When determining the best security system for your company, it is crucial to understand that the equipment will only EVER be as good as the placement. To say this in a different way, you can spend the money on the “best security system” in the world, but poor placement will prohibit the system from doing its job. Let us dig into this a bit further!
Plan and Design to Make the Best Security System
Proper placement requires planning and designing (much like a blueprint of a house). To do this, consider the following:
- The type of activity in your location.
- Identifying what a perpetrator might want to accomplish. (This is not always possible! But if you have a retail store, one of the main security threats is theft. Whereas a company whose location is in the middle of a major metropolitan city might need to prevent squatters from posting up near their building.)
- What areas will capture the most amount of activity? It is impossible to illuminate every location, but many locations can be!
- What areas need to have additional cameras to capture the locations where others cannot?
- What objects will block the view of a security camera in different angles
Many companies have security equipment, but do not take the time to set it up in locations that will actually be beneficial OR pay professionals to properly install the equipment. As you can see from the list above, there is a lot more thought that needs to go into placing equipment than just setting it up!
Price and Monitoring
We often encourage our customers to not let price be the deterrent when choosing security options. However, at the end of the day, we understand that companies have to work within a budget. That being said, it is important to understand that the most expensive does not always mean the best security system for every company and situation!
There are more factors to consider than just placement. A company and the security firm need to take into account the area, crime rates, level of danger, etc. At that point a decision can be made to determine whether or not the security system needs a 24/hour on-site security person to monitor the footage and patrol the area. OR are there other options that might be more cost effective while providing great security?
Here at BPS Security, we use artificial intelligence to help alert security personnel and the local police department (when necessary) in case of a threat. This is far more robust than a motion detector. It can determine the difference between animals and humans, and even recognize suspicious behaviour. (There is a difference between a person walking by a building and a person slowly walking, and scanning the building). When the system identifies a threat, it will immediately notify all parties that need this information, whether that is on-site security, the company owner/operator, the police department, or perhaps a combination of all three.
The thing is, not every company needs round-the-clock on-site security staff (though, some do!). There are ways to efficiently monitor areas! But to do so properly will require a conversation between the security firm and the company. Most importantly, the security firm needs to do their job and identify criminal activity and possible threats in that area. (This will not only keep your company safe but can also help reduce liability.)
Final Thoughts
When you are determining what is the best security system, always remember that it will only be as good as the placement. All good security systems require planning and design!
