In 2023, over 6.4 million property crime incidents were reported across the United States. Over 800,000 property crimes were burglaries, with 24% occurring on commercial properties at night. As a property manager or business owner, ensuring the safety and security of your commercial property is paramount. One of the most effective ways to deter criminal activity is through strategic security lighting as part of a multi-layered security system.
In this article, we’ll explore the importance of commercial security lighting, what to look for when inspecting your current system, critical areas to illuminate, and how to layer lighting with other perimeter security features for optimal protection.
What to Look for When Inspecting Lighting
When evaluating your property’s current lighting setup, there are several key factors to consider:
- Dark spots: Identify areas that lack sufficient illumination, as these can become prime targets for criminals.
- Obstructed areas: Look for spaces obscured by trees, bushes, or other structures that could provide cover for thieves.
- Low-traffic areas: Pay special attention to remote or less busy sections on your property, as they require additional lighting.
- Burned-out bulbs: Regularly check for non-functioning lights and replace them promptly to maintain consistent illumination.
- Malfunctioning timers: Ensure that your lighting system operates on a reliable schedule, turning on at dusk and off at dawn.
- Lighting intensity: Assess whether the current lighting provides adequate brightness to effectively deter criminal activity.
- Energy efficiency: Consider upgrading to energy-efficient LED lights to reduce operational costs while maintaining optimal illumination.
If you’re unsure about your property’s lighting needs, get a professional risk assessment from a reputable security provider. Perimeter security experts can evaluate your property, identify potential vulnerabilities, and recommend a tailored business lighting plan that meets your unique needs.
Critical Areas for Security Lighting
Strategically placed business lighting enhances the safety of employees, customers, and assets on the property. When implementing a property lighting strategy, prioritize the following areas:
- Perimeter: Illuminating the outer edges of your property creates a well-defined boundary. It also sends a clear message to potential intruders that your business is secure and actively monitored.
- Gates: Well-lit property entrances can help deter unauthorized access attempts by opportunistic criminals. Commercial property lighting at the gate also improves visibility for security personnel, allowing them to quickly identify and respond to potential threats.
- Building entrances and exits: Providing ample lighting around doors ensures the safety of employees as well as visitors, particularly during early morning or late evening hours.
- Parking lots: Around 16,944 robberies occurred in parking lots in 2023. Well-lit parking areas can help deter vehicle theft, vandalism, and personal crimes of opportunity. Lighting in parking lots also enhances the sense of safety for employees and customers, especially at night.
- Loading docks: Adequate lighting in loading areas can help ensure the safety of workers during nighttime operations and help prevent cargo theft at the loading docks.
By focusing on these critical areas, you create a well-lit environment that significantly reduces the risk of criminal activity and enhances the overall security of your commercial property.
Types of Outdoor Commercial Property Security Lighting to Enhance or Add
When upgrading your business lighting, consider the following types of outdoor perimeter security lighting for your property:
- Zone fence lighting: This type of lighting is integrated with an electric fence, enhancing perimeter security by providing continuous illumination for four minutes if an alarm is triggered by an intruder trying to gain access. This lighting ensures intruders are immediately visible but avoids excessive energy consumption and light pollution for efficient, eco-friendly operation.
- Spot lighting: These white light LEDs offer high visibility and lower operational costs compared to traditional lighting. Spot lighting ensures consistent performance in all weather conditions to minimize downtime due to weather.
- Sentinel: This alarm features additional lighting that highlights dark or remote areas. It easily deploys in locations that other security measures would find challenging to safeguard successfully, deterring even the most determined criminal.
Implement Lighting With Other Security Features for a Layered Approach
While comprehensive lighting is a crucial component of physical security, it is most effective when combined with other measures. By integrating commercial property lighting with additional perimeter security solutions, you create a multi-layered defense that significantly reduces the risk of criminal activity on your property.
Electric Fencing and Alarm-Based Lighting Systems
An electric security fence is your first defense against crime, preventing unauthorized access. The imposing height and warning signs clearly show that your property is secure. If a criminal is not deterred by the warning signs and does attempt to breach the perimeter, the electric fence delivers a safe but memorable shock to the would-be intruder.
Electric fencing becomes even more effective when integrated with alarm-based perimeter lighting. When a would-be intruder attempts to breach your fence, the alarm activates the lighting system, flooding the area with light. The combination of a physical barrier, a medically safe shock, and strategically placed lighting creates a formidable defense against unauthorized entry.
Video Surveillance
Video surveillance systems provide real-time monitoring and recording of your property. The CCTV system allows you to quickly detect and respond to potential threats. High-quality cameras capture clear footage of suspicious activity, aiding in the identification of criminals and providing evidence for investigations.
Adequate property lighting provides proper illumination, allowing the cameras to capture high-quality, enhanced footage. Integrating security lighting with video surveillance allows you to maximize the system’s ability to provide valuable evidence when needed.
Remote Monitoring
Remote and mobile monitoring solutions ensure that your site is being monitored at all times and that threats can be responded to in real time. Live or recorded video surveillance footage can also be shared with law enforcement.
Well-illuminated areas provide clearer, more detailed footage, making it easier to identify potential threats or suspicious activity. By combining remote monitoring with strategic lighting, you can effectively monitor your property, swiftly respond to incidents, and provide law enforcement with high-quality evidence when necessary.
Gate Access Control
Gate Access Control systems regulate entry and exit points, ensuring only authorized individuals access your property. These systems include features like keycards, biometric scanners, motorized gates, and license plate recognition, providing a secure, convenient way to manage access.
Combining access control systems with strategic business lighting creates secure checkpoints for enhanced overall security on your property. Well-lit entry and exit points with access control measures help deter unauthorized access attempts. They also make it easier to identify individuals as they pass through the gates.
Protect Your Property With AMAROK’s Unified Security Solutions
Commercial property lighting is a vital component of an effective perimeter security strategy, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. By combining property lighting with other measures like electric fencing, access control, and video surveillance, you create a multi-layered defense that reduces the risk of unauthorized property access.
AMAROK offers industry-leading solutions that are designed to deter criminals while protecting your assets — and it all starts with The Electric Guard Dog™ Fence. With over 8,000 satisfied customers, AMAROK is your trusted partner in perimeter security.
Contact us today for a customized, integrated security solution for your property.
