Page 20 - Security Today, November/December 2021

Today’s “Eyes and Ears” Technology keeps government and military facilities safer than ever
BAy John Merlino
ction movies like White House Down and Olympus Has Fallen have enjoyed a resurgence in recent years. Like all action movies,
they have a high degree of entertainment value, but what sets them apart is the setting. These movies depict attacks on the White House and other government buildings, something that has long been unthinkable for American audiences. Unfortunately, the unprecedented breach of the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6 has dramatically changed that perception.
The assault on the capitol underscores the critical importance of securing government buildings. The events of Jan. 6 will not soon be forgotten, and they serve as a sobering reminder of the vigilance necessary to address this very real threat. Fortunately, advanced audio and video solutions today have put cutting-edge “eyes and ears” technology in the hands of security teams, ensuring that government and military facilities are prepared to quickly and effectively deal with incidents ranging from employee misconduct to active shooter situations.
UNDERSTANDING THE THREAT LANDSCAPE
How security technology deployment tends to depend on the industry and specific facility in question. Hospitals might use surveillance cameras and access control stations to monitor patient status and secure vulnerable areas like maternity or infectious disease wards. Schools might use access control to secure the premises, with facial recognition and two- way intercoms to facilitate streamlined access for authorized staff. Retail stores might focus on loss prevention and traffic analysis, while casinos focus on employee compliance. Depending on the industry, video and audio solutions are versatile in terms of deployment.
This poses an interesting challenge for government and military facilities, which must be prepared for all eventualities. While the Jan. 6 riot was a high-profile example of the type of threats that government
facilitiesmustbepreparedtoface,thetruth is that they must also be prepared for the more common, everyday security threats as well. Like schools, government facilities must deal with the threat of violent incidents. Like hospitals, military facilities mustbepreparedtosafeguarddangerous materials and protect their employees from harm. Like retail stores, both must be prepared to prevent their assets (and in the government’s case, their secrets) from falling into the wrong hands.
This need for a comprehensive and seemingly all-encompassing approach to security means that there is no “one-size-fits- all”solutionforgovernmentandmilitary facilities, but the beauty of today’s security technology often lies in its adaptability. In many cases, the same technology is customized to secure hospitals, schools and other facilities to fit the specific needs of the government and military.
MODERN VIDEO SOLUTIONS
HAVE CHANGED THE FACE OF SURVEILLANCE
Today’s IP camera solutions have revolutionized video surveillance. In the
past, the primary use of surveillance cameras was to record incidents so the tape could be reviewed after the fact. While this might help law enforcement identify a perpetrator, in most cases, the damage had been done.
Unfortunately, even with large numbers of cameras deployed, human limitations still came into play. No matter how diligent or observant, an employee tasked with watching dozens of security feeds on a bank of wall monitors will not notice everything.
The advent of advanced analytics has changed that. When it comes to securing a government or military building, responding to an incident after the fact is no longer enough. Today, IP cameras can be equipped with analytics tools that can detect potential security events in real- time, while also sending an alert to the appropriate party. This has the potential to decrease response time dramatically— or even bring security staff to the scene before there is any damage.
Constituting a “security event” can be strictly defined. It might mean the presence of an intruder after working
20
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | SECURITY TODAY
GOVERNMENT SECURITY
Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock.com