Page 74 - Security Today, May 2018

INDUSTRY
PROFESSIONAL
With Ralph C. Jensen
ILntegrating Law Enforcement into Security
ongtime law enforcement professional Gawain and business owners who recognized the positive changes that oc- Guedry has joined Total Recall Corporation as a curred in their neighborhoods as a result of the public safety cameras
senior account executive representing the Western
Region of the United States. Based in Las Vegas, Guedry brings invaluable field experience to Total Recall and its parent company, Convergint Technologies.
Guedry served the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for more than 25 years— working various assignments as a patrol officer, detective, and a commercial helicopter pilot and instructor—before achieving the ranks of patrol sergeant, detective sergeant, administrative lieu- tenant, detective lieutenant, and section com- mander. During his work with LVMPD, Gawain
received a Master of Public Administration degree from the Univer- sity of Nevada, Las Vegas and completed Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command.
Jensen: Why did you join Total Recall and Convergint Technologies?
Guendry: The first part of my career was spent in law enforce- ment, as that was my desired profession since I was a young child. For the last seven years of my policing career, I was fortunate to have been part of an incredible team of “technical” law enforcement pro- fessionals. We had many responsibilities related to electronic surveil- lance and technical solutions; however, what brought me the most sense of accomplishment was our team’s role in designing and install- ing a citywide surveillance system for our city. After retiring, it did not take long for me to realize just how much I missed helping our community and serving others.
I researched opportunities in the private industry and quickly identified Total Recall Corp. and its parent company, Convergint Technologies, as leaders in public safety-based video surveillance solutions. They have been providing smart technologies to improve the capabilities of communities for years, they achieve their success through the collaborative efforts of teams of well-educated profes- sionals, and they are companies founded on a core set of values and beliefs, fostering a unified culture of people committed to results.
In this role I can serve multiple communities at once by helping law enforcement and municipal leaders understand the ways public safety technology can improve quality of life for residents and tourists.
Jensen: What is your experience with video surveillance solutions for cities and governments?
Guendry: While working for law enforcement, my team was tasked with learning how to deploy surveillance technology within the city in which our agency had a geographical responsibility.
Early on, we decided to take a slow and methodical approach to the learning and technology deployment process. We sought the assistance of local academic partners; we developed surveys to un- derstand the needs of our residents, business owners, and area-based first responders; we conducted meetings with governmental and non- governmental leaders; and we talked to other municipalities who had deployed similar solutions.
Through this process, we gained a true understanding of what it meant to work together towards the shared goal of improving the qual- ity of life for everyone who resided within, and visited, our community.
In addition, we learned that video surveillance solutions do make a difference when deployed in a manner consistent with the needs of a community. I was privileged to have talked directly with citizens
we installed. I listened to them praise the increased safety aspects as a result of the technology and ask for additional equipment so that other neighbors would also realize the benefits they achieved.
What excites me now is that I have found that the tenets of the process I learned are easily replicated across communities. Law en- forcement and municipal leaders have a shared responsibility of pro- tecting their citizens, protecting their businesses, and ensuring a safe environment for everyone to thrive.
I am fortunate to have first-hand experience in what it takes to suc- cessfully deploy video surveillance solutions within a municipality.
Jensen: What needs to law enforcement, cities and government have that differ from a regulation commercial business?
Guendry: A significant differentiator between government and busi- ness centers is the need for tax revenue as a primary funding source.
Government leaders who had budgetary responsibilities during the economic downturn of 2008 and 2009 garnered an immediate and long-lasting education on the need to maximize value on capital and smaller line-item expenditures.
Having been in a management position with budgetary responsi- bilities during that time, I needed reliable and well-designed techno- logical solutions so that I would not have to worry about replacing equipment before the life expectancy was achieved. Had my team and I not planned and this occurred, it would likely have resulted in a negative impact on other budgetary mandates, potentially reducing or eliminating our ability to meet other needs.
This was another reason I was excited to join the Total Recall team, as they understand the budgetary constraints facing govern- mental leaders. My colleagues have been dedicated to developing so- lutions that are built to last and engineered to provide results that can enhance the capabilities of an organization’s human capital. Maxi- mizing the value of every single tax dollar is critical to government leaders today.
Jensen: Do video surveillance systems for smaller cities differ from the needs of larger cities? How do Total Recall’s Crimeeye prod- ucts service the needs of cities big and small?
Guendry: I do not believe video surveillance needs differ based on the size of a city. All geographies experience crime and disorder, and you can calculate the resulting effect based on population size. While the quantifiable impact is realized through real crime data, it is achieved through the perception of safety by a community’s resi- dents, business owners, and tourists.
Given this, a community member or visitor that feels unsafe in a small city is no different than one who feels unsafe in a large city.
What matters is that governmental leaders identify technological solutions that are designed to last and meet their technical and finan- cial objectives. It is also important they develop a strategic plan to remediate the concerns of those affected by the crime. The solutions can then be scaled based on need and financial capability. This should be the case regardless of a city’s size.
Total Recall’s CrimeEye is a perfect solution for both small and large cities. Given the team’s experience with deploying citywide solu- tions across the country, and having recently been acquired by Con- vergint, the possibilities are endless. Total Recall’s solutions can be deployed on a temporary, semi-permanent, and permanent basis and scaled to meet current and future objectives.
46
0518 | SECURITY TODAY