Understanding Criminals to Stop Crime

Catching shoplifters is costly and dangerous according to experts, and is a that liability retailers should avoid. But loss due to shoplifting costs retailers $44 billion annually and is certainly a problem that should be addressed. Experts in the science of crime say the best course of action is to concentrate heavily on deterrence.

Criminals Assess Risk Differently

Do not expect to understand the criminal mind. Even more importantly, do not base your security strategies on what you think they are thinking– because it just won’t work. Criminals do not assess risk the same way as others and what risk they do measure is countered with whatever the perceived advantage in addition to the momentary value, which can include “the thrill of the get”. Criminologists explain that the criminal must “see, get, fear” deterrents— that is they must see them, understand what they do and fear that they work well enough to land them in jail.

Why Deterrence is So Important

Ask any retailer, catching a shoplifter is a lot more difficult than what most people may think. If you suspect a shoplifter, you must have eyes on them from beginning to end and then apprehend them at the last point of sale, or outside the building. Once confronted, the person can become violent and the situation turns dangerous. When you factor in additional costs and risks such as liability issues it is easy to see why a healthy objective would be to deter as much crime as possible in the first place.

2 Important Ways to Thwart Theft

There are two important ways to deter theft. One is by making it too difficult by the use of things like by making it difficult to take an item without notice, such as alarming displays or having the item close to store personnel. The second is by making it too risky by using things like video surveillance and CCTV and having employees make personal contact with each shopper.
These tactics may seem simplistic, but they work with human nature. Criminals know that once they are seen and that eyes are on them it is game over because they are certain to be caught.

The most effective crime deterrent is owning the crime prevention process and fully leveraging security technologies such as video surveillance and CCTV. Security Instrument has been equipping companies since 1960 and understands the retail environment.

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Top Security Camera Tips for Restaurants, Bars, and Nightclubs

Facilities such as restaurants, bars, and nightclubs have some important commonalities when it comes to security issues. They are all busy, serve alcohol, have high customer turnover, high employee turnover and are heavy on cash transactions. These factors all necessitate special security camera considerations, unlike those of other commercial facilities. Having a security system is really not enough. You must have one with the right technologies and components, and then optimize it for the greatest advantage in your specific facility, meeting your unique needs.

If you have a high-traffic venue with heavy cash transactions, consider these valuable tips to boost your security.

Convert to IP or Megapixel  Security Cameras

Businesses such as restaurants and bars deal in large sums of cash and most of them have security cameras monitoring cash handling areas. To have a clear enough picture to consistently ensure that cash is handled properly, use IP or megapixel security cameras which provide the highest resolution possible. HD security cameras are also valuable in aiding law enforcement in facial recognition in the event of a crime.

Pro Tip: Never compromise your security. Always use professionally designed and installed security camera systems, specifically designed your needs.

 

Get the Whole Picture

In busy establishments, it is important to capture the whole picture. Rather than a multitude of fixed security cameras, consider installing a Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ) camera, which can be controlled to cover areas of interest or a 360° camera which can capture all the action without lapses or limitations in the field of vision.

Protect Your Liquor License and in Litigation

Whenever alcohol is served there is the potential for individuals to become less in control, and combative. The industry is rife with claims of slip and fall, assault, or having been over-served and the resulting litigation is costly to the point of jeopardizing even larger businesses.

Equip your facility with enough cameras that you can cover such things as entrances and exits, the condition of floors, and provide a full view of visitors. This will provide verifiable proof of when patrons enter and in what condition. It will also verify the condition of the facility or participants in altercations.

Equip the Security Camera System for Low Light Conditions

The lighting conditions in bars and nightclubs can be challenging and can impact the quality of your security camera footage. To avoid this problem, use cameras that are designed for day and night usage and ones equipped with infrared technologies. Cameras that are ill-fit for the lighting conditions cannot provide the results you might need for confirming activities.

Opt into Remote Monitoring Smart Security Camera Systems

The nature of the job keeps owners and managers busy, and sometimes off premises. Smart security systems provide remote viewing capabilities so you can (nearly) be two places at once. This can allow you to address issues in real-time, even when you are attending to other business matters outside of the facility. This also allows you to view and manage more than one facility at once.

About Security Instrument 

Never compromise your security. Always use professionally designed and installed security camera systems, specifically designed your needs. Security Instrument Corp serves thousands of customers throughout DE, MD, NJ, and PA with advanced security solutions.

 

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3 Proven Security Protocols to Implement This Summer

Students are returning to school soon, so now is the time to re-assess your security practices to improve campus safety. With fewer staff and students, it’s easier to evaluate what’s working and not working with your security plan. Here are three successful security protocols to consider implementing if they aren’t already in place.

Upgrade Inexpensive Security Equipment

Some security repairs and upgrades aren’t as expensive as you think. Functional lighting is critical to campus security. Check all of the lighting on campus around pedestrian sidewalks, buildings, and parking garages and lots.

Also, make sure to upkeep the landscaping properly. Overgrown bushes and trees create perfect hiding places for criminals, and if the lighting is out in these areas, it’s very unsafe.

Dormitory Security

Many sexual assaults, thefts, and robberies happen in or around dormitories. Ensure that all door locks work and that the entries are protected. Add video intercoms so that students and RA’s can visually verify the identity of visitors before letting them into the dorm. Consider adding emergency stations around the dorms so that students can report crimes in progress or emergencies quickly.

Evaluate Areas Where People Can Use a Vehicle as a Weapon

Criminals often utilize vehicles as weapons. Installing concrete or metal bollards prevents  someone from crashing into a crowd of people or a building. These barriers can be designed as concrete planters with flowers in them as well as trashcans or benches.

Put up specialized fencing made from the same material used to stop jets when they land on aircraft carriers. These cables can withstand a large truck driving 50 mph. Line the roadways with this fencing to keep vehicles on the road.

Collaborate with local and campus police to identify problem areas that need attention. Ask for their advice on what’s wrong and what’s changed since they patrol the campus every day. They can provide great advice and work with your security integrator to develop the best safety plan for the school.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is a full-service, independently owned security integrator that offers numerous electronic security options. We serve thousands with commercial and home security in Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

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Proactive v. Reactive: Locking Down Campus Security With A Plan

The end of summer for college students is near, and soon your campus will be filled with thousands of students, faculty, and staff to protect. School threats are on the rise across America. Universities, colleges, and K-12 schools practice fire drills and prepare for health-related incidents and natural disasters but are they prepared for active shooter events? Being proactive instead of reactive is critical when you’re confronted with an active shooter situation.

Plan and Train for Active Shooter Incidents

Most schools don’t think it can happen to them, but that’s not true. Look at Sandy Hook, for example. Who would think that an active shooter would target an elementary school? There are usually no warning signs before an active shooter incident.

Your priority is to train your staff to act swiftly during violent incidents. The more you train, the more prepared they’ll be when confronted with an active shooter or similar event.

Collaborate with local law enforcement and fire and rescue as they will be responding to these types of incidents. Working together with first responders allows everyone to work together without interfering in law enforcement duties and responsibilities. The whole process will work smoother without interference.

Integrating Technology with a Security Plan

There are a couple of ways to integrate technology with your security plan to increase your ability to manage or prevent active shooter incidents. Gunfire detection technology is an excellent security addition. Microphone sensor nodes in these systems detect gunshots and can lock doors and activate surveillance cameras in the area. They immediately send alerts and live video feed to law enforcement and security personnel.

Mass notification systems are also critical to efficiently notify people in the system of incidents in progress. These systems are much more efficient than other communication methods.

Access control is also a key security system to integrate with the rest of your security equipment. It can prevent a shooter from entering buildings, reducing casualties. It’s not hard to install and cost-effective. Access control also minimizes perimeter breaching.

The crucial take away from all of this is to prepare and plan for the inevitable. It can happen to your campus.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is a full-service, independently-owned security integrator that offers numerous electronic security options. We serve thousands with commercial and home security in Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

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Gunshot Detection: What Is It?

In 2015, there were 371 mass shootings in the United States. Mass shooting incidents are difficult to plan for because they happen in seconds, and no business, university campus, or municipality is the same. Technology now has an excellent solution to locate active shooters so that law enforcement and first responders can stop the threat sooner and render aid to victims.

Gunshot Detection Basics

This technology certainly isn’t new. In fact, the government researched gunfire detection in World War I. However, the technology has vastly improved the system’s sensors.

The system alerts authorities in seconds to dramatically reduce response time to active shooter incidents. Gunshot detection analytics use microphone sensor nodes to detect gunfire. Once the analytics detect gunshots, they can also automatically activate surveillance cameras to live-stream video of the event. The system then immediately sends the information to law enforcement and security personnel.

Some of these systems send the information to a command center where experts verify the audio in seconds. In other systems, the analysis of the audio happens right inside the sensor node.  Some vendors that supply the technology claim that the system is so sensitive that it can identify the type of firearm. It can also detect the number of shots fired.

There are four primary types of gunshot detection systems:

  • Mobile
  • Fixed
  • Outdoor
  • Indoor

Benefits of Gunshot Detection Analytics

Safety directors say that the technology has drastically changed how they respond to incidents involving active shooters. Staff and employees receive alerts from the system much faster than alarm activations or phone calls. As a result, the response time for law enforcement and security personnel has significantly decreased.

Some cities find the system useful for more than just mass shooting incidents. Information received from these systems led to the investigation and arrest of a man who possessed a firearm illegally and had outstanding warrants for his arrest. The data these systems provide is invaluable.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is a full-service, independently-owned security integrator that offers numerous electronic security options. We serve thousands with commercial and home security in Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

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Preparing Faculty to Respond to School Emergencies

In today’s school security climate, many administrators assume that faculty and staff will intuitively respond appropriately to an emergency. However, this is not a wise assumption. When the pressure is on because of a viable threat, school employees need a clear set of guidelines to follow – and these guidelines should be implemented long before the emergency happens. This summer, school administrators can prepare for a potential emergency by taking the following three out-of-the-box approaches.

1. Train Them to Use Equipment

When new security equipment is installed, administrators are not the only ones who need to be trained in its use. Schools can hold an in-service day with faculty and staff that trains them on the way video surveillance systems, access control systems and alarms around the campus work. When equipment has been in place for years but is currently being upgraded, that is also a great time for staff to be trained. The knowledgeable technicians of your security integrator can assist with this training.

2. Hold Demo Days and Drill

Just as the students are trained to react via fire drills, faculty and staff can be trained to react to a security emergency via mock incidents that cover a variety of potential scenarios. During these drills, equipment that should be demoed includes the following: the mass notification system to rehearse how the lead will communicate to the campus during the emergency, the electronic locks to mimic a lockdown of the campus, and the alarm system to prepare for how the audible alarms will be used in a given emergency scenario. By understanding how the equipment will operate in an emergency, faculty can be more mentally prepared when seconds count.

3. Designate Points, Prepare to Train Students

Around the campus, there are places that can be official safe zones – for example, classrooms that can be designated as places for students to barricade themselves in the event of an emergency. These places should be communicated to faculty during summer security training, and this information can then be passed down to students once classes begin. Students should engage in drills as early as possible in the school year, so they can be aware of security protocols from the beginning of the school year on.

By getting serious about school security during the summer, campus faculty can be better prepared when it matters most. To speak with an experienced security integrator that can help, contact Security Instrument.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is a full-service, independently-owned integrator that offers numerous options to mitigate school emergencies in Delaware. We serve thousands of electronic security customers located throughout Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

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Why Summer is the Perfect Time to Fine Tune Campus Security

School’s out for summer, but the work goes on for administrators who are on duty year-round. One of the most important things school administrators can do during the summer months is fine tune their school security policies. When partnering with the security integrators who are contracted to do the work, school administrators can update security policy for the benefit of the students and staff alike. Here are some ways to get started.

1. Schedule a Campus Risk Assessment 

During the summer break, administrators can hold a risk assessment for the school campus that involves looking at the expected enrollment for the next year – and, takes into account any changes that may have occurred over the past school year in terms of class sizes, staff turnover, or security-specific events.

2. Focus on Best Practices

Today’s best practices call for layers of security on campus, in order to inhibit potential criminals from entering classroom buildings. For example: Limiting visitors to a single point of entry into the main building, and ensuring that all fences, gates and even signage around campus funnels the incoming traffic to that single entry point. Another example is to implement electronic measures such as electronic locks and mass notification systems.

3. Consider Additional Measures

Access control systems are not just for private corporations; they are also for school campuses – public, private and charter alike. With an access control system, students and staff are required to swipe a simple credential (perhaps their school-issued ID card) in order to be granted entry by the electronic portal.

Campus risk assessment can include determining which outdoor points need added cameras to ensure all-points surveillance on campus. It can also involve determining which indoor areas need surveillance, such as stairwells and locker rooms.

 

4. Take the Measures to Another Level

With an access control system, schools can keep watch lists for administrators to record the names of potential unwanted visitors. This list can include disgruntled ex-employees, non-custodial parents of students, and personal friends of students who have no reason to be on campus.

5. Implementing or Enhancing Video Surveillance

The time for all schools to implement video surveillance systems is now. For campuses that already have camera systems, enhancing them is a measure that can also take place over the summer. For example, the campus risk assessment can include determining which outdoor points need added cameras to ensure all-points surveillance on campus. It can also involve determining which indoor areas need surveillance, such as stairwells and locker rooms.

Summer is undoubtedly the perfect time of year to fine tune school security. For questions on these security policy updates or inquiries about additional measures, contact Security Instrument for a complimentary campus assessment.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is a full-service, independently-owned integrator that offers numerous electronic security options. We understand school security in Delaware, and we serve thousands of customers throughout Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

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Assessing the Risks and Vulnerabilities of Your Campus

When school is out for the summer, that’s when large campuses can turn their focus to developing a security plan for the coming school year. It’s a challenge, but a necessary endeavor.

Because campuses range in size, population, number of buildings and amount of open space, there is no one-size-fits-all model for securing them. But by taking a multi-layered approach, a school’s security department can determine which types of security can best work for the campus’s needs.

Layer #1:AddressImmediate Needs

Many times, campuses address their security plans after a recent threat. If that is the case, then the first order of business is to examine whether there are any measures that could have prevented the incident, electronic or otherwise. Often, these measures include better security at the entry point that was used to gain access to the campus.

Layer #2: Identify Other Campus Security Challenges

If there is no recent security incident, then the next step is to reflect on other campus security challenges. What types of incidents present themselves on the campus? The security department should pull all available reports to find out which campus security violations occur the most often.

Because campuses range in size, population, number of buildings and amount of open space, there is no one-size-fits-all model for securing them.

Layer #3: Identify Problem Locations

Where do those violations occur? Do most of the burglaries occur in dorm rooms or classrooms? Do most of the assaults take place behind buildings or in parking lots? Knowing the answers to these questions will help the department determine where cameras should be monitoring the premises.

Layer #4: Consider Outside Traffic

How often do students leave campus, and what are the outside establishments they frequent? Are there policies in place to limit visitors – especially in the evening? Updating the security plan is the perfect occasion for adding or adjusting visitor policies.

Layer #5: Ask Your Integrator for Advice

When a campus is working with an experienced security integrator, that external perspective can prove to be highly valuable. An outside consultant brings a fresh eye to a project that day-to-day security staff may overlook, with insights on where additional trouble spots may be.

Sometimes, updating the campus security plan is a reality check on the school’s risks and vulnerabilities. Regardless, it’s work that must be done in order to provide students and staff with the safest environment possible. To speak with an experienced security integrator about this, contact Security Instrument. We will be glad to meet you for a complimentary campus security assessment.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is a full-service, independently-owned integrator that offers numerous home security options. We are a Delaware Valley security company that serves thousands of customers located throughout Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

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Valentines Weekend Security Tips For Your Business

For a business that caters to Valentine’s Day shoppers, diners or spectators, the most romantic weekend of the year may actually be the riskiest. If you own a restaurant, retail establishment or destination property, check out these tips on Valentine’s weekend security for your business.

LIGHTS LOW, CAMERAS ON

Your dining room may have the lights down low, but your wireless IP video cameras should still be rolling. On a high-traffic night like Valentine’s Day, the security risks are higher and your vigilance should be as well. While you’re busy watching the floor, supervising the staff or managing the reservation list, keep your virtual keypad app handy to remotely access your interior and exterior cameras. Record clips that look suspicious, view images that pique your interest and have clips emailed to you for future reference if necessary.

MIND THE STORE

If you own a retail establishment that’s in high demand on February 14, then it’s a day to amp up security measures during peak hours. Own a jewelry store? The same guideline about your cameras applies, and it may not be a bad idea to have the entire staff on hand that day. Florists, thieves may not be in the market for roses – but they are prone to act on days they know will be profitable for you. After all, they want to get their hands on as much register cash as possible. So whether you sell 24 karat gold, flowers or heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, be on high alert this Valentine’s Day.

CLOSE CAREFULLY

How about businesses that don’t provide the services Valentine’s Day is famous for? Those establishments are at risk too. Maybe you plan to close up early because Valentine’s Day is a notoriously slow day or evening. If so, be sure to check all entrances to make sure locks are securely in place and cameras are operating. Then, don’t forget to arm your system before you leave. Don’t like giving your employees the alarm code? Pull out your phone and use your virtual keypad to do it yourself, from wherever you happen to be.

No matter what business you’re in, your security system can be indispensable this Valentine’s Day. To learn more, contact Security Instrument and request a free security consultation.

ABOUT SECURITY INSTRUMENT

Security Instrument is Delaware’s largest full-service independently-owned security company, serving thousands of customers throughout Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

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What is Biometric Access Control and is it Right For My Business?

Exchanging outdated door locking hardware with a wireless access control system is one of the smartest ways to upgrade the security at an enterprise of any size. At this point, it’s inarguable that the ability to replace keys with electronic credentials has transformed commercial security for the better.

But is there an access control option for organizations that want even more advanced systems? There sure is. It’s biometric access control, and it takes standard access control into cutting edge territory.

What is Biometric Access Control?

A biometric access control system is powered by infrared technology, which it uses to verify the identities of individuals who attempt to enter the controlled building or area. Often, biometric access control is associated with fingerprint scanning. True, fingerprint authentication is one of the most popular biometric ID technologies; however, biometric access control encompasses everything from facial recognition to retina eye scanning.

Using this technology, biometric access control confirms the identity of employees and other approved individuals entering an area; this may be contractors, vendors, or frequent visitors who exist in the database. These systems are designed to verify identities quickly and precisely, even when lighting is low. It is also designed to scan simultaneous subjects, so that groups of people entering at or around the same time can be authenticated one by one in seconds. This makes biometric access control perfect for large employers, public buildings and other applications where groups of people are entering in waves throughout the day.

Biometric Access Control Applications

At this point, you may be thinking that biometric access control is exclusively for high-profile locations. True, sensitive locations do benefit from it – but biometric access control can fit a variety of applications. Everything from aviation, to finance, to manufacturing, to healthcare regularly benefits from biometric access control technology. Even childcare is becoming an emerging opportunity for access control. With all these trades incorporating sites of different sizes and levels of security vulnerability, this underscores the wide range of needs access control can fill.

When it’s time to consider enhancing building security with biometric access control, Delaware Valley organizations can contact Security Instrument for a complimentary consultation. We will be glad to speak with you.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument is a full-service, independently-owned security integrator that offers numerous electronic security options. We serve thousands with commercial and home security in Delaware, MD, NJ & PA.

 

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