Crime is rampant and criminals seem to have become more brazen day by day. All businesses have become a major target. No one is safe from burglary, be it Banks, Retail Outlets, Commissaries, Schools or Warehouses.
In today’s competitive world, manned security guarding is now an expensive option for securing premises. Organizations have seen the cost rise YOY without any significant increase in efficiency.
Manned guarding by its very nature is subject to human failings, such as lack of concentration, distractions and unplanned absences. Manned guards also have the physical limitation of being able to be in one place at a time resulting in limited coverage. In the event of planned incidents guards can be targeted, as they often have key information about the security procedures.
There is enough anecdotal and confirmed evidence about the poor quality of security personnel, yet many organizations employ guards, as they are regarded as the right security solution to protect their goods and premises. That too, at prohibitively high costs that are a ‘criminal waste’ in today’s competitive business environment.
There is a spurt in businesses adopting either CCTV s and/or Alarm Systems. Read on to find out more…
CCTV s
Does the sight of a surveillance camera prevent a criminal from breaking into a building? The answer is probably NO for a seasoned burglar . Burglary is planned with cameras in mind. As long as the criminal has his or her face covered to prevent being identified, most of them will go ahead with their misdeed.
Surely, CCTV s are necessary. Consider this:
A. CCTV s can be a valuable tool to document a criminal act and identifying the perpetrators at a later time.
B. If people spot CCTV s on premises, they will think twice before attempting any criminal activity. This means that there will be less of chances of shoplifting, thefts and other crimes occurring, and if any of these happen, then you will be given a clear footage that you can use as police evidence.
C. CCTV can also help reduce your liability in case of disputes. With cameras recording the whole incident one will be able to prove that any allegations are false.
However for the ultimate goal to prevent a crime from happening in the first place, CCTV s by itself falls short. It cannot prevent a crime – It only records a crime.
The Alarm System
The Alarm System is yet another tool that helps protect the premises. An Alarm System connects to various sensors that are connected to Shutter, Doors, Windows, and Safes to detect unusual activity. A door open sensor will alert you of a door opening when it should have not. A Shutter Sensor will alert you of a Shutter opening when it should have not. A Glass Break Sensor will alert you of a Glass break incident. A Thermal Sensor will alert you of a Gas Cutting attempt on your safe. A Vibration Sensor will alert you of a Drilling or Hammering attack on your safe. A Motion Sensor will alert you of a Motion in your premises when the motion was not expected.
These alerts are transmitted to you through an SMS or Voice Message. SMS is an unreliable mode of communication for such an important event. A Voice clip alerting you of an incident cannot give you details and cannot answer any of your questions.
However for the ultimate goal to prevent a crime from happening in the first place, Alarm Systems by itself falls short. It cannot prevent a crime – It only Alerts you of a crime.
To prevent a Crime from happening, we need a robust E-Surveillance System with Active Deterrence.
What is active deterrence? How will it help you from preventing theft? Will share the answers in my next blog, till then take care.
