Security professionals responsible for people screening at outdoor venues, theme parks, warehouse/logistics centers, schools, museums, houses of worship and other public places, all agree on one thing — there will be no going back to the old invasive, analog methods of security screening such as metal detectors, wands and pat downs. The future of people screening must be touchless and digital in order to deal with the realities of today’s threats from weapons and viruses, while preparing for those that will come our way in the future. Meet Peter George, Chief Executive Officer, Evolv Technology, who believes that physical security is where cybersecurity was more than 15 years ago and is now entering a similar transition.
One thing has become clear; to abide by the “new normal” restrictions, organizations need to be constantly aware of their environments’ compliance, in real-time. To do that, they need to improve their security and situational awareness, so they can quickly assess evolving situations and respond when violations occur.
In the security industry, technology is moving at lightspeed. New devices, automation, custom software, and robot and drone technology is constantly being developed, improved upon, and employed to help security guards perform routine tasks. However, to reap the benefits of rapid development and deliver exceptional results, the security industry needs to embrace all of these technological changes and be able to spot trends in order to protect an organization's data and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its security workforce.
Fast forward to 2020, and the pandemic is causing another quantum shift in how the world thinks about security. This time around, businesses are responsible for protecting their workplaces and people from an invisible intruder. As SARS-CoV-2 continues to disrupt businesses and economies, video intercom systems are once again on the frontline of security. But this time, the intercom has the force of modern technology on its side.
The Department of Justice announced it has awarded more than $87 million to bolster school security, support first responders who arrive on the scene of a school shooting or other violent incident, and conduct research on school safety.
UK Police just announced that crime has fallen by 28% over lockdown, in fact from 12th April there has been a 37% drop in burglaries. As well as the financial worries lockdown prompted, we were also worried about our office and storage spaces, as we didn’t know how long they would be left unattended. Of course, working in security and safety we made sure specific measures were in place to help prevent vandalism, theft, arson or property damage. However, it appears that many businesses are left susceptible to such crimes, by not having many or sometimes any security measures in place.
The University of Florida Police Department is installing license plate recognition technology on campus and will partner with the Gainesville Police Department and Alachua County Sheriff’s Office that is currently using the technology to share information for aiding in investigations, responding to incidents, etc.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk upgraded its security infrastructure by unifying video and access control park-wide, to allow the park's security team to speed up investigations and emergency response.
Amazon's smart home security division Ring has unveiled a flying camera that launches if sensors detect a potential home break-in. It is designed to activate only when residents are out, works indoors, and is limited to one floor of a building.