Security risks of all types are on the rise, including gang violence, terrorism and cybercrime, to name just a few. Risks to your private business are also on the rise, but, relative to these other high-profile security risks, what government agency has the time?
Law enforcement is already strained trying to meet multiple threats to life safety, while prosecutorial and incarceration resources are over capacity. All of which means even the criminals that are apprehended and sentenced are rapidly returned to the streets: better trained in their craft, with better connections to fence the goods they’ve stolen, all thanks to their brief stint inside. To help you protect your warehouse or property from commercial burglaries, we will be discussing the process of implementing a layered security system to protect your equipment or inventory from theft.
Allocating ample resources to law enforcement will likely take time: American corporations still tend to invest in society somewhat retroactively and begrudgingly. Businesses throughout the United States on our staff to content and evaluate threats on their property. Our team is continuously collaborating with organizations to develop security protocols that align with their budgets.
The key, as any security professional knows, is to use multilayered security solutions that work together synergistically to Deter, Detect and Delay any criminal. Because of strained law enforcement resources, the emphasis must be on deterrents.
What Are Various Layers of Security That may Be Useful to My Organization?
- Lighting: Always an important first step that is often overlooked. How inviting to mischief is your site at night, relative to your neighbors?
- Perimeter: Much like termite control, establish a strong perimeter to keep the bad guys away from your assets. The more you invest in this layer of security, the less you must invest in the interior.
- Basic fence: Make sure you buy a good, commercial grade product installed by a commercial grade installer. Consider adding barbed and razor wire for additional deterrence if you don’t invest in an electric security fence.
- Electric fence: If you are in a high crime area or have high-value assets stored outdoors, install a multilayered, solar-powered electric fence.
- Access control such as motorized gates is a plus, as is any other way to record access to your property in “off hours”.
- Barriers: If your assets are “drivable” heavy equipment (i.e., trucking, running auctions, tool and equipment rental companies) these are a great idea.
- Security Guards: Having made the investment in solid perimeter physical deterrent layers, the next deterrent layer of security is a security guard. They can be one of the most expensive security layer options and are of variable quality. Options are evening guards, weekend guards and 24/7 guards.
Detect Crime: Layers of Security to Catch Crime As it Happens
- Building Intrusion Detection: Modern motion detectors are more valued than door and window contacts. Given their modest cost, it doesn’t hurt to invest in both of these products
- Video Monitoring. While the best use of video monitoring is alarm verification, it can also play a role in detection.
- Recording on site helps reduce commercial burglaries carried out by your own employees, but is of modest value when it comes to external theft.
- Alerts to you, or preferably a third-party monitoring center, can be helpful in weeding out the false alarms from the criminal alerts.
What Can You Do to Get the Most Value From a Layered Security System?
- If you have multiple sites, rate the relative security risk and invest in a layered security solution for your high risk properties. See our upcoming blog on how to do this.
- Develop a policy to store your highest value materials indoors, or at least in a more protected area; i.e., in well-lit regions visible from the road. Obstruct access to this area in any way possible.
- Maximize the size of your battery backups to minimize your risk during a power outage; ideally, use a solar powered electric security fence and perimeter system if possible
- Use wireless communication with alarm companies to eliminate a common single point of vulnerability.
- Train, retrain, and maintain your investments. No matter what your original plan was, absent of continuous retraining and maintenance, your layered security system and plan will fail.
- Continually assess your attractiveness and vulnerability with your neighbors’ property to your own. Just as you compete with your neighbors for business and recruitment, you are competing with them for the criminal’s attention. (But in this competition, you want to lose.)
A well-planned synergistic investment in a layered security system will protect your people, property, productivity, profits, reputation and, quite possibly, your job.
If you have questions about implementing layered security in your environment, click below to speak with one of our security professionals.
