine where else within the CCTV ecosystem the individual may have been previously by comparatively analyzing other collected video data. This becomes deep-learning AI when the GPU machine is able to learn from user-tagged positive identification, which the machine learns and begins to further reprocess its own data to further understand where else the person of interest (POI) may have existed on the ecosystem and more correctly improve its own predictive capabilities, thus becoming faster at displaying alerts and better at the discovery of previously archived video data. The future In conclusion, the future of these “predictables” wholly rests in the hands of the purchasing end-user. Our job is to help everyone understand the capabilities and theirs is to continue to make the investment so that the research perpetuates upon itself. Just think where we’d be if purchasers didn’t invest in the smartphone?    

Being in the physical security industry for almost two decades has been an exciting journey, with significant changes that have impacted the world of security. Companies today must be proactive when it comes to securing their facility and are lucky to have so many choices when it comes to security technology. From the beginning, the ISC West show was always at the forefront of new technology and brought together the very best technology and industry professionals in the “City of Lights”. Back in 2001 when I first entered the security world, video surveillance was the key driver, and transitioning from analog cameras to IP video cameras was the talk of the town. In the early 2000s, the ISC West show was filled with video manufacturers showcasing their new IP cameras and the IT folks were just starting to get involved with the security decisions.  Back then the ISC West show consisted of a myriad of video manufacturers exhibiting their camera lines. Where now in 2020 the high-profile enterprise-level camera manufacturers dominate the show floor. Over the last two decades, keeping up with the technology advancements of IP cameras was a difficult feat for most camera manufacturers and the high-profile manufacturers who had the funds to invest in R & D were the only ones that survived. Changing the game in video surveillance and access control  In the early 2000s, the ISC West show was filled with video manufacturers showcasing their new IP cameras Another huge change that our industry has seen over the years was the increase in the number of acquisitions. Smaller security manufacturers started being acquired by the larger ones, which changed the game in video surveillance and access control. In addition to manufacturers, large security integrators like Convergint Technologies & Anixter were also buying smaller commercial integrators and dominating the market. At ISC West today, you will see predominately high profile – big name manufacturers and integrators where the smaller companies were either acquired or went out of business.    Revolutions in the industry The security industry also faced a huge revolution with three major technologies driving growth in the security market – Network-based technologies (IoT enabled solutions), Access Control as a Service (ACaaS) and Mobile Credentials. ISC West saw this evolution coming and created specific educational seminars dedicated to these topics. Another big push that came into play in the last few years was being able to integrate a host of technologies like video and access control by using an open architecture platform. Many partnerships were formed in the security industry due to this massive push for integration. At ISC West, we now see many companies having their partners sharing booth space. This helps reduce costs for exhibitors in addition to giving smaller companies credibility by being recognized with the bigger players in the industry. In addition, ISC West makes it easy for attendees to plan out their show schedule in advance with the mobile app; creating a convenient way to access show information from mobile devices.  From the beginning, the ISC West show was always at the forefront of new technology Emerging excitement  Today, ISC West continues to be an exciting show that is jammed packed with educational sessions, networking events, and new pavilions that help segment the security industry into different sectors. An example of some new technology pavilions includes drones & robotics, loss prevention & supply chains, and emerging tech. All new start-up companies that are 5 years old or less can be part of the emerging tech section of the show. Here entrepreneurs can unveil new and upcoming security technologies; creating a win win situation for any size business looking to make its name known in the industry. New technology, innovations and rising trends Another huge focus at the ISC West show is public safety. A full range of solutions are offered at the Public Safety Pavilion including barriers/bollards/gates/perimeter security, surveillance, access control, and alarms - along with innovative technologies for gunshot and drug detection, license plate recognition, acoustics, facial recognition and AI, connected vehicles, communication systems and devices, alerts and monitoring, and active shooter solutions Today, ISC West continues to be an exciting show that is jammed packed with educational sessions, networking events, and new pavilions and training. Virtual reality demonstrations have also been available at the show to help attendees with preventative measures when it comes to school and public safety. Some new vape and metal detection technology built on the IoT concept will be featured at ISC West 2020 to help combat the vaping epidemic in our country. With active shooter incidents on the rise, metal detection and perimeter protection at schools will be an important part of the show. Awards and showcases When it comes to show press, we have also seen an influx of awards for security manufacturers that are exhibiting at the show. The major security publications have been offering manufacturers the opportunity to submit a product in distinct categories and win a prestigious award at the show. This creates “buzz” about your product and great for social media postings. Live video interviews at an exhibitors’ booth has also become a very popular tool to increase brand awareness and thought leadership for exhibitors. The ISC West show offers numerous ways to drive traffic to your booth and promote new product launches seamlessly. Over the years, the show has created a conduit The ISC West show offers numerous ways to drive traffic to your booth and promote new product launches seamlesslyfor manufactures and integrators to showcase new products and technologies to end users across multiple vertical markets.      At the top of the game  While the security industry continues to evolve, the one thing that stays constant is the wealth of information that ISC West offers to its attendees.  The show always brings together the latest technologies and thought leaders that will continue to change the game in security for years to come.

The physical security industry is moving fast. Evolving risks, new technologies and business changes all converged and had a profound impact on the industry in 2019. Looking back at our top articles of the year – as measured by those that received the most “clicks” at our website – provides a decent summary of how the industry evolved this year. Timely and important issues in the security marketplace dominated our list of most-clicked-upon articles in 2019. In the world of digital publishing, it’s easy to know what content resonates with the security market: our readers tell us with their actions; i.e., where they click. Let’s look back at the Top 10 articles we posted in 2019 that generated the most page views. They are listed in order here with a brief excerpt. 1. Schneider Electric to sell Pelco to private equity firm Schneider entered exclusive negotiations with Transom Capital Group, a U.S.-based private equity firm, to sell the Pelco business unit. Pelco is a security industry stalwart and global specialist in the design, development, and delivery of end-to-end video surveillance solutions and services including cameras, recording and management systems software. 2. High-tech drones, robots and counter-drone solutions on display From robots to drones to counter-drone solutions, a range of new technologies [was] displayed at ISC West 2019. The Unmanned Security Expo [included] a dedicated complimentary education theater for attendees offering sessions on a range of topics. Also included [were] demos of the best UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), UGVs (unmanned ground robotics and vehicles) and autonomous systems on the market. 3. Hikvision and Dahua banned from buying U.S. exports In effect, inclusion on the “entities” list restricts the export of equipment to the two companies because of their alleged involvement in “human rights violations and abuses” related to a Chinese government campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, and high-technology surveillance against minority groups. Hikvision and Dahua have contracts to sell equipment that provides video surveillance capabilities in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China. 4. The many faces of today's facial recognition technology Used proportionately and responsibly, facial recognition can and should be a force for good. It has the ability to do a lot more to increase security in the future. From street crime to airport security, all the way through to helping those battling addiction, the technology can take security and operations to new heights. 5. Security industry trends to be led by focus on cyber security In 2019 With a more open, connected environment come cyber-risk and data privacy concerns – which is why, in the Security Industry Association’s 2019 Security Megatrends, cybersecurity’s impact on the physical security industry ranks number one on the list. Cybersecurity is affecting all areas of the industry landscape, from security implementation to attracting top talent to the workforce. 6. Open Supervised Data Protocol (OSDP): the gold standard for access control installations The Open Supervised Data Protocol (OSDP) is now the industry’s gold standard for physical access control installations. It was designed to offer a higher level of security with more flexible options than the aging, de facto Wiegand wiring standard. OSDP, first introduced in 2011 by the Security Industry Association (SIA), continues to evolve with significant manufacturer input. 7. Honeywell embracing AI, reinvesting in video portfolio Although uses for artificial intelligence (AI) are still emerging in security, Honeywell sees an important role for AI in building a connected system to ensure the safety and security of a building, and more importantly, its occupants. AI allows end users to go beyond monitoring activity on a surface level to really understand the scene – from who exactly is in the area to what they might be doing. 8. A secured entrance is the first defense against an active shooter What the majority of venues [of recent active shooter incidents] have in common is they all have a front entrance or chokepoint for anyone entering the facilities, which is why any active-shooter plan must include a strategy to secure that entry point. 9. Debunking the myths of the security of access control systems One of the areas where we see continued confusion is around access control systems (ACS) that are deployed over networks, particularly in relation to mobile access, smart cards, and electronic locks. These technologies are often perceived as being less secure and therefore more vulnerable to attacks than older ACS systems or devices. In the interest of clearing up any confusion, it is important to provide good, reliable information. 10. At Chubb Fire and Security, ethics is a core concept with practical impact Ethics discussions begin for employees at Chubb when they join the company; clear instructions about ethics are included as part of employee induction. There are nine modules of ethics training during employee orientation, and a discussion with an Ethics and Compliance Officer is part of the onboarding process.

The sad reality of today’s campuses, whether K-12 schools or college campuses, is that they can no longer be areas anyone is welcome to enter; there must be steps taken to prevent someone who would enter the campus with intentions to harm students, teachers, and staff. For years many organisations have been reactionary, thinking some of the horrific acts of violence happen elsewhere but could not happen here. However, recent events, especially the Parkland shooting, have caused many to realise they must be proactive. People who studied education most likely have no formal training in the security field, yet now they are expected to make expert decisions about campus security. So how can those in this field make the best choices with regard to campus security? Paul Fisher shares four things to consider when developing campus security. Access control system Integration has been one of the biggest buzzwords in the security industry for the past few years Integration has been one of the biggest buzzwords in the security industry for the past few years. People understand the need for different technologies to communicate effectively and reliably, and to provide law enforcement, firefighters, and school administrators with seamless communication with security systems so they can effectively do their jobs. “Many of the recent tragedies have caught us, from the campus security side, off guard,” Paul Fisher, Director of Key Accounts, at Salient Systems said. “Just because I have this access control system, this camera system, and a gunshot detection solution, security professionals still need to confirm these products are going to work seamlessly together.” Seamless interoperability Unfortunately, Fisher says, as 9/11 taught us, seamless interoperability isn’t always the case. “While many security consultants might say certain technologies should or must integrate, they don’t necessarily go through the process of step-by-step implementation and review,” Fisher said. “You need to ask yourself, ‘If this is happening, what should happen next?’” The main goal of the consulting world is to fit a video system or a security system into the budget of the school district or bond, and unfortunately, things might get left out as schools don’t always have enough money to outfit their campuses with a fully effective security solution. Video surveillance systems Schools can focus on physical hardening aspects of security, such as a man trap area in a vestibule Fortunately, attitudes in this area seem to be shifting as campus security professionals address real threats towards their campus and begin to be proactive about implementing a solution that truly integrates and interoperates with the various layers of available technology, as well as with campus readiness programs and local law enforcement. Schools can focus on physical hardening aspects of security, such as a man trap area in a vestibule or bulletproof doors. Another technology that campuses are finding useful is gunshot detection. While this technology is not new, it has certainly become far more effective than it was in its earlier iterations, and when integrated properly with video surveillance systems and mobile map technology, it can be an incredibly useful tool for law enforcement entering a potentially deadly situation and for those who need the earliest possible warning. Law enforcement awareness “If you talk to students and really listen to the stories that come out of the shootings,” Fisher said. “So many times, the kids say, ‘We thought it was something else; we didn’t realise it was a gun.’ Until they realise the gunfire is right next to them, they don’t know what is happening.” As soon as the gunshot is detected, that’s an early warning for the teachers and students to get out of the hallways and into a classroom or an area where they can lock the door. Another related technology that must integrate with an overall security system is automatic lockdown. As soon as the school realises there is the potential for an event, it must have the ability to lock down as many doors as possible while still providing the ability to see inside the school, so the responding officers have a better idea the threat and giving staff and law enforcement awareness into the situation. Facilitate Situational Awareness Situational awareness is closely tied in with a campus security system’s integration with other technologies Fisher says most schools use their video surveillance systems primarily for investigation purposes after the fact, but to truly save lives, schools must be able to offer useful live video feeds to law enforcement. This requires integration with gunshot detection systems that can pinpoint the spot where a shot was fired and highlight the live feed from nearby cameras. A simple interface must give an officer, who may not be trained in such a system, the ability to know where the camera is located and the direction it is pointed so that he or she has the situational awareness necessary to find and neutralise the threat as quickly and safely as possible. This situational awareness is closely tied in with a campus security system’s integration with other technologies. Gunshot detection system To help organisations better capitalise on this technology, Salient’s platform is offering the ability to implement maps into a mobile device, Fisher says.“So now with a handheld device, mobile phone or a tablet, approaching law enforcement, if given that access, can look at a map that will show the direction the camera is pointed and its physical location on the map of the facility,” Fisher said. “If the video surveillance system is tied to the gunshot detection system, it would trigger the camera to change colors indicating this is the general direction the shot came from. With a camera that is physically located in the area, the instant video will show exactly what’s happening in the camera view area.” Good financial fiduciaries For educational institutions, finances are probably the biggest barrier to getting the most effective system. Those making the decisions must not only spend the allotted money wisely, but they must spend it on proven technology. Schools can’t afford to spend it on a new technology that makes huge promises but fails to deliver. Local businesses often partner with law enforcement who will come in and do an evaluation of the facility One way Fisher says educational organisations can ensure they are good financial fiduciaries is to cultivate partnerships with local, state, and even federal law enforcement agencies. “A security consultant addressing a school board doesn’t have as much weight as your local FBI saying it,” Fisher said. Local businesses often partner with law enforcement and the FBI, who will come in and do an evaluation of the facility. Law enforcement agency “They come into ports, airports, critical infrastructure on a daily basis and provide a threat assessment. It would be valuable for school districts to go to local or state level and even a federal level law enforcement agency and ask for an evaluation of their campus,” Fisher said. “Those evaluations would provide a high level of assurances for a school board when they propose a bond request.” Institutions must partner with the right companies to truly get the most out of their security solutions and integrations. “The industry started with proprietary technologies in everything they did,” Fisher said. “And then it moved to an open architecture approach. Security industry manufacturers are now moving back to a proprietary format, meaning that companies have decided they want to be the jack-of-all-trades and the master of none. They offer access control, cameras, VMS, analytics—they try to wrap it all up and say they can do it all.” Video security solution Fisher says it is the companies that continue in an open architecture approach that has the ability to really hone in on the best-of-breed technologies and provide the flexibility to adopt and deploy the best available components of a total solution. “We are committed to helping you design the best video security solution for your needs,” Fisher said. “And we will integrate with companies that offer products that meet those needs.” Integration between systems can be one of the most important features for day-to-day users of the security system. If multiple security technologies are in place, integration of those technologies should be a goal for most organisations’ security programs in order to maximise benefits from each system.

Patriot One, developer of the PATSCAN Multi-Sensor Covert Threat Detection platform, is pleased to announce a collaboration partnership with Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), part of Major League Soccer (MLS), to pilot its PATSCAN platform at Banc of California Stadium. Threat and intrusion detection “We are excited to announce this PATSCAN pilot deployment project with another U.S. major sport franchise,” said Martin Cronin, Patriot One CEO and president, adding “In the New Year, our installation team will begin work with the Los Angeles Football Club and Banc of California Stadium on this important game safety initiative. MLS fans will enjoy an added layer of security while attending their favorite team’s home games in Southern California”. Martin further said, “Our vision is to not only to create a world safe from acts of violence, but also to help save a way of life people have come to expect in their normal everyday lives, and that includes participating in professional sports and entertainment activities with their fellow fans.”  PATSCAN Multi-Sensor covert threat detection The PATSCAN Multi-Sensor Covert Threat Detection platform will ship in January 2020 to the security team at LAFC The PATSCAN Multi-Sensor Covert Threat Detection platform will ship in January 2020 to the security team at Los Angeles Football Club, where they will be joined by Banc of California Stadium security and Patriot One implementation engineers to begin the integration and pilot deployment project.  Specific location of the Platform’s deployment will not be disclosed. “Customer safety is our number one priority at Banc of California Stadium,” said LAFC Vice President of Information Technology Christian Lau. “We are excited to work with Patriot One to give customers an extra layer of security while attending events at our world-class venue in the heart of Los Angeles.” Stadium security Following the initial pilot deployment of the PATSCAN platform with LAFC at an undisclosed location within Banc of California Stadium, Patriot One will work with the team and stadium management to broaden deployment throughout the complex.

ShotSpotter, a provider of gunshot detection solutions that help law enforcement officials and security personnel identify, locate and deter gun violence, has announced that seven new cities have recently deployed ShotSpotter technology in their communities. The new cities include Cincinnati, Ohio; Jacksonville, Florida; Louisville, Kentucky; Newburgh, New York; Pittsfield, Massachusetts; Syracuse, New York and St. Louis County, Missouri – joining the more than 90 jurisdictions that already rely on ShotSpotter to ensure a fast, accurate response to gunfire incidents. Three existing ShotSpotter cities, New York City, Chicago and Birmingham have also recently expanded their coverage areas. Gunshot detection ShotSpotter provides real-time alerts to law enforcement of detected gunfire so that they can arrive at the precise location of a shooting event safely and quickly. With the speed of response, officers can be on the scene to aid victims, interview witnesses, and collect forensic evidence. This improves the overall effectiveness of an agency in identifying and apprehending shooters, and taking illegal guns off the streets. “We are excited to be working with police departments in successfully implementing gunshot detection solutions as a critical component of their gun violence prevention efforts," said Ralph Clark, CEO of ShotSpotter. “Cities are seeing positive outcomes and improved community engagement as a result of their agency’s ShotSpotter adoption and integration with best practices execution. We are thrilled with all of our customer collaborations that are making a real difference in improved public safety for all, especially in those at-risk neighbourhoods who also deserve community peace.” "ShotSpotter is already alerting us to specific addresses that we were not aware were inundated with random gunfire incidents" Positive impact “After just four weeks of using ShotSpotter, we are already seeing a positive impact from the technology,” said Cincinnati Assistant Police Chief Paul Neudigate. “We have three square miles of coverage in one of our most problematic communities for shooting violence and have had over sixty activations in just a month’s time.” “ShotSpotter is already alerting us to specific addresses that we were not aware were inundated with random gunfire incidents,” Neudigate continued. “In addition, ShotSpotter works well with our established surveillance camera system; we recently caught a running gun battle on video that we would never have known about had we not received the alert. ShotSpotter technology holds great promise for helping to reduce gun violence in the City of Cincinnati as part of an overall gun violence reduction strategy.” Expansion to coverage areas According to Lieutenant Jim Cirillo, Louisville Metro Police Department, “ShotSpotter’s technology product has done exactly what they promised it to do.” In recent months, three existing ShotSpotter cities – New York City, Chicago and Birmingham – have undergone recent expansions to their coverage areas. New York City began implementing ShotSpotter in 2015 and currently covers 57 square miles, an increase of 17.8 square miles since the beginning of 2017. In Chicago, ShotSpotter was first deployed in the 7th and 11th districts, then in the 15th and 9th. In September 2017, their sixth district also went live with ShotSpotter and the 10th district will go live soon. The city of Birmingham doubled their ShotSpotter coverage from eight to 16 square miles. In addition, the University of Alabama (UA) Police Department has added ShotSpotter to help make its campus safer. UA becomes one of eight universities in the country to invest in the ShotSpotter gunfire detection technology.

The total new ShotSpotter coverage mileage is 118 miles for a total coverage area of more than 400 miles SST, a global leader in gunfire detection and analysis, announced that six new cities − including San Diego, California and San Antonio, Texas − have selected its ShotSpotter Flex technology to help the local law enforcement agencies prevent and reduce gun violence in their cities. SST also announced expanded coverage areas for eight cities already successfully using ShotSpotter gunfire technology, including New York City, Chicago, Miami-Dade County, and Birmingham, Alabama. Proven solution provider In addition to San Diego and San Antonio, the new cities that recently deployed ShotSpotter include Salinas, California; Hillsborough, Florida; Goldsboro, North Carolina; and Cape Town, South Africa. ShotSpotter is a proven solution provider with more than 90 installations across the United States and the world. Birmingham, Alabama, has been using ShotSpotter for nine years in an eight-square mile area of the city, and has recently expanded its gunfire detection area to cover a full 20 square miles. Critical tool for law enforcement operations “ShotSpotter is a critical tool in our law enforcement operations. In fact, the ShotSpotter system is now part of our DNA in regards to reducing gun violence and improving the quality of life in our neighbourhoods,” said Chief of Police A.C. Roper of Birmingham Alabama. With the new mobile app, morelaw enforcement users will have access to the valuableShotSpotter service beyond the dispatch office or squad car Other cities expanding ShotSpotter coverage include: New York City, Chicago, Miami-Dade County, Fresno, Denver, Sacramento, and Riviera Beach. The total new ShotSpotter coverage mileage is 118 miles for a total coverage area of more than 400 miles. Reducing gun violence with technology innovation “We are proud to be chosen to partner with these new jurisdictions and are also gratified that so many cities we work with are seeing the tangible benefits of ShotSpotter by choosing to expand their coverage,” said Ralph Clark, CEO of SST. “We know we play an important role in assisting law enforcement with fast, accurate gunfire data that can save lives and reduce gun violence, and we are committed to maintaining our high customer service and continued technology innovation.” SST continues to innovate and offer new capabilities and expanded benefits to the ShotSpotter technology. The company recently announced a new mobile app designed to extend ShotSpotter with real-time gunfire alerts delivered anytime, anywhere on any iOS or Android mobile phone, tablet or desktop. With the new mobile app, more law enforcement users will have access to the valuable ShotSpotter service beyond the dispatch office or squad car. SST continues to leverage ecosystem partnership relationships with Amazon Web Services and GE Current Lighting organisations, further extending the ShotSpotter brand and enabling more cities to benefit from gunshot detection technology. Save

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