Page 22 - Security Today, May/June 2022

Leveraging Surveillance Video provides the tools for operational efficiency and risk mitigation
By Keith Abuele
john vlahidis/Shutterstock.com
Mitigating loss is a primary objective of retailers everywhere. Historically, this has meant taking preventive actions against shrinkage, employee theft, and Organized Retail Crime (ORC). To- day, retailers are confronted with a new threat as a rise in active shooter incidents has presented new challenges.
Several incidents in the past few years, such as the shootings at a King Souper’s supermarket in Boulder, CO, a Federal Express facility in Indianapolis and a Walmart retail distribution center in California are examples of new threats that present safety and security issues for customers, associates and the general public.
These incidents are not isolated to retail, however, and it is a growing nationwide trend of both random and directed attacks making the daily news. The pandemic has also escalated tensions among store-going consumers, while simultaneously seeing the proliferation of self-checkouts, another asset retailers need to ef- fectively manage.
VIDEO MOVES BEYOND SURVEILLANCE
With mass shootings on the rise, shopper and worker safety is at the forefront of every discussion by end users in the physical security market. Video surveillance serves multiple capabilities beyond security and safety and has tapped into new intelligence including active shooter detection.
Layering technology and culling data from camera streams can augment detection and provide early warning of potential breaches and events, tracking suspicious activity such as intrud- ers breaking glass or other predictive behavior by leveraging vio- lence detection analytics throughout the premises.
Video management software helps retailers assess the harbin- gers of violence, identify the presence of firearms and configura- tions of weaponry, as well as detect shots fired. Using video sur- veillance and cameras tied to analytics quickly creates enhanced critical situational awareness – while next-steps are delivered to
users in a formulated response approach. Coupled with protocols and tools to address active shooters and armed criminal violence, these analytics can provide preventive measures for retailers.
Here are four ways to use your existing camera system to miti- gate risk, increase business viability and address active shooter detection and prevention.
BE PROACTIVE WITH PRE-INCIDENT DETECTION — ENGAGE PREEMPTIVE DETECTION AND ALERTS Critical to any security and safety strategy is identifying events before they escalate and keeping threats at the farthest reaches of the protected premises whenever possible.
Video surveillance is your ally in early detection of active shooter events. Leveraging analytics and pre-incident intelligence yields early warnings to retail organizations of potential weap- ons on the premises, in addition to acoustic gunshot detection that identifies the discharge of a firearm. Shotgun and weapon analytics determine the sound of a discharged weapon. Separate analytics actually identify a weapon based on its configuration.
Analytics identifies weaponry and provides a quick-reaction management sequence so users can alert local law enforcement, other responding authorities or staff or company management while providing as many specifics as possible to mitigate potential loss associated with the event.
When a weapons threat is detected in the camera’s field of view, the attendant or operator managing the system receives an automatic pop-up alert and can immediately click on the cam- era view for greater detail, along with directions, phone number, contact person or other next steps. For brick and mortar stores without a Security Operations Center (SOC) or dedicated com- mand center, the system can be adapted and the software scaled specifically to the retailer, and the alert sequence required to no- tify remote staff or other company staff can be customized.
MAKE IT YOUR OWN — CONFIGURE AND CUSTOM- IZE ALERTS SPECIFIC TO YOUR FACILITY AND DE- CIDE HOW YOU WANT THE RESPONSE TO PLAY OUT No retailer or location is the same. Some are massive distribution centers, while others may be simple pop-up stores or “shop and go” grocers. There may be SOCs, or a desktop computer fielding alerts and notifications. Each location has different needs, chal- lenges and pain points and users need the ability to determine how to navigate and clear the alert, based on their unique opera- tions, facility and other risk factors.
Open architecture video management software tailors the col- lection and dissemination of data specific to the user and their facility for a more targeted response. Retailers need software that can seamlessly accelerate and enhance an existing or future emer- gency response program, whether localized at the store level or handled nationally.
ENSURE A FLEXIBLE AND CUSTOMIZABLE AP- PROACH TO INCIDENT RESPONSE
The VMS detects or determines a threat, takes the data and then
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