With criminal activity on the rise, a traditional & reactive approach to security is no longer an effective method to keep properties and assets safe. How can proactive security benefit businesses and stop criminals in their tracks?
When the reactive approach fails...
Recent examples of theft and vandalism show just how many businesses are reactive when a crime has occurred. Police in St. Thomas, Ontario are still investigating the theft of $65,000 worth of work vehicles and construction equipment stolen from a commercial property in early May 2023. Among the items stolen was a flat deck work truck that had a mud mixer and a 25-gallon diesel tank sitting on its bed, as well as various tools needed for the construction project.
Thieves struck just after midnight, and although there was surveillance footage of the incident, by the time the footage was reviewed – it was too late – the suspects had fled the scene with the stolen goods and Police were left with very little information to go on. With the stolen goods now vanished and the suspects in the wind, the reactive approach failed all parties involved. (1)
In February 2023, Police in LaSalle, Ontario recovered over $26,000 in stolen tools and equipment from theft incidents as far back as summer 2022, including two electrical transformers. A Surveillance system captured the suspects during the theft, but the cameras were not being monitored, so they were able to take off with the stolen assets without any interference by security professionals or law enforcement. (2)
Reactive security - when it’s too late...
Even with the rise of crime and theft over the last several years, many businesses are still reactive when it concerns their overall security. Many have video surveillance, but these cameras are not actively monitored and footage is only collected once a crime has been committed and the perpetrators are long gone. The result is often a lengthy investigation – pulling surveillance footage to get a handle on what occurred, trying to identify the suspects, assessing how much damage was done, and how much it will cost to make repairs or replace stolen items.
Our proactive approach to security & crime prevention:
In the aforementioned cases, establishing a proactive security measure such as installing Video Security Units and employing Live Remote Video Monitoring could have deterred the criminals before they committed the crime, saving the cost of replacing the stolen items and saving Police valuable time in investigating the incident. The impact of these situations are ultimately mitigated by employing a proactive approach to security:
Site Planning & Mapping
The process of proactive security begins with intensive planning and mapping of our clients’ sites. Every site requires a customized solution that will maximize the effectiveness of our video security units and how they protect important assets. This is accomplished through a combination of the expertise of our Security teams, and existing knowledge of each site provided by our clients. They know the ins and outs of their sites – potential access points, vulnerable areas, high-value areas, and areas which may have been targeted in the past.
This knowledge is then leveraged by our Security teams to build out and plan where our Video Security Units will be placed, and what areas they will cover. It’s more than just placing cameras and walking away – we take every step of our proactive security process very seriously, and a solid security plan and mapping of each site is the first step to providing the protection that our clients need.
Perimeter Deterrence Signage
The first layer of providing proactive security is through deterrence signage. This is an important first step in deterring criminals – a large sign that lets them know they are trespassing, being monitored and Police will be called if they continue to act. It’s the first line of defense in protection and security, before our Live Remote Video Operators step in if the situation escalates. This is an essential element to a proactive approach to security. A multi-layered approach to security is critical for it to be truly effective, with every sub-level of protection being equally or more effective than the last.
Wireless Video Security Units
Proactive security is established through the power of our patented and proprietary Video Security Units. Whether it be on a construction site, a commercial property, or distribution warehouse – our Pole Unit is adaptable and modular by design. It is easily installed in under 30 minutes per unit, and operates within our own proprietary Cellular LTE platform – transmitting live, high quality video back to our Live Remote Video Monitoring Centre.
This connectivity allows for our video units to operate completely free of hardwired Internet infrastructure, creating a wireless security environment that makes proactive security even more effective. Each Pole Unit utilizes two high-resolution stationary cameras to establish perimeter coverage, and a high-resolution PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) camera that provides unparalleled image quality while providing our Monitoring Team the ability to zoom in on the action and capture important details that are key to deterring crime and keeping properties secure.
Proactive Live Remote Video Monitoring
One of the essential components of a proactive security plan is through the use of Live Remote Video Monitoring. The primary objective of Live Video Monitoring is the early detection and deterrence of criminal activity before it happens.
Rather than viewing security footage after the fact, we keep active watch over your site from 6:00pm to 6:00am on weekdays and 24 hours on weekends and statutory holidays. For high priority sites & situations, 24 hour monitoring coverage is also available. Our highly engaged Monitoring team, stationed at our UL Certified Monitoring Centre, are dedicated to keeping properties and individuals safe from theft, vandalism, trespassing, and other forms of crime. They accomplish this through the use of highly effective deterrents:
Bright LED strobe lights are used to alert potential criminals that they are being monitored, and loud, authoritative voice commands send a clear message that they shouldn’t be at your property, and that Police will be dispatched if they don’t vacate. If a criminal persists in their activities, the Monitoring team will alert law enforcement to attend the scene, if necessary. This ensures your site is protected before criminals can take action, demonstrating the power of proactive security.
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence continues to be an ever evolving and increasingly present part of our daily lives, and we’re harnessing the power of AI to make our proactive security stronger and more robust. Our Live Video Operators utilize AI to accurately detect trespassers on a site and instantaneously differentiate them from other elements that are present on a site, such as materials, tools, or wildlife. The ability to quickly track and detect individuals means that our Monitoring Team can quickly assess the situation and deter criminals even faster and more effectively than ever before.
syncroDetect Wireless Alarm System
Our proprietary syncroDetect alarm system works in tandem with our Video Security Units to provide another an additional layer of security to proactively protect your site. Through the use of both door/window contact sensors and indoor motion detection sensors, this wireless alarm system is a cost-effective and powerful proactive security layer for valuable assets such as sea-cans, site trailers, tool sheds, and other areas or equipment which require additional protection. Combined with the power of our Pole Unit and the expertise of our Live Remote Video Monitoring Team, syncroDetect is an additional element we leverage when providing proactive security.
Real-time information through syncroReports
With proactive security established, our clients can view all their site activity in one convenient place – syncroReports. This revolutionary security dashboard brings together video footage and detailed log reports written by our Live Remote Video Monitoring Team to provide a full picture of your sites security – potential acts of trespassing, vandalism, theft, and everything in between.
The criminal element will always be prowling, waiting for opportunities to strike; with proactive security we can stop them dead in their tracks – deterring and preventing crime before it ever takes place.
Preventive. Protective. Proactive.
Resources:
- “Over $65K worth of property stolen from St. Thomas business”, Rebecca Chouinard, London News Today, May 20, 2023
- “$26,000 in stolen tools and equipment recovered by LaSalle police”, Dalson Chen, Windsor Star, February 27, 2023