Increasing On-Site Physical Security for 2022
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It is no secret that physical security has become a growing point of emphasis for small and large businesses alike. Frequently, the crime that we associate with enterprises is on the retail level, like shoplifting or burglary. However, businesses of all types can be at risk for criminal activity. For example, vandalism and employee theft are risks that companies can run into no matter their industry. Not to mention, manufacturers and industrial facilities often work with valuable materials and equipment that can be the target of theft. Luckily, there are solutions for companies looking to build a better physical security presence going into the new year.
One of the most essential parts of physical security is the initial groundwork you lay when creating a plan. Taking a broad look at your company as a whole, go through your facility layout, employees, equipment storage, and existing security measures. This perspective will help you understand where your business has physical security strengths and weaknesses. Further, employees should be a part of your security force, meaning they have been adequately trained in security protocols and in how to spot potentially suspicious activity. Also, accurate inventory and up-to-date record-keeping are essential for businesses to access their losses after a theft.
Keep a Focus on Prevention and Deterring Potential Crime
The best way to combat crimes against your business is not to catch the criminal in the act but to stop the crime from happening in the first place.
In criminology, the "routine activity theory" suggests that three components should be present for a crime to occur: a potential offender, a potential target, and the absence of a capable guardian against the crime. In this theory, the "guardian" does not need to be a police officer but rather any presence at a site to discourage the would-be criminal. In the world of physical security, this guardian is acts as a deterrent to the crime, and deterrents are one of its most crucial aspects of good physical security.
There are various ways for a business to deter would-be criminals from selecting your company as their next target. One of the best methods is to have a noticeable security presence at your facility. When a threat is looking for a potential target, they will first be gathering any info they can to make their decision. The majority of this information will be gained visually from the business's exterior, likely from the street. The visual security aspects from this vantage point help show that your facility means business, and they should look for an easier target elsewhere.
One of the first things seen when looking at your business is the entrance. For companies looking to bolster their physical security efforts, the entrance is a great place to start. Rather than an unsupervised entry point, this area can be turned into the primary access control point for your business, monitoring all incoming and outgoing traffic. Depending on potential threats, this access control point can be outfitted with traffic arms, staffed guard buildings, surveillance systems, ID scanners, or even retractable traffic bollards. Regardless, simply having this security presence will not only help detect suspicious activity but can also actively deter potential threats.
Outfitting Your Entrance's Access Control Point
Panel Built offers practically endless ways to create the perfect access control for your facility with our
modular guard booths. Despite delivering these buildings pre-assembled, Panel Built also allows you to completely customize the space to offer the right characteristics to best serve your business with custom sizes, layouts, and access control features. To best show this, we will discuss a couple of examples.
EX. 1) School System Access Control Point
Our first example comes from a fairly common application for our buildings: security for school campuses. This booth holds an officer as he monitors traffic coming through the school. This building uses our standard building system: 3" thick steel skinned walls. However, there are a few unique aspects of it as well... The booth has two doorways to the officer access to both sides of the road. But, sliding doors were used instead of our standard swing doors to not swing out into traffic. Further, the booth has its own security camera and traffic light installed into the side, giving the officer a clear way to communicate to vehicles when to move forward. These simple features help ensure the school officer can safely and efficiently receive the incoming students.
EX. 2) High Threat Level Access Control Points
The following example shows the features and characteristics of our booths designed for high threat environments like a government building or military installation. Because of the higher risk of threat, these buildings are frequently manufactured with ballistic rated, bullet-resistant materials. These buildings are manufactured to standardized bullet-resistant levels via UL-752, NIJ, or STANAG specifications. Further, the buildings can be outfitted with exterior security lights, sirens, or CCTV cameras to give the officers inside a greater range of surveillance. If needed, gunports can be installed into the building walls to allow the officers to combat a threat from inside.
As you can see, there can be a great range in needs from your primary access control point, depending on your facility's needs. Whether you need a ballistic-rated building or a simple security boost, Panel Built can help. So reach out to us today to get a quote on a security booth of your own and be on your way to a safer and more secure 2022
. Panel Built offers free, no-obligation quotes for all of our security buildings. You can call us at 800.636.3873, send us an email to info@panelbuilt.com, or let us know in the LiveChat feature in the bottom right of the page. We are more than happy to help with any questions or concerns that you may have.