As automation becomes more advanced, less expensive, and easier to obtain, more and more duties will be given to machines that were once the job of live humans. There are indeed many benefits to taking people out of harm’s way or off of menial tasks, and it is a process unlikely to slow down.

Though a robotic security officer may be able to patrol and report some types of incidents completely autonomously, that is only effective if it doesn’t decide to drive itself into a pool of water as the model in Washington DC recently did. Whether that should prove to be the baptism at the birth of AI security, or proof that robots can never fully replace humans, it shows that there is still a long way to go before the constructive reasoning and decision making of the human brain can be removed from the equation.

Full reliance on machines can become an issue with systems much less complicated than synthetic patrol officers, which has also been highlighted in recent events, including the Australian traffic camera system that was infected with a virus, and sent out thousands of false tickets automatically. Even with no Internet connection, a maintenance mistake is believed to have affected hundreds of cameras. These are but two of many examples to illustrate that while technology is improving, it cannot be relied on without human oversight as a failsafe, and that if an incident or intrusion does occur, there is no substitute for having a trained responder on site at the property.

 environment design In regards to the perception of security in active operation, the most common image that comes to mind for most people is possibly a security officer monitoring a CCTV camera feed. While the use of cameras by patrol watchmen is not as ubiquitous as the popular image implies, it is still a highly cost effective form of detection that is a part of many physical protection plans and enhances the effective range of a security officer.

One of the most important factors in its success is the location the camera is placed at. A camera needs to be pointed at an occurrence of interest, whatever that may be, in order to be of use beyond deterrence. One way to cover the most activity is to monitor entry points as part of an access control program. Covering main entrances or stairwells can ensure all persons who enter a property will pass under a camera at some point. Automatic entry systems can be monitored to ensure no unauthorized entries are made, including at vehicle gates.

The deterrence value of a camera system should also not be forgotten. Having a visible camera can stop many acts of crime, theft, or vandalism that may have proceeded if the potential criminal did not believe they were being actively watched or recorded. When coupled with good lighting and environment design, cameras can be one of the most effective important tools in a protection plan.

Clear communication is always a necessary element for a protection plan to operate properly.  When creating an operational plan for a special event or irregular gathering, especially when dealing with large crowds, special considerations must be made in regards to the security personnel’s contact procedures and equipment.

For large events, local management, organization, or tenants will often have their own line of communication already set up. The security team must understand the existing network’s function on its own and adjust the function in a security context accordingly. It is vital for the security officers to have access to that channel in the event of an emergency, however it may or may not be best to allow all security to operate on their own dedicated channel depending on the congestion levels of the radio channels. Security can also liaise with the operators of scoreboards and PA systems to coordinate a protocol for warning messages.

There are many other ideas to consider when coordinating an event, such as radio frequencies, the need for headsets or earpieces, and press policies. With a higher amount of operational variables that officers may need to confront, event security requires a higher level of communication understanding and procedure.

The performance quality of both audio and video recording and playback has seen enormous improvement over the last few decades. Video improvements are easily noticeable and commonly incorporated through all levels. Most prominently in security with HD CCTV systems, with digital storage and playback being much more user friendly than analogue tape systems. While audio technology has gone through similar improvements, they are frequently overlooked and sometimes not applied.

Whether in an emergency or routine communication, unheard and misunderstood commands can have severe consequences and at best interfere with the efficiency of the security operation. While two-way radios are still the most common means for security officers to communicate with each other, even the most basic modern models have vastly improved transmission and speaker quality compared to what was recently the industry standard. And as with all aspects of modern communication, cell phones have completely changed the process of contacting guards or supervision and informing them of changes such as updates to post orders.