Page 41 - Campus Security & Life Safety, May/June 2021

but a main challenge existed in verifying a person’s access level. An ID card worked well, but access enforcement relied too much on human judgement. It was easy to circum- vent with a friendly excuse, “I lost my ID card; please let me in.”
Here, the intercom allowed security teams to communicate with and assist a visitor or employee who had trouble with their ID card. That person could contact security via the intercom and communicate with them, asking for and receiving assistance.
Today, building security is a sophisticated risk management system that has extended to outside of the immediate building, pri- marily driven by multiple occupancy, the expansion of corporate campuses, and the inclusion of parking and other amenities. And once again, intercom solutions are part of that ecosystem.
Surveillance and asset protection have grown to include not only the exterior of the building, but in many cases, just beyond the immediate fence-line at the perimeter of a property. This is because the physical perim- eter is constantly being pushed out farther. The sooner security teams can interact with visitors, the better.
The same technological and automation drivers that allowed for security and people
management inside the building have been applied to the exterior and perimeter secu- rity roles – gate controls are increasingly automated, and surveillance has gone from people on patrol to video and audio surveil- lance.
Yet, no matter what security technology is in place, the need for human intervention and interaction through voice always remains.
The Importance of Voice
Effective risk management for a facility includes:
• Keeping employees and visitors safe.
• Verifying who enters the premises.
• Protecting assets against vandalism and crime.
• Offering visitors assistance, so they feel welcome and find their way.
• Enabling reduced cost of ownership and efficient management of human resources. All those tasks can only be accomplished
by incorporating a three-component enter- prise security system, which comprises IP video, access control and high-definition voice working together.
Video alone is a reactive system. A secu- rity guard sees something happen and sends someone to respond. By the time that person does respond, the event may be over. Secu- rity is simply left with a record of the event.
Identity management can be thought of as the brains of a security system because it holds data and permissions. It can either keep someone out or invite them in depend- ing upon the data that’s available at the time.
Audio brings video and identity manage- ment together, and the result is a well-round- ed and responsive system that offers action- able insight into potential physical breaches.
Communication is Critical to Secure Buildings
Think about how people hear, are heard, and are understood. From a young age, people have been trained to respond to a voice or a sound. How many times have you turned your head, or paused, when you heard a fire
alarm go off? How often have you seen someone gesturing at you, to get your atten- tion, but you cannot hear them? It is difficult to discern what that individual is trying to tell you if you cannot understand them.
Audio and voice add information to a sit- uation so that you can determine what some- one is trying to communicate. In a safety situation, audio can also detect noises, such as breaking glass or other sounds that are not within direct view of a video camera.
Audio can also prevent harmful situations from happening. Someone waving at you to stop walking into a room may be miscon- strued as them simply saying hello. Only their voice can help you to understand that what they really mean is “Stop! Don’t go in there.”
A secondary verification is another thing that audio can provide. For example, when a security guard sees something via video sur- veillance, no matter how remote, all they have to do is push a button on an intercom solution and talk. If that person is lost or simply needs assistance, security can talk to them and provide directions and reassur- ance. On the other hand, if that person has ill intent, the security officer can interact and even warn them they are being watched and heard. Often, once someone hears a voice and they know they’re being watched; they are more likely to stop and leave the scene.
Facility security has come a long way from elevator operators and reception desks. Security technology has changed, along with the areas that need protection, but it has always included communication and voice. The past days of a bank guard announcing with their presence, “I am here, and you are all safe,” is present today, but in the form of intercom solutions and audio, working together with video surveillance and access control, to deliver an interactive and effective solution that mitigates security and safety risks.
Kelly Lake is the director of global strategic alliances at Zenitel Americas.
By Kelly Lake
The Role of Audio
Security systems require a robust solution to reduce crimes
MAY/JUNE 2021 campuslifesecurity.com 41
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