Page 56 - Security Today, October 2017

A Better Defensive Line How U.S. agencies are working toward a more appropriate security line
BIy John Merlino
f I asked you to name the greatest defensive line of all time, what immediately pops into your head? The Steel Curtain of the Pittsburgh Steelers? Maybe the Denver Broncos Orange Crush? While these defensive linemen were certainly legendary, we all recognize that they weren’t infallible. It ultimately required a
team effort to win the day.
The same is true when it comes to border security. When the an-
cient Chinese constructed the Great Wall of China—an architectural feat that stretched across more than 13,000 miles of rugged coun- try and steep mountains—the wall was by no means their only line of defense. The provinces also relied on the protection of a highly skilled military force. Fast forward 2,300 years and border security in countries like the United States not only rely on highly trained law enforcement agencies and physical barriers, but a sophisticated array of technologies designed to prevent unlawful entry.
In the United States, technology has become the essential force multiplier. With nearly 6,000 miles of border with the neighbor- ing north and south, it would be impossible to hire enough border personnel to protect every mile. So in addition to fences, walls and vehicle blockades, the U.S. increasingly relies on a strategic mix of technologies, sensors, radar and thermal detection, biometrics, and video analytics to safeguard the integrity of our borders.
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Deploying Networked Sensors
and Detectors
Post 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has more than tripled the number of Border Patrol agents along U.S. northern and southern frontiers. They’ve also greatly increased the number of sensors embedded in roads and wooded areas near crossings to detect vehicles and people attempting to circumvent legitimate points of en- try. Depending on how they’ve been programmed, they can trigger different actions—sirens, floodlights, loudspeaker announcements, video recording and alerts to border patrols.
Some of the sensor and detector technology you can find cur- rently being deployed at U.S. borders are:
Passive-infrared (PIR). PIR sensors sense the movement of things that radiate heat—people, animals, vehicles and other objects. The typical detection range for PIR sensors is relatively short—approxi- mately 33 feet (10 meters). That’s about one-tenth of the length of a football field or about half the length of a bowling alley lane.
Thermal. Thermal detectors capture the heat signature of ob- jects providing border security with sufficient detail to discern the difference between people, animals and things. Their detection range is considerably longer than PIR, though the field of view is somewhat narrower.
BORDER SECURITY
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