Increasing Guard Coverage with Cameras
Security guards are the gold standard in private security services. They provide presence and human intuition in a way that simple alarm systems and cameras can’t. Like any high-end service, however, guards can be expensive. Smart deployment of modern camera systems can help your security staff cover the most ground and get you the best ROI on your investments.
CAMERA BENEFITS FOR GUARDS
There are many benefits to using cameras in conjunction with professional security staff.
The first is that cameras help extend range. Every member of your security team - including guards, dispatchers, and managers - can see more with cameras than they can see without. Every well-placed camera eliminates a blind spot. This is especially true with modern AI video filtering. Guards no longer need to eyeball overwhelming walls of various feeds. AI can detect certain types of behavior, weapons, and trespasses and prioritize the most important screens first. Background noise is filtered out. Notifications can alert users and support teams to focus attention on exigent issues.
Cameras also help maximize deterrence. Visible cameras between patrols or in areas between posts help remind would-be-troublemakers that they are not out of sight, even if guards are, reducing the number and severity of incidents security teams must handle.
When incidents do occur, focused attention can lead directly to faster responses, whether from your team or police. Patrol units can be routed directly to an incident instead of happening on the aftermath later. Onsite units can respond proactively, potentially de-escalating a situation. Police respond much faster to alarms with video verification than alarm-only calls. These faster responses can mean less damage even from incidents that couldn’t be prevented.
In emergencies, camera feeds can play a critical role in helping dispatchers and first responders build situational awareness. Getting video-verified intelligence on an active incident can be an important tool for focusing limited resources and deconflicting with private security teams. The solutions we carry offer multiple solutions for making video available to security managers, 911 dispatchers, police, and more.
Where guards posts are covered by cameras, incident video can be a critical tool for reducing liability. Video evidence that staff responded in appropriate, legal ways can make or break a lawsuit defense.
Finally, cameras can aid with recovery and future prevention efforts post-incident. While professional security staff respond legally and appropriately in the vast majority of incidents, it would be naive to assert that is always the case. Even when a response is simply non-ideal, incident video can be an important learning tool. Many security incidents occur in ways that are complex or unpredictable. A corpus of real-life, facility- or client-specific video can help train and prepare. Cameras equipped with analytics can also provide automated and quantitative insight into patterns. These can be used to optimize security coverage and focus time and attention on the areas it is most needed.
BEST PRACTICES
General best practices:
Ensure effective coverage of your facility and key points
Use commercial-grade solutions to manage camera permissions
Grant on-the-ground teams access to specific feeds or sites without sacrificing control of the configuration
Get notifications for equipment that is turned off or otherwise disabled
Use video sharing features to ensure local first responders can quickly access video
Develop a plan for retention of incident video
Share with teams responsible for security training where appropriate
Best practices for patrol teams:
Send video of covered sites to dispatch
Use AI tools to prioritize active sites - send patrol units when appropriate
Retain video from key locations (e.g. doors and parking lots) to verify presence/delivery
Best practices for on-site teams:
Configure VMS stations to show feeds from most important video
Establish alerts for restricted zones
Set line-crossing notifications for doors
If appropriate, enable weapons detection to speed lockdown and armed response
If we can help empower your security staff with upgraded cameras, please get in touch: