In her Editor’s Note published in the January/February 2020 Campus Safety magazine, Robin Hattersley reminds us all of the power of seeking professional advice when lives are at stake. Would you go to a pharmaceutical company to advise you about health concerns that you have? Would you invest in health equipment based on a good sales pitch? Why should effective …
What is Your Security Culture?
These two signs provide the same basic security advice. What makes them different? The culture of the organization. The sign on the left appears in parking decks owned by the City of Raleigh. Similar signs are found in other municipal, government, and public parking lots and decks. “Lock-Take-Hide” is a good, quick reminder to protect vehicles and property in parking …
Reflections on Virginia Beach
Friday was a very sad day for the city of Virginia Beach as well as our country. Yet another senseless and tragic mass shooting has taken place and has left us with many questions. Why did this happen? How did this happen? Finally, what could have been done to prevent this from happening? Hearts are broken and loved ones have …
Lighting at the End of the Rabbit Hole: How to Determine Appropriate Lighting Levels as Part of a Total Security Program
Beginning Down the Rabbit Hole We all know the use of lighting alone does not stop crime, but the effects of good lighting coupled with additional security measures have been shown to reduce the occurrence of crime. Lighting can elicit an emotional response, providing a level of confidence and the feeling of security. It can also provide a decrease in …
Perimeter Security
Every security program must be an integrated whole and each element must grow out of the specific needs dictated by the circumstances affecting the facility to be protected. Nevertheless, the first and basic defense is still the outer perimeter of the facility. Planning this defense is neither difficult nor complicated, but it is the product of common sense. Whereas the …
Security Threat Assessments for Education
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 …
Security Threat – Consider the Extremes
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 …
US Cargo Theft – A Five‐Year Review
Where are the vulnerabilities in the supply chain? When and where are goods the most at risk in during shipping? FreightWatch, a logistics security services company, analyzed five years of cargo theft statistics as a way to answer these questions. They produced a report that provides security and loss prevention personnel with information about trends in cargo theft, allowing companies …
‘Dirty Dozen’ Unsecured Smartphones
On November 21, 2011, Bit9 released its ‘Dirty Dozen’ of unsecured smartphones for 2011. The following is an excerpt of that news release: New Report on Most Vulnerable Mobile Platforms Reveals Orphaned Android Phones Pose Serious Risk to Privacy and Security… 11.21.11 – Waltham, Mass. – Bit9, the market leader in advanced threat protection and server security software, today published …