How equipped is the private security industry to detect and respond to terrorism activities?

In the wake of the terrorist tragedies that have occurred both locally and globally, the issue of counter-terrorism has unfortunately capitalised a lot of our news. For the business world, it has raised two important questions – what can and should we be doing?

As businesses strive to create efficiencies and improved return on investment (ROI) against their physical security spend, we are seeing a subtle shift away from traditional security practices such as patrols and alarm response services.

I am not necessarily an advocate for CCTV but as a 20 year veteran of the security industry, I understand how and where CCTV can add value. CCTV is just one available component of a good risk management strategy and exactly where CCTV fits, if at all, depends solely on the application.

CCTV is being promoted as the answer to all things security. Through recent industry articles and promotional material I have learnt that the installation of CCTV cameras will do everything from stopping terrorist attacks to eliminating shoplifting and preventing burglaries. This is simply not the case and let me explain why.

People responsible for detecting and preventing a serious incident within the organisation need to be working to a formal strategy that is specific to the local environment. This will cover everything from security staff roles and responsibilities, detection methodologies and incident response and containment.

If you are looking to engage a security consultant, it may be the smartest decision to make for your business if the expertise you need is not available within your own organisation.

Here are eight benefits (there are many more) of working with a security consultant that no other business professional can bring to the table.

Technology is having an enormous impact on our lives. It is changing how we work, how we socialise and how we communicate. There can be events occurring on the other aside of the planet and we can watch them unfold in real time on our tablets and smart phones.

Consumer brands such as Apple, Microsoft and Samsung are influencing security management in a positive way through the significant take-up of smart phones and tablets like the iPhone and iPad.

CCTV software houses are recognising what can be achieved from these mobile devices and are now releasing mobile specific versions of their software.

Most commercial buildings will have independent control systems for HVAC, Lighting, Evacuation, Personal Address, Lifts, BMS, Fire and Security. Each system will have its own dedicated controllers, data servers and workstations where events are logged and reports generated.

Unless real planning has gone into the initial procurement, they are probably also from different vendors meaning there is little if any integration between systems.

Matryx Consulting has been awarded a major contract to undertake security risk assessments of ANZ commercial premises in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide.

The portfolio of properties includes commercial office towers of up to 45 floors which house ANZ administration and corporate staff.

We recently conducted a very quick comparison between two megapixel CCTV cameras of the same make in a typical office environment.

The comparison: do megapixels count?