Modern technology and security guard services
No security concept can work without a security guard. This is the same for Security Guard Services in Dallas as it is for a security guard working in the harbor of Anchorage. Unfortunately, it is a fact of life that the quality of the security guard can vary and usually, the payment is rather at the low end which might limit the motivation of the workers. This leads to the obvious solution of increasing pay to improve performance on the job. Another way to improve the guard’s motivation is to improve his working environment. There are many new surveillance techniques that can multiply the effectiveness of any guard and help him monitor huge areas.
Modern technology For Security
CCTV at every corner
One of the easiest ways to increase the abilities of a security guard is adding extra eyes. Digital cameras have become very cheap and come in all forms and shapes. Most good security service companies use as many digital cameras as possible. Additionally, a live feed from these cameras makes it also possible for the client to follow the work of the security company he has contracted.
Artificial intelligence
A huge number of cameras is hard to observe, and it can easily happen that a tired security guard overlooks suspicious movement on one of the many screens he has to observe. Thanks to AI and face recognition he can be alerted once suspicious movement is caught on one of the screens. This technology still is under development, and it depends on the object that has to be guarded on how much one would want to rely on AI support during surveillance.
For low-intensity jobs that have a small budget, a well-trained AI might save some money. For high-value targets, it is still better to invest in staff than rely too much on AI as it can be tricked in some cases. Also, an AI which produces to many false positives might lead to a security guard starting to ignore the alerts produced by AI.
Night vision equipment
Most security guards’ work happens at night when visibility is low. The use of night vision equipment is essential to work effectively in these low light conditions. Due to extensive usage in the military the technology is quite mature by now and many suppliers can be found. The equipment works either with an image intensifier or thermal imaging using different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. Modern devices combine both thermal imaging and image intensification to form a composite image. For a client the availability of night vision equipment in an offer from a security service is a sign of a company that is well established in the business and has all the tools to provide good security.
The age of drone surveillance
Drones have become almost as widely available as cameras nowadays and no security concept is complete without considering the use of drones and most high-end security services have adapted the use of drones. In circumstances where cameras cannot be used drones can cover huge areas with a small logistic footprint. When using cheap import drones the firmware can be corrupted by Chinese spyware as is known for all electronics exported from China.
In order to avoid industrial espionage, the controller for these drones should be locally sourced. If the surveillance needed doesn’t reveal any sensitive information the cheap Chinese drones can be used without worries. When choosing a security service, it is preferable to find a service that is aware of the spyware problem of Chinese electronics and can provide a solution for it.
Real-time monitoring
Thanks to the possibility to stay online even while on patrol modern security guards can stream their work directly to a security coordination center. This way it can be assured at all times that the necessary checks are made and all patrolling is done as planned. In case a guard notices a problem he or the personnel in the security coordination center can immediately ask for back up or call local authorities.
Conclusion
Modern technology makes each single security guard more effective. The use of full network integration leads to some concerns regarding hacker attacks and spyware but with sufficient countermeasures, these dangers can be limited to an acceptable level. Today all security service providers such as VP Security Guards include modern surveillance techniques in their offer.
