What are the hidden costs of security problems? On Wednesday, April 10, 2013, staff members at the Louvre in Paris staged a protest, and the museum did not open. (Read the full story from the BBC here.) They were not protesting about wages, benefits, or hours. They were protesting about a security problem. Pickpockets are apparently a huge problem at …
On January 22, 2013, gunshots were heard on the North Harris campus of Lone Star College System. It was later learned that an altercation between two individuals (one of whom may have been a student) had escalated to gun violence. The shooters were injured along with an innocent bystander. Incidents such as this immediately bring to mind topics such as …
In an ideal world, our schools, colleges, and universities would be immune from the threats and challenges that affect other businesses and institutions. Unfortunately, we do not live in an ideal world. Academic institutions are cross-sections of society and bear the same responsibilities for the safety and security of their populations and infrastructure. This cross-section brings with it all the …
When evaluating what security concern to address first, where do you begin? Consider the probability and criticality of an event, and assign values based on standard criteria. Probability 5 Almost certain. Barring major changes in circumstances, this event will occur or will occur frequently compared to other events. Or, historically, an event of this type has already occurred. 4 Very …
The human component of an integrated security plan can be in one or more of several forms. These forms become choices that need to be addressed depending on the mission, environment, culture, population, and security philosophy of the organization and specifically the site to be protected. In this context, the term “armed” is intended to mean “equipped with firearms and …
As integrated security systems become more prevalent within the corporate, healthcare and government industries, security directors and mangers rely more heavily on their security integrator to verify that all systems work together properly, seamlessly, and as designed. Once an installation has been completed by the integration company, it is recommended that a third-party commission the entire system. This step is …
Weather-related emergencies create an operational environment in which the security department may have to stand alone for minutes, hours, or days without significant assistance from outside agencies. Although relatively localized on a broad geographic scale, a weather emergency may affect everyone and everything in a specific area. The scope of such disasters often overwhelms public safety response for hours or …
When we assess the security of our customers, employees, facilities and products, we usually look at the obvious problems. Depending on the environment, we expect what is considered the “normal” security threat. In a retail store environment, we may consider security measures that will keep the customers and employees safe, such as taking measures to keep someone from getting hurt …
Picture Perfect™, one of the most powerful, proven and widely deployed security management systems in the world is being absorbed by the competition. We all saw it coming, with the acquisition of GE Security by United Technologies Corporation (UTC), and now the “end of support” looming toward the end of 2015. It sounds like a long time, but to transition …
Over the last couple weeks we have had too many examples of workplace violence and the devastation and the long-term impact it has on the business and the community. As security consultants, we partner with clients to protect their assets, and two of the most critical assets that any company has are its people and its reputation/brand. With that said, …