When criminals inevitably strike, how does a proactive security approach make the difference in protecting your property and assets?
What is proactive security? How does it compare to reactive security?
As unfortunate as it is, criminals will always seek new ways to target a variety of properties and assets. What matters most is if, when, and how criminals are prevented from taking action. While having any video security system in place is a good first step in protecting your property, video footage itself is not enough to prevent crime.
Many businesses employ camera surveillance technology in one form or another, but many only review footage after an incident has occurred, which does not prevent criminals from striking. There is a proliferation of many different security camera systems that provide a small measure of protection, but those measures don’t typically have the ability to detect and deter crime. These reactive security systems respond to a crime after the fact, sometimes hours or days later, often using grainy or blurry footage taken from various sources. Proactive security responds to incidents of crime in real-time, utilizing Live Remote Video Monitoring and other effective security measures to deter criminals from taking another step.
When the reactive security approach fails…
Recent events provide several examples of reactive security and how it fails to effectively protect properties and assets. In December 2023, an undetermined number of unknown suspects in Kitchener, ON broke into a secured business compound, and removed tires and rims from vehicles, worth an estimated $130,000. There were no proactive security measures in place or an effective security system to prevent the thefts from occurring. As a result, OPP appealed to local residents in the area for any surveillance or dash cam footage that could assist them with their investigation. The footage that was obtained from nearby cameras was blurry and made it difficult to ascertain important details about the vehicles and individuals involved in the theft. (1)
In January 2024, Hamilton Police arrested a thief responsible for at least 16 break and enter incidents across the city. The individual used rocks to smash windows and gain access to restaurants and businesses in the area. The thefts occurred over the course of a month or so, in different areas of the city including downtown Hamilton and the Mountain. The fact that the thief could target so many properties and move throughout them with no intervention is certainly alarming. Had some of the businesses employed proactive security solutions, the thief may have been caught and arrested much earlier in their crime spree, before they were able to strike again. (2)
In February 2024, the Cold Lake Energy Centre, a municipal property in Cold Lake, AB, was targeted by repeated acts of vandalism. The vandalism was so bad that parts of the facility had to be closed due to safety hazards. The building itself serves many purposes for the small community, and efforts to repair the vandalism have been costly for local officials. Community leaders have called for harsher penalties for criminals after the fact, but implementing proactive security measures could have deterred the vandals before they struck in the first place. Proactive security would have sent the message loud and clear that the property was protected and off limits to trespassers and vandals. (3)
Employing a proactive security monitoring solution could help make the difference by employing proactive deterrence.
What is proactive security and how does it better protect your properties and assets?
Site Planning & Deterrence Signage begin the proactive security process
We begin the process of establishing proactive security on-site by sending our Logistics team to assess your property for potential vulnerabilities, determine camera placement and coverage, and build a customized solution that meets the security needs for your site. We employ a layered approach to security by first placing highly visible deterrence signage on fences around the exterior of your site. These signs are an important first step to deterring criminals.
Artificial Intelligence accurately detects trespassers and would-be criminals
Proactive security starts with detection. Our proprietary artificial intelligence platform is continually learning and evolving to provide better detections for our Monitoring team. It differentiates human from other types of movement on-site to better detect and deter criminals before they have a chance to strike. Once criminals are detected, they can be deterred from continuing in their activities.
Video Security Units create a full suite of camera coverage
Proactive deterrence is the primary function of our Video Security Units. Each unit is equipped with two stationary cameras that surveil sites with a fixed view, with the ability to mount multiple units on-site to cover all important areas. The addition of a PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) camera zooms in on suspects in high-resolution to help gather essential information – description, behaviour, and other important details helpful in catching criminals. The inclusion of infrared night vision cameras provides another method to proactively deter criminals. Utilizing infrared light, we can see criminals as clear as day as they move towards or throughout a property.
All Video Security Units leverage our revolutionary cellular LTE+ platform which creates a wireless security grid that protects your property and assets. All footage is transmitted over our secure MPLS network, back to our UL Certified Monitoring facility.
Live Remote Video Monitoring deters criminals from acting
The primary goal of our Live Remote Video Monitoring service is proactive deterrence. Our Monitoring operators watch over your property between 6pm to 6am on weekdays, and 24/7 on weekends and statutory holidays – when criminals are more likely to strike. Our team utilizes proactive deterrents such as authoritative voice commands and bright LED strobe lights to warn suspects that they are being live monitored and to desist all activities. If they do not heed the warning, Police are contacted to attend the scene, if and when required.
syncroDetect protects sensitive areas
When criminals attempt to breach sensitive and interior areas, syncroDetect is there to offer additional protection. Warehouses, site trailers, offices, and storage areas on-site are all vulnerable to potential trespassing, theft, and vandalism. Our wireless intrusion alarm system combines door and window contact sensors that activate when entry points are breached, as well as motion sensors that detect movement. Combined with our Video Security Units & live monitoring service, they create a full envelope of proactive protection.
syncroReports offers full information and transparency
You can have peace of mind that your site is protected by logging into your own profile in our proprietary reporting platform, syncroReports. Available on both desktop and mobile, syncroReports is a full security suite where you can view log reports, video feeds, control PTZ camera movement, view our license plate database – syncroPlates, to obtain a complete picture of your site security.
Proactive security makes the difference by employing proactive deterrence. By deterring criminals before they strike, we can help ensure the protection of your property and assets.
Resources:
- “$130K in tires and rims stolen from Wellington North business”, Jennifer K. Baker, CTV News Kitchener, December 4, 2023
- “Hamilton police arrest man tied to 16 break-ins across the city”, Samantha Lawson, CHCH News, January 26, 2024
- “Cold Lake mayor addresses escalating vandalism crisis at Energy Centre”, Chantel Downes, Lakeland Today, February 2, 2024