Strengthening Physical Security With an Integrated Solution

Staying ahead of evolving physical security threats requires more than just using the best individual products. Even top–of–the–line security cameras become infinitely more valuable when data can be shared across devices and systems. When various solutions are able to talk to each other, patterns emerge, gaps are spotted, and more comprehensive response plans can be put in place.

Highlighted below are five ways that organisations can leverage integrated and centralised security solutions to keep their people and assets safer.

1. Simplify Security Management at Scale:

When it comes to physical security, organisations that operate multiple locations or one large facility require a lot from security staff, site managers, and IT teams. In an ideal world, these team members have a central platform where they can easily manage a large number of devices and users. The ability to operate video security, access control, intrusion detection, and other security solutions from a single platform saves time and reduces the likelihood that a 3rd party integration will break.

Another scaling consideration is user management. Solutions that integrate with SSO or SCIM tools save time when onboarding or unboarding team members, and group–level access makes permissioning easier. Remote access is also key to successfully scaling a physical security solution. Many organisations may not have a dedicated IT or security individual at every location. The ability to pull up device status, see incident reports, and monitor camera footage from any laptop or smartphone allows for greater flexibility and visibility into what is happening in any location at any time.

2. Enhance Security and Eliminate False Alarms with Video–Verified Monitoring:

If an incident occurs, a security team wants to know immediately. There are times, however, when responding to a threat in the moment is simply not possible. Professional monitoring that integrates with a video security
solution is a great way to make sure that there is always a second set of eyes that is able to verify and respond to an incident any time of day or night.

An added benefit of video verification is that it largely eliminates false alarms. Without visual context, it’s hard to tell if a motion detector was triggered by an intruder or a passing animal. As more police departments are requesting organization to provide footage of what transpired outside their perimeter, video verification can be hugely valuable.

Video verification is often an expensive add–on to standard professional monitoring services and includes a limited number of reviewed events per year. Look for a solution that bundles video verification and monitoring at no extra cost, and does not have a cap on events

3. Allow Employees to Call for Help Anytime, Anywhere:

Whether it’s an armed break–in or a belligerent customer or patient, organisations should always provide a way for employees to immediately and discreetly call for help should they feel threatened. This is particularly important in higher–risk, settings or where team members might be working alone, such as healthcare and hospitality. Panic buttons are a simple way to ensure that employees are able to
request assistance when they need it.

An integrated security system makes panic buttons even more powerful. When cameras can be natively paired with panic buttons, administrators are able to immediately pull up a live video feed of the area in which the panic button was pressed. Integrated systems also give panic buttons more powerful response options, such as directly triggering a door lockdown or turning on warning devices like lights or sirens. Some panic buttons can also be configured to alert a specific person, on–site security, or emergency services, based on that specific organisation’s or location’s needs.

4. Set Alerts on Repeat Offenders
Many criminals and thieves are repeat offenders:

If they have managed to avoid getting caught in the past, many will continue to commit theft, fraud, or vandalism, often within view of security and surveillance measures.

The good news is that advanced security camera analytics make it easier for repeat offenders to be tracked and neutralised. People analytics features allow security teams to see how many times a given person is in a given building during a certain period of time. Person of interest alerts are an even more real–time way to get notified when a designated individual shows up on camera, so security teams or on–site managers can immediately take action.

5. Quickly Find and Share Evidence for Investigations:

Identifying incidents is one thing. Involving the authorities to take action is another. When an intrusion or theft occurs, organisations need detailed, reliable, and compliant evidence to support their claims (and to avoid liability).

It’s not uncommon to meet security or operations professionals who spend far too much time sifting through footage for this purpose. When you extrapolate that task across multiple buildings or sites, the time cost can be prohibitive. What these team members really need is a fast way to search for and provide objective video evidence.

An integrated security solution shortens response time significantly. For one thing, the system can immediately send an SMS or email to site managers and security personnel with a link to review footage and take action. At any time, internal teams can send live and historical footage to authorities for review. Some organisations will
even share floor plans with the police so they can follow along and respond in real time. Many organisations already invest heavily in physical security and employee safety. However, finding a security solution that integrates all of the needed capabilities into a single system is the real challenge.

While integrations between third–party hardware and software solutions are possible, they are often time–consuming, expensive, and prone to breaking. Natively integrated products that allow you to consolidate all of your physical security solutions in a single platform are a great way to save time, money, and provide teams with more valuable security insights.

This is precisely where ICEL Security and Technologies comes in to choose and propose workable solutions to leading enterprises of all sizes and across industries. From soaring retail theft to increased violence against healthcare workers, organisations need an all–in–one platform capable of improving safety and security at scale. An integrated solution like ZKTeco BioSecurity, Axxon Intellect gives teams across the organisation a more complete view of what’s happening on their premises, helping to keep both people and property safe.