Page 48 - Security Today, March/April 2024

Anti-Loitering Security By Ronnie Pennington
L Joel/stock.adobe.com
oitering is generally not considered a crime with few instances of arrests reported nationally, but it is becoming an increasing
problem for a multitude of reasons. One being the use of private spaces such as public-faced restrooms for drug use, other forms of illicit behavior, or as safe havens where homeless individuals are seeking shelter and protection from the elements. In any case, the misuse and prolonged oc- cupancy of publicly accessible spaces pre- vents them from being accessed for their intended purposes by legitimate users.
In addition to causing an inconvenience to patrons and employees, the misuse of these spaces increases maintenance and upkeep costs and poses potential liabilities for their respective owners – whether it be a local municipality or a corporation.
INCREASE IN INCIDENTS
The increase in incidents involving public facing spaces has driven the demand for cost-effective and reliable means of detecting when access to these areas occurs, and how long the spaces are being occupied. Otherwise, it becomes difficult if not impossible to determine when an individual occupied a specific area such as a restroom, and how long they have been inside.
The challenge with conventional forms of monitoring and/or limiting entry to public facing areas conflicts with the in- tent to maintain free access to spaces that should be accessible to the public. This is further compounded by the challenge and often mandated obligation to respect indi- viduals’ rights to privacy. In most instanc- es, this all but automatically precludes the use of traditional access control and video surveillance solutions, and the deployment of staff at every public facing area is sim- ply inefficient on many levels.
It is no secret that new IoT sensor tech- nologies have been finding their way into a multitude of professional and consumer products, including many new and innova- tive security and business intelligence ap- plications. But these sensors are inherently engineered for integration into more com- plex and often expensive electronic systems – like access control and video surveillance – and not as stand-alone solutions.
This can make deployment of IoT sen- sors too costly for most applications where they are most needed and would prove to be most beneficial.
DRIVING THE DEMAND
Consequently, the market is driving demand for new versatile and cost- effective stand-alone occupancy alert solutions, as more organizations across the country are being forced to deal with issues and liabilities related to publicly accessible spaces. Altronix responded with the development of a new, somewhat simple and highly affordable and effective solution called TempoA2. Designed with an integral two-stage timer, these new occupancy sensors are activated by an optical strike plate on the door to indicate when the door to a room or space is closed.
The sensor can issue an alert that the space has been occupied and activates a timer, preprogrammed for a specific dura- tion of time. When the door is opened, the timer is cancelled. But if the preset dura- tion is exceeded, the sensor issues a second alert. The timer can be programmed for different two-staged alerts with multiple outputs to accommodate diverse types of notification devices – from simple stand- alone lights and sounders to integration with access control and/or video systems that already may be in place.
Additionally, one TempoA2 can be de- ployed to monitor two adjacent protected areas. This stand-alone, simple to deploy occupancy solution is ideal for public fac- ing facilities that typically have more than one restroom on premise, as is common in most retail establishments, convenience stores, restaurants, universities, sports ven- ues, parks and recreation areas. TempoA2 occupancy sensors can also be equipped with Altronix LINQ network communica- tions to issue real-time remote alarms and status information, along with normal traffic activity monitoring.
In addition to resolving challenges with public facing restrooms, new occu- pancy sensor solutions like the TempoA2 provide a cost-effective solution for a wide range of vertical applications. A few ex- amples include deployment in banks to monitor traffic in bank vaults; pharmacies to ensure areas with controlled substances are secured; dressing rooms in both large and small retail establishments; nursing rooms and pods commonly found in ven- ues like airports and houses of worship; and even for operational areas like walk in freezers found in most supermarkets and food processing plants to help ensure that freezer doors remain closed to protect valuable inventory.
These are just some of the applications for these new versatile and cost-effective occupancy sensors, that
simply make good busi-
ness sense.
Ronnie Pennington is the director of sales for the Americas at Altronix Corporation.
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