What is the best way to ensure a location is secure from intrusion? It starts with the environment that the building is located in.
Take the above picture for instance, an illustration of a typical industrial building. How does the environment assist in deterring or disrupting intruders? Some measures are obvious – a large fence limiting entranceways, a guard shack in position to limit access to authorized personnel. Some features that help secure the facility are more subtle. The long, unbroken sightlines will reveal any intruder long before he reaches the factory walls. Further improvements could be made still, such as the addition of lighting to ensure nighttime visibility, and cameras so that the entire facility is observable at all times without leaving post. More intensive measures could also be considered, such as replacing the walls with a chain-link fence that does hide potential intruders. To set up a defense, you must be able to know how the intruder will think – what his approach will be, what goals he will be working towards, and what methods he will attempt to breach the security measures. While you may be confident in your facility’s defensibility, there may be subtle vulnerabilities, or simple changes that could be easily made to improve security. Always make sure to have your defenses reviewed by a security professional, especially in today’s fast evolving world of crime.
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The most effective way to deter an intrusion into your property is simply to show that it is being actively defended. A good example is the signs that are commonly placed around homes announcing a security system is installed or at businesses marking the position of cameras – the idea being that if the potential criminal knows that their intrusion has been prepared for, they will not attempt it.
A perimeter barrier is another effective element in a deterrence operation. While most fences provide only a minimum of effectiveness as a delay barrier and thus should be paired with other defensive environmental elements, as a perimeter barrier they are very effective at marking property lines and removing any doubt that a trespasser did not know they were in an unauthorized area. When a security officer is responsible for defending a property, they will almost always have a patrol schedule implemented as part of the post orders (unless their job duties keep them tied to one area, such as a guard shack at the only accessible entrance). This is partly so the guard can observe the entire property, but arguably the more important result is that the guard makes himself and his active defense visible to anyone who would look to break in. One of the most common uses of a security officer is to ensure that there is always a physical presence at what would otherwise be an unoccupied location. This will deter the vast majority of intrusion attempts, but the individuals trusted to man the empty posts must be of the utmost trustworthiness. Ideally the hiring process filters out the unqualified individuals, and basic interview and verification procedures that all industries use are sufficient. Often times our clients wish to conduct interviews with the potential officers themselves. All of our officers are given criminal history checks, and many undergo additional checks and clearances when positioned at particular sites. For example, working on or near a federal or state government property may require an FBI background check, performing even basic medical procedures mare require an EMT license, and any officers working at a school need several distinct background checks to be cleared before even setting foot on the property. The majority of the effort is made afterwards, by establishing the standard of conduct, and making sure that the officer is aware not only of policies and procedures, but also that infractions will be discovered and acted upon. Frequent site checks by their managers and road supervisors help avoid a sense of isolation, especially in remote posts and on night shifts when the officer may not expect to be disturbed. As with most aspects of security, the quality of the security operation is directly tied to the quality of the local management. As the economy grows, we are pleased to announce our own growth has allowed us to expand with the market as well. An influx of new security responsibilities and most recently the establishment of a new office in our Cleveland area will help both with growing our regional operations and ensuring that we can continue to provide our personalized management and tailored security services to all of our service areas, regardless of how far away from our main office they may be. Any security operation is only as effective as the local management allows it to be.
It is often the case that as the economy or local market strengthens, that some of the types of vandalism and petty crime that security officers are used to defend against go down; however it is also the case that as more assets are gained, one becomes a more valuable target. As we continue to add more partners that protect themselves, we examine the reasons that they need a security service. Many are new businesses or expanding operations, but more are enterprises that have experienced an intrusion of some kind and did not fully appreciate the danger they were in until after it occurred. As we take on more clients, it is a reminder that crimes do still occur and that it is imperative to understand your vulnerabilities and how to overcome them. Most thefts fall into one of two categories – crimes of opportunity or a planned enterprise. Most spontaneous crimes happen when the thief unexpectedly finds a low risk target – for example an unattended wallet owned by someone they know they are not likely to meet again.
Most planned thefts occur after the target has been scouted and determined to be at its most vulnerable. In residential locations, this is usually during weekdays when all occupants are at work or school. Commercial areas are most vulnerable at night when businesses are closed down. The common thread is that a property is in the most danger of attack when it is unoccupied. The reasons for this are simple. The risk of being caught is higher and the consequences are more severe. A live human telling someone to leave a property removes any reasonable doubt of the intruder’s criminal intent, and what might have been trespassing, vandalism, and other simpler charges are guaranteed to become a multitude of felony charges that will be very difficult to fight in court. A thief or vandal will almost always pass by any defended area in favor of an unprotected target. Most thefts fall into one of two categories – crimes of opportunity or a planned enterprise. Most spontaneous crimes happen when the thief unexpectedly finds a low risk target – for example an unattended wallet owned by someone they know they are not likely to meet again.
Most planned thefts occur after the target has been scouted and determined to be at its most vulnerable. In residential locations, this is usually during weekdays when all occupants are at work or school. Commercial areas are most vulnerable at night when businesses are closed down. The common thread is that a property is in the most danger of attack when it is unoccupied. The reasons for this are simple. The risk of being caught is higher and the consequences are more severe. A live human telling someone to leave a property removes any reasonable doubt of the intruder’s criminal intent, and what might have been trespassing, vandalism, and other simpler charges are guaranteed to become a multitude of felony charges that will be very difficult to fight in court. A thief or vandal will almost always pass by any defended area in favor of an unprotected target. Recent news has classic movie fans and collectors rejoicing as a pair of Judy Garland’s ruby slippers, stolen from a museum over a decade ago, have been recovered, a very rare end result after a theft. Despite the happy ending, there are still lessons that can be noted about the consequences of stolen property.
The theft involved breaking in the back door and smashing the glass the slippers were contained in. The slipper’s owner lent them to the museum under their assurances that security measures were in place. However, while their alarm did go off, it did not send any notifications to the police or owners; a failure in the system meant the only party notified was the burglar who was not deterred from intruding into the property and had already breached the security barriers. In the vast majority of thefts, the stolen property is never recovered. Most items stolen from businesses or destroyed in break-ins will not have million dollar insurance policies, or the notoriety to warrant an FBI sting to recover them. In this case, while we all should be happy that a priceless item was recovered undamaged, it shouldn’t be overlooked that it was only missing due to a complete failure in the security operation that the museum had full confidence in, both in deterring the crime from happening and in reacting once it did occur. As we continue to work through our busy schedules, we should pause for a moment’s reflection in remembrance of the victims of the worst attack committed against our own innocent citizens. The need to remember can never be stated enough.
To show support, please consider viewing and liking the 9/11 Facebook page at facebook.com/911memorial or take a moment to learn about a victim of the attacks at names.911memorial.org Labor Day is the opportunity for employers and employees to be rewarded for their efforts and hard work. We hope that you enjoy a safe and secure Labor Day weekend with family and friends.
Finding the right personnel to work a security officer position is vital to the success of a security protection operation. The management team must locate potential employees that can perform the duties unique to each locations security needs, always focusing on individuals with a thinking judgment; capable of responding to situations and making reports based on logic and factual clarity, as opposed to doing so with emotion and feeling.
Finding these potential employees is a challenging task by itself, and retaining the positive members of the workforce is even more difficult. With odd hours and relatively low pay rates, security unfortunately has a reputation for high turnover. Turnover leads to poor customer service and increased costs, and effort diverted to more training and hiring. Minimizing turnover is the responsibility of the security provider. But how does a security company keep its officer’s morale high and make them want to remain part of the workforce? The most important step is ensuring that they feel their work is vital and appreciated; making sure that they understand the reason the client wants a security officer on post and the intent behind each post order. They should see evidence that their reports are read and know that the appropriate authority notes any issues they discover. Together these steps engender a sense of purpose and pride in their work. As with any industry, having higher than average pay rates and consistent hours helps to stave off employee unhappiness. Above all, it is necessary to invest in a high quality management team that listens to its employees and acts upon issues as they arise without delay. |
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