by Siva | Feb 4, 2020 | Home Security Advice, CCTV, Security Awareness
Who is responsible for your security? The uncomfortable truth. While growing up, you and I have been told, when in trouble or life-threatening dangers, call Police. They will save you. That’s it.
You have been conditioned to think when life is in danger, you have to call Police, and they will magically come there to save you. This expectation is an impossible standard set in people’s minds. In reality, It is humanly not possible to police to be everywhere. Perhaps it looks good on cinema screens but not in real life.
Everyone wants to be safe & secure, but not everyone takes proactive steps to be safe & secure.
It is easy to become dependent on the government to protect you. Meaning you are giving control to others. Do they protect you?
Because in the end, it is your life. Live or dead, it is you, not the government or others. You must take ownership of your security.
Your security is your responsibility.
Do you think that bad things do not happen to you? Think again!
Look at the local paper or news. The people who became the victims of crime today did not think that anything wrong can happen to them. But today they became the victims.
No one thinks crime is going to happen to them or their families. But the fact is people are becoming victims every day.
Only your security awareness and readiness can protect you from crime.
I gave you awareness, and readiness is your job.
Improve your readiness with professional security planning & upgrading your security plan; have video surveillance (CCTV Cameras), alarms systems if necessary for your home. Develop situational awareness.
by Siva | Sep 10, 2019 | CCTV, Electronic Security, Security Technology
Nowadays, everyone is installing CCTV cameras not only for their commercial properties but also for their residential properties. Because it seems everyone thinks installing CCTV cameras will protect their assets. Do CCTV cameras will really protect your assets?
Read the below story published in TOI about gold ornaments’ theft incidents in a jewelry showroom in which CCTV cameras did not prevent the theft.
AHMEDABAD: In yet another case of theft from a jewelry showroom, a man and a woman, aged around 25 years, along with a 4-year-old child, visited a store in the Panchvati area of the city as customers on October 24, saw some gold rings and later replaced a real gold ring worth Rs 36,574 with a fake one.
According to an FIR registered with Ellisbridge police, the couple had asked the staff to show some gold rings.
A staffer Zeel Padhiyar was showing them gold rings. At that time, they replaced the original gold ring weighing 740 milligrams with a fake one. The incident has been captured on CCTV.
The staffers came to know about the theft the next day. A police official said, “An employee went to the branch manager and told him that one of the gold rings is fake. After that, the branch manager checked CCTV footage and found that the family had stolen the gold ring.”
This is the second case of theft in the same jewelry showroom in recent times. On August 3, a woman, aged around 40, had visited the showroom, saw some gold bangles, and stole two gold bangles worth Rs 1.57 lakh.
When the Ellisbridge police were still unsuccessful to detect the case, another theft took place in the same showroom. Ellisbridge police again registered a case of theft and began an investigation into the issue.
Source: TOI
In the above case, Did the CCTV really prevent theft? No.
Did CCTV work as a deterrent? No.
Did the CCTV record the incident? Yes…but, the business owner, had lost their assets and no guarantee police will trace them.
In addition to the loss of gold ornaments, the showroom has lost employee productivity and gained terrible publicity, which is detrimental to the business. Then have you ever puzzled what the actual use of CCTV cameras is?
In general, the CCTV cameras have three main uses in Physical Security System Design:
1. To know what is happening at the moment through live monitoring
2. To understand what has happened through video recording review (very helpful during incident investigations/periodic audits/law enforcement/court proceedings)
3. Act as a deterrence tool
The CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) cameras are one of the Electronic Security Measures in many physical security measures. The CCTV cameras in isolation cannot provide complete physical security protection.
How could the CCTV cameras have prevented the theft incident from happening in the jewelry showroom case?
1. The CCTV cameras need live monitoring by a dedicated security team/CCTV operations To prevent a theft incident from happening.
2. The recorded CCTV footage can be verified to know how an incident has occurred and only useful to investigate an incident. But this is not useful in the businesses where the value of assets is high such as the jewelry showrooms.
3. The CCTV cameras can deter the criminal – but does not work in case of a determined/organized criminal
What mistakes did the business owner make in this case?
• The jewelry store owner assumed that installing the CCTV can protect their assets.
• Perhaps he/she got their CCTV installation done by a CCTV supplier/Technician without understanding the actual security threats
• Did not carry out a site security assessment, which gives real security threats and recommendations of various mitigation measures along with CCTV cameras and exact location of where to install, what types of cameras, for maximum scene identification.
If your objective, like many businesses, is for loss prevention, you got to have a dedicated team to monitor the CCTV cameras without which it does not solve your problem. In the jewelry showroom theft incident, this is what exactly happened.
First, you got to understand why are you installing the CCTV cameras, whether to prevent an incident (high-value assets-needs ‘live monitoring of CCTV cameras), or to investigate (low-value assets).
Never get your CCTV cameras installed directly by the CCTV installers/equipment suppliers without a review by security experts. If you do, you will be another victim like the jewelry showroom owner.
Because the physical security system design is a specialist job, and only expert security professionals can do justice, not everyone.
Get your site physical security design/CCTV installation plan reviewed by our Security experts. Our security experts have internationally recognized credentials and decades of experience in Security Risk Management and provided security solutions to fortune 500 companies.
Remember! Your CCTV installation by the CCTV installers/equipment suppliers not only wastes your money but also does not solve your security problems.
Send us a message about your security needs to get “the industry best security solutions at optimal cost.”
by Siva | Sep 6, 2019 | CCTV, Electronic Security, Security Technology
Are you considering CCTV cameras at your facility to protect your properties? You must have CCTV cameras installed these days to protect your assets better.
CCTV cameras will help you in 3 ways. First, deter people with evil intent (those thieves who want to steal/cause to your property). Second, witness what is happening and third, help investigative agencies, like your internal security team/Facility team/Police authorities, to investigate any incident.
Well. You realized the importance of CCTV cameras and want to install some to protect your properties. Like all, you googled for CCTV Installers in your area, and google showed you many names. You picked the one with a good rating and then got CCTV cameras installed! Now, you assume that your properties are secure. Guess what!
Many times your CCTV cameras do not do the required job. Why?
- Your local CCTV technician is not a Security Expert. He is just a technician who assembles the parts and makes the system work.
- Your local CCTV supplier also not a Security Expert, and his objective is to sell you as much equipment as possible.
- Neither your local CCTV technician nor CCTV supplier knows how to make a security plan. They are just cheating you if they say that they know how to make a security plan because a good security plan is developed only after a thorough security risk assessment.
- Anybody, everybody cannot conduct a security risk assessment is not a general job. It is a specialist job, and only a few highly qualified security experts can do it.
How can a CCTV technician or local equipment supplier do a security risk assessment? Your CCTV installation, without review by security experts, is not going to meet your security objectives. You will get only a false sense of security.
Whom do you want to review your home design plan? An architect or construction labor. Of Couse! An architect
For your security plan, a security expert like an architect, the CCTV technician is like construction labor.
It is better to choose your CCTV installation wisely than to regret later. Also, remember cheap is not always the best. Look for the optimum cost. Not cheap!
Whom do you want to review your Security plan? A local technician / a CCTV equipment dealer or a Security Expert.
We, at Corp Security Solutions, do the best security risk assessments. We do not advise you about the number of cameras. We will develop a security plan based on actual risk and then suggest the optimal quantity of cameras along with other security measures. Because the CCTV cameras are just one type of security controls, not provide complete security protection.
Send us a message with your security needs.
by Siva | Aug 2, 2019 | Security Technology, CCTV, Electronic Security
The plan to fail is failing to plan. Goes famous saying. Poor planning before the purchase of CCTV surveillance devices waste not only your money but also the installed CCTV devices don’t do the required job.
Therefore, you must plan carefully before the purchase of a new system. “Cheap is not always the best.”
In this post, I am going to tell you some essential points, which will help you to do your job correctly.
Traditionally, patrolling security personnel of the security department carries out this surveillance part inside and outside of the premises. Their objective was to find out any signs of criminal activity or policy violations.
However, this method has its limitations as security personnel cannot be omnipresent. Even the security team response and intervention are limited to handling any trouble during that period.
With technological inventions in Electronic Security Systems, the CCTV became a sought after surveillance solution and proven to be cost-effective as compared to Security personnel.
Before installing CCTV cameras, you should know some basics.
You must plan carefully before the purchase of the CCTV system.
If you plan poorly, it will waste your money, and does not the required job.
1. Is the camera to be visible so that you can use as a deterrent to the crime or hidden so that you can use in civil or criminal prosecutions?
Most businesses would instead prevent a crime than going to the expense of prosecution. So most companies prefer to install cameras at visible locations.
Another disadvantage of installing cameras in hidden locations is the high cost. the
If you want to deter the crime, install visibly and want to prosecution install covertly.
2. What effect does the lighting have on the camera operation, especially the sunlight?
The light intensity will alter the picture quality of the camera.
As the sunlight varies during different times of the day, the light intensity also changes.
The changing of light intensity affect the excellent light conditions as the timing of the day changes.
So, make your CCTV system should have the settings to adjust for any changes in the light intensity.
3. Which is the best location for the camera?
The answer depends on the security assessment report/survey results.
For instance, in the banks, you can install the cameras where a customer does not immediately notice the camera. Also, where the subject must approach the camera directly.
However, it depends on your purpose and security needs. Only security experts can advise you better.
Here is where your intelligence comes in choosing a right CCTV installer which security management expertise than merely giving the job to local CCTV suppliers to install the cameras. Cheap is not always the best. Sometimes items cost you more.
4. What should the height of the camera be high or low?
Placing the camera at the high placement is not efficient as often thought to be.
The problem is you will not be able to recognize the person from the top, or high locations as the camera angle focuses on the top.
The right place is just high enough to prevent the camera from being tampered by curious observers.
5. What type of lighting is in use?
You must plan te CCTV camera system and the lighting in such a way that allows the most accurate recording details. For instance, sodium lights provide poor color accuracy, and LED will give the best lighting possible.
A security survey is essential to effective planning. This assessment is generally presented in the form of a diagram with the areas to be protected.
Also, this diagram gives you a visible layout of your site by showing the critical assets, and significant areas hat need CCTV coverage. Also, you should ensure coverage for blind spots in the design.
Do you want to design a robust CCTV security system design? Our Professional Security Consultants can help you do the job better, which rewards your business in the years to come.
by Siva | Jul 22, 2019 | Security Technology, CCTV, Electronic Security
The video surveillance system, also known as the CCTV system, is a technological security control of the overall physical security program.
Traditionally patrolling security personnel used to this surveillance part, and their job was to detect any policy violations or signs of undesirable or criminal activities.
First, the CCTV’s came into existence with the introduction of technology in the Security industry. Second, as technology advanced, now the CCTV has been upgraded to the comprehensive video surveillance system. Today, more appropriately CCTV system is referred to as a video surveillance system in a complete sense.
This video surveillance system is an invaluable tool in the overall security system or security program.
These days the video surveillance system is being used in various situations in addition to security requirements. For instance, to monitor the safety of people or business operations, even in being used in medical operating procedures/operations. When you, however, look at the video surveillance system from a security standpoint, it has three primary uses.
1. To know what is happening that has a security concern.
2. To understand what has happened.
3. To deter or discourage undesirable or criminal activities.
In this, I am going to talk about five common uses of the video surveillance system at the workplace.
1 Provide a secure workplace:
No one wants to work under constant fear. When your workplace is insecure and hostile, your employees cannot focus on their work. Having an effective security program with a sound video surveillance system will help your organization provide a sense of security.
A video surveillance system will help your business to prevent vandalism, break-in attempts into the facility, and other petty crime.
Having with surveillance system will not also give employees a sense of security but also the management and the business owners.
2 Prevention of employee theft:
Do you know who steals most from an organization? Employees. As per the US Department of Commerce, around 75% of the employees take if they get the right opportunity.
These dishonest employees are one of the main reasons why most businesses fail. Soon you can be out of your business if you do not have a mechanism to identify such employees, and CCTV system is your best friend.
Thus, having a video surveillance system can dramatically reduce employee theft and create significant deterrence. Also, Video Surveillance System/CCTV helps your business in avoiding lawsuits.
3 Avoiding lawsuits
Disgruntled employees and customers, in many instances, tried to sue the companies with fake lawsuits. The Video Surveillance System/CCTV has proven to be very useful in avoiding those false lawsuits.
It also ordinary employees having physical fighting with one another having harassment claims among co-workers and so forth. In all of those situations, a Video Surveillance/CCTV System will become an invaluable tool for your organization.
4 Low insurance cost:
Running a business is a daunting job, and a robust risk management approach is essential for its survival. A common risk management approach is to have insurance as a risk reduction strategy.
Having an effective video surveillance system with other security control measures will reduce your organization’s insurance costs considerably.
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5 Workflow monitoring:
You can use a video Surveillance system in non-security functions for various purposes. One such use is ops monitoring or efficiency monitoring.
You can use a Video Surveillance system to monitor workflow. For instance, employees’ time spent in the office or on important business activity vs. loitering.
Even a five-minute CCTV review can give you various insights into the effectiveness of operations.
Conclusion:
In the end, sound video surveillance/CCTV systems will provide you two possible results.
First, a sound surveillance system should produce identical video footage of the people engaging in criminal behavior or violating company policy. Second, the system will also serve as a deterrence tool.
Perhaps every user of a smartphone today has a video surveillance system in his hand. Hence, having an effective video surveillance/CCTV system will benefit your organization significantly.
