Page 22 - Security Today, September 2020

The Rise and Sophistication of Mobile Apps in Physical Security Sector
Technology helps support security, safety and emergency management programs By James K. Lantrip
Safety and security risks are everywhere including the office, schools, concerts, retail malls and hospitals. However, security profes- sionals, who are tasked with protecting the public, can’t be everywhere at all times and they require timely information in or- der to prevent potential incidents. Security professionals are trained to know when a person, or group of people are acting sus- picious. They see, hear and learn things every day that could help prevent a safety or security incident from happening. In fact, many incidents have early-warning predicators that are observable and these incidents can help be prevented with the right technology tools and techniques.
While well-trained security profession- als will always remain the steadfast foun- dation of security programs, advance- ments in technology that are accessing easy-to-use apps can enhance their ability to gather intelligence and protect the facil- ity. Blended personnel and technology so- lutions can create efficiencies, target secu- rity efforts and give security directors the power to make informed decisions that de- liver even greater return on their security investment. From tour management sys- tems and access control systems, to mobile reporting and facility-wide alert systems, technology helps support security, safety and emergency management programs in many ways.
Data collection. Tour management sys- tems using mobile devices allow security officers to capture data in real time. Au- tomated instructions and questions can be set up for security professionals to answer at each checkpoint, such as entrances, escalators and emergency callboxes. For example, a security professional on daily tours can be prompted monthly to docu- ment fire extinguishers’ inspection dates, essentially combining two tasks and pro- viding additional value.
Streamlined reporting. Data obtained at checkpoints can be easily analyzed
“Security professionals are trained to know when a person, or group of people are acting suspicious.”
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through simple reports to identify opera- tional risks. These risks might include pol- icy issues, such as specific doors repeatedly being left unlocked; safety issues, such as recurring hazards at specific elevators; or maintenance needs, such as inoperative callboxes.
Actionable information. Technology supports security strategy and enables optimized security officer deployments, precise post orders, directives for specific threats and countermeasure deployment to enhance security in areas where it is needed most. For example, incident man- agement systems can identify sites and time ranges of incident volume based on historical data in the system. This can help determine security staffing levels and result in safer facilities and improved risk mitigation, reducing costs to the facility.
The walls between physical security and cyber security are coming down with worlds converging. Today’s security pro- fessional accesses high-performance apps from their mobile phone or tablet which
enhance productivity, accountability and access to vital information. Consider a se- curity warning about a predator on cam- pus which is shared with a physical secu- rity team who are able to take action and ensure that a threat doesn’t become a trag- edy. What about an access control system that registers an employee physically swip- ing access into their Washington, D.C. office while their cyber presence is being registered in Jacksonville,
Florida? Or telemetry collected from cameras which alerts to suspicious activity which empowers on-the-ground security professionals to take action? Security pro- fessionals are able to gather all this infor- mation via the newest and most efficient breed of mobile apps available.
AI AND APPS
Integrated solutions are going beyond the outdated “detect and respond” model of risk management to become an ecosys- tem that provides a comprehensive safety and security solution with artificial intel-
MOBILE APPS
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