Page 117 - Security Today, July/August 2022

“Video management software helps retailers assess the harbingers of violence, identify the presence of firearms and configurations of By Keith Abuele weaponry, as well as detect shots fired.”
Leveraging Surveillance
Video provides the tools for operational efficiency and risk mitigation
Mitigating loss is a primary objective of retailers everywhere. Historically, this has meant taking preventive actions against shrinkage, employee theft, and Orga- nized Retail Crime (ORC). Today, 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, Colo., a Federal Express facility in Indianapolis and a Walmart retail distribution center in Califor- nia 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 effectively 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 secu- rity market. Video surveillance serves mul- tiple capabilities beyond security and safety and has tapped into new intelligence includ- ing 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 intruders breaking glass or other predictive behavior by leveraging vio- lence detection analytics throughout the premises.
Video management software helps retail-
ers assess the harbingers of violence, identify the presence of firearms and configurations of weaponry, as well as detect shots fired. Using video surveillance 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 crimi- nal violence, these analytics can provide pre- ventive measures for retailers.
Here are four ways to use your existing camera system to mitigate 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.
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Active Shooter