Security guards - Expert commentary

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...

A US Department of Homeland Security investigation showed that undercover agents defeated airport screening in 95 percent of cases by smuggling mock explosives and weapons past checkpoints. With admirable transparency, U.S. Office of Inspector General (OIG) has described how so-called “Red Teams” posed as regular passengers and exposed inadequate measures at some of the busiest airports across the United States. The revelations came a few days before Body Search 2...

For police, BWCs can significantly improve how evidence is collected by recording the visual and audio actions Body worn cameras (BWCs) are becoming common place in law enforcement. While the spotlight for body cameras is on police in the news, BWCs are also sought after in security-related contracts for airports, campuses, correctional facilities and for private security. It’s quite likely interactions with police or security guards will be recorded (people who re...

When it comes to protecting buildings and property, traditional methods of security—such as structural barriers, security guards, and security cameras—have their limitations.  Advanced laser scanning technology can overcome many of these limitations and provide a safe, reliable, and easy-to-use solution. Overview of laser scanning technology Laser scanning technology for building security applications utilises the time-of-flight method, in which a sensor em...

Potential deployments of video analytics, or my own preferred term “intelligent scene analysis,” are being worked on by some of the best minds at university campuses across the United Kingdom. Later this year I will visit Kingston University whose Digital Imaging Research Centre is one of the largest computer vision groups in Europe. Violence prevention through analytical intelligence Here, I talk to Prof David Marshall of Cardiff University, who describes work...

The nature of crime in general – and particularly types of theft – are changing. Craig Mackey, Deputy Commissioner of London’s Metropolitan Police Service, says falling rates of conventional “property” crime are being of offset by an increase in computer-related crimes. Fall in “property” crime rate Mackey stressed that there has been no “magic bullet” responsible for the pronounced fall in burglaries and other prope...

The trend towards greater unification is facilitated by an all-encompassing shift to IP technologies As more organisations are looking for ways to maximise resources and increase operational efficiencies, unification of multiple security and business systems is gaining popularity. From the central command center, there is significant time lost when operators have to jump from video surveillance to access control systems to analyse an incident and take appropriate measures. Eve...

ASSA ABLOY discussed the importance of securing the critical infrastructure, the building and beyond, at a media press conference April 15 on the opening day of ISC West 2015 in Las Vegas. Martin Huddart, president of ASSA ABLOY’s Access and Egress Hardware Group, based in New Haven, Conn., outlined some of the current and future objectives of the company, which continues to fine-tune its global leadership in door opening solutions while playing a significant role in the future of access...

The industry has to advance in terms of attracting experienced people and paying for that experience Time was, security officers patrolled with walkie-talkies, responding to dispatchers monitoring cameras in the control centre. The post of security officer was a minimum wage job requiring little more than a high school diploma, if that. Educated and experienced security officers a prerequisite No more. “Today, when we read our requests for proposal (RFPs), we’re...

Anything that can incite a crowd surge is a security threat in a sports arena Security at sports stadiums is making headlines across several countries during a week when UBM announced that Protection & Management 2015 (which includes the IFSEC International trade fair) will feature Karren Brady (Baroness Brady), a career soccer executive, as one of its inspirational keynote speakers. As I type, inquests are being held into the deaths of some of the 96 people who were kill...

The security industry has been earning more than its share of accolades for employing military veterans. With big companies such as G4S Secure Solutions employing more than 9,000 veterans in various positions – 22 percent of its workforce – the industry has become distinctly “military friendly.” In fact, the company and rival Allied Barton Security Services were both named 2014 Military Friendly Employers by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs. Both have also won the G...

It’s important for everyone in a high school to wear an ID Handwritten check in and check out books fail to alert the security risks posed by individuals on school campuses. Installing visitor management systems is imperative to screen and manage visitors and thereby enhance the level of safety in schools.  However, it takes training and practice to use school visitor management technologies effectively. Security technologies can go a long way toward making K-12 sc...

Veterans are able to use their skills from the military to help develop strategies Ex-army officers/ military veterans bring considerable skills and invaluable experience to security companies. Not only do they play an important role in frontline positions, but also their exposure to a diverse array of security challenges make them increasingly valuable in formulating security management strategies. At the same time, such companies also offer the veterans an alternative and re...

Many security company employees say they first learned about opportunities in the field through other employees The nation’s security companies are increasingly turning to U.S. military veterans to fill the ranks of both uniformed guards and management personnel. Getting the best former soldiers, airmen and sailors into the civilian workforce requires recruiting, and some of the best recruiters are other veterans. A wide variety of current security company employees say...

You can identify the military veterans among private security guards by the way they wear their uniforms, according to one security company executive. Each veteran looks comfortable in the uniform and exudes a confidence you don’t often see among those without a military background. It comes as no surprise that security companies like to hire veterans – more than practically any other industry. With a growing population of U.S. men and women coming out of the ser...

Third instalment of 4-part series: One question that comes up when talking about security for the cannabis industry is “why aren’t there more companies getting into the business?” While a number of small operators and larger companies have begun offering their services to marijuana retailers, some very big players have largely passed on the opportunity. According to a report by CNNMoney, security giant ADT won't "sell security services to businesses engaged...

With a growing threat from home-grown terrorists, there will be a greater need to protect soft targets as well as to use portable barriers Delta Scientific 2014/2015 Review & Forecast:In 2014, hard targets, such as government facilities, airports, refineries and similar installations continued to boost sales for Delta Scientific by protecting themselves from car- and truck bombers using crash-rated vehicle access control equipment including bollards, barriers, barricades a...

Security costs range far beyond the cost of security technology and security officer salaries Can you account for all of the money you spend on security? Most companies can’t. Do you know how much your company is spending on security? Don’t say yes too fast. Security costs range far beyond what the security director spends on technology and security officer salaries. In 2011, a survey by the Security Executive Council’s Security Leadership Research Institute...

It used to be that the word “lockdown” was only ever used in reference to an emergency protocol to restrict movement in a prison environment. Today however, the term is in common usage in educational and other environments to describe measures taken under certain conditions of threat. In this article, Fernando Pires, VP of Sales and Marketing at Morse Watchmans, explains that lockdowns, along with building evacuation and sheltering procedures, are an integral part of a...

The biometric card provides an easy, low cost way for facilities to provide a biometric upgrade A convenient way to establish higher security within certain areas of a building is an appealing idea to many security directors. Whether it’s to more highly secure the pharmacy lab at a hospital, the laboratory at a government research facility or the tarmac at a small airport, some locations simply need to have more scrutiny paid to who is entering. Going beyond the card onl...

Security officers work diligently to protect people and property and are often first on the scene of an emergency. Working alongside police, paramedics and firefighters, security officers demand our collective respect. The Freedonia Group reports that the demand for security officer and patrol services is forecast to rise at an annual rate of 4.6 percent through 2014 to $25 billion and the number of officers employed by private security firms is expected to increase 2.6 perce...

Companies that have developed a culture of openness can provide and receive feedback at all levels The nail that sticks out gets hammered down” is an old Japanese saying that encourages an unspoken rule of conformity combined with an authoritarian hierarchical structure. Brent O’Bryan, SPHR at AlliedBarton Security Services, explains that a winning formula for both the organisation and an individual is a culture actively exhibiting healthy behaviours and practi...

The security officer is the first responderand therefore the backbone of anyorganization's security stature Customers should carefully consider multiple important factors beyond price when choosing a supplier of security guard services.  In this article, Drew Levine – President of G4S Secure Solutions USA, provides a checklist of points to consider when evaluating security manpower suppliers. From historical reputation and size of the workforce to the professional...