Franklin High School Stabbings May Prompt a Layered Approach to Deter Violence

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Layered security may be the best defense in securing campuses against crimes and acts of violence according to The Security Product Depot.

 “He’s a typical young kid. He’s a B+ student. The family is like Ozzie and Harriet. They have dinner together every night.”

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) May 05, 2014

It was the morning of April 9, 2014, when 20 students and a security guard were either slashed or stabbed by a 16 year old student suspect, Ale Hribal at the suburban Franklin High School in Pittsburgh. “He’s a typical young kid. He’s a B+ student. The family is like Ozzie and Harriet. They have dinner together every night,” said his attorney, Patrick Thomassey according to CNN News.

16 year old student suspect, Ale Hribal

16 year old student suspect, Ale Hribal

The 2011 National Center for Education Statistics reported that children between the ages of 12-18 are the most afraid of an attack or being harmed at school. The same age group experienced 1,246,000 cases of theft and violent crime at school compared to 965,200 away from the campus.

A security assessment from qualified security experts can identify areas where unfavorable behavior might occur and design a complete plan on how to best secure the campus. Layered security includes videosurveillance equipment, locks, video intercoms, locker searches and metal detectors. An effective plan should also include the use of police K-9 units to locate drugs and weapons in and around the buildings and parking lots, all of which should be done randomly.

Fire drills are mandated in almost every school district. Today, it’s equally important for schools to practice active shooter or intruder drills. Periodic testing of security cameras, PA systems, radios, fire alarms, radios and other potential lifesaving devices should be checked regularly to ensure they are in working order.

Security cameras have been proven to be a strong deterrent against crime and to help ensure that policies and procedures are being adhered to by students and faculty. They also provide live insight for first responders during an emergency and evidence in forensic scenarios.

Security Product Depot is an established online provider of physical security products and security information. They are committed to offering a broad array of the latest technology to help their clients protect their assets and property.

 

Metro Rail Intends to Triple Security Cameras

Metro Rail Intends to Triple Security Cameras

The nation’s second-busiest subway system will triple the number of Security Cameras. Cameras will be placed in stations, parking garages and for the first time, in its rail cars, according to The Security Product Depot.

 We have no greater responsibility than protecting the safety of our customers, visitors and employees.
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Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) May 14, 2014

The additional security cameras will provide Metro’s control centers a better view of stations and parking garages. For the first time, security cameras will be deployed inside of six rail cars along with a network to allow police and officials to watch the cameras in real time by the end of 2013, according to The Washington Metro RailExaminer on March 29th. Security Product Depot applauds Metro Rail efforts to step up security in populated areas where surveillance cameras can provide a deterrence again crime and identify potential hazards in and around the Metro Rail.

In addition, Metro spokesman Philip Steward said in an email, “As the second-busiest subway system in the U.S., serving the nation’s capital, there should be no question about Metro’s potential to be a target. We have no greater responsibility than protecting the safety of our customers, visitors and employees. To that end, we are in the process of deploying a comprehensive next-generation security system for Metro.”

The number of surveillance cameras will increase from 1,900 to nearly 6,000 and will cost $6.5 million per an agency spokesman. Federal funds will only pay for a portion of the costs of the new cameras, said Stewart. Metro previously announced that the cost of the Rail Car cameras and network, which will allow real time viewing will amount to $7.1 million.

The new surveillance cameras will have improved image quality. Per Steward, the surveillance cameras quality will be “akin to the difference between VCR and Blu-ray”.

While privacy advocates are concerned with the additional cameras, passengers approve of the stepped up security.

Security Product Depot is an established online provider of physical security products and security information. They are committed to offering a broad array of the latest technology to help their clients protect their assets and property.

Tips to Help Prevent Your Home from Being a Target for a Break-In

Don’t wait until a home invasion happens. Prevent break-ins by implementing safeguards to protect your home and family, suggests The Security Product Depot.

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“Three weeks ago the house was broken into and my husband came home to find the back window broken and the front door unlocked,”

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) May 02, 2014

The home of the Durand family in Austin, Texas was broken into for the second time. “Three weeks ago the house was broken into and my husband came home to find the back window broken and the front door unlocked,” said homeowner, Cindy Durand.

“We found the South Austin area has actually seen a big jump in home burglaries so far this year. It’s up 49 percent compared to this time last year”, reported Austin’s KXAN news.

The Durand’s installed security cameras for protection after the initial invasion. The burglars returned while they were at home and stole their 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid. They checked the footage on their surveillance camera and were surprised by their findiHome Invasionngs. “Twice as he looks at our front door to see if anyone is coming he looks right past the camera,” Cindy explained.

Video footage from the surveillance camera will aid in identifying the criminal, charging and convicting him for the crime.

Home invasions often occur during the summer months. Below are some tips to help you keep your family and home from being a target:

  • Install Grade 1 door locks. Grade 1 doorknobs are required to hold up to 300 lbs. of force while Grade 2 door knobs are required to hold up to 150 lbs. and keep them locked at all times.
  • Don’t leave empty boxes from expensive items like televisions, stereo equipment and other items that burglars might be on the look-out for on the curb.
  • Use motion detection lights outdoors.
  • Own a dog. They will alert you to unfamiliar smells and noise since their senses are much keener than yours.
  • Trim bushes to prevent hiding places. bolt down smaller safes so they can’t be picked up and carried off,

Security Product Depot is an established online provider of physical security products and security information. They are committed to offering a broad array of the latest technology to help their clients protect their assets and property.

New Roles for Security Cameras, According to The Security Product Depot

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Security cameras aren’t just a way to protect your belongings, they can be utilized as a marketing tool to monitor children, the elderly, and animals. They are also ideal in dangerous zones that are off-limits to workers.As the technology in security cameras continues to expand, they are taking on a variety of new roles. According to the Paulick Report, Kentucky Horse Uncle SighRacing Commission and the Churchill Downs placed a surveillance camera in the stall of every horse that was entered to run in the Kentucky Derby. The live feed was placed on their website, which allowed racing fans to view their favorites in their stall, up close and personnel. Horse owners and officials were also able to keep tabs on their horse via their smartphone and other devices.

Store owners are utilizing their existing security systems as a valuable marketing tool. Services such as Prism, RetailNext, and Scene Tap are affordable, even for small businesses. The new technology allows store owners to view what customers are looking at, the flow of traffic, foot traffic issues, where best to place employees and how long the wait is in check-out lines. The systems are cloud based and can work without specialized monitoring systems. “I have about 15 cameras installed, and a DVR, but I never really used them,” says Ivor Bradley, owner of The Creamery Coffee Shop and Iron Cactus restaurant in San Francisco. “They were just there really for insurance purposes for when something was to happen.” Store owners can also get data as a list of statistics, graphs and heat maps to help decide if more employees are needed and to identify flow issues with the floor plan.

Webcams have become popular among homeowners. Babies can be monitored in another room, pets can be watched while their owners are at work, and vacation homes can be viewed 24/7. Also, parents can ensure their children make it home safely from school, and they can check in on aging parents without the need to leave work or home.

Other effective and entertaining use of webcams is the one at the San Diego Zoo where you can watch Bai Yun and Gao Gao, two adult pandas; koala bears; polar bears; apes and elephants live at any time. In addition, zoo workers can keep a close eye on animals that are ill or about ready to give birth.

Security cameras are also utilized to monitor dangerous situations in oil, gas and petrochemical facilities, on and off shore, where zones may be off limits to workers. It’s a useful tool because security cameras don’t produce sparks that might cause an explosion.

Video surveillance cameras have become more economical and compact with varying features, which lends to their unique flexibility for multi-purposes and in varying environments as a result of human ingenuity and new technology.

Preventing Workplace Violence

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Workplace violence perpetrated by thieves, disgruntled former employees, angry customers and even bitter spouses can destroy a company’s reputation along with its employee’s sense of safety and security.  To prevent these occurrences there are a number of steps that both employers and employees working together can develop unified policies and procedures to help make their places of business safer.

With everyone being involved and knowing there is a plan in place can in itself be a deterrent to workplace violence.

To start developing a plan of action here are few tips and suggestions to get started:

  • Take a physical security survey of your workplace and review current policies and  procedures. Enlist the aid of security professionals to help identify possible security vulnerabilities in landscaping, lighting, employee and visitor access and signage.
  • Conduct full national background checks on all employees and contractors annually and provide yearly training on workplace violence prevention.
  • Install CCTV cameras to monitor both inside and outside your business. Video surveillance can be a deterrent to potential thieves. It can also be a valuable tool to help identify perpetrators and aid law enforcement before, during and after a robbery, theft or other crime.
  • Implement an access control system and/or a visitor management system.
  • Integrate these systems it with a CCTV camera system to immediately identify      potential treats

Safety tips for employees:

  • Be aware at your workplace. If you notice someone unfamiliar to you, someone without an I.D. card or behaving suspiciously, report it to your company’s security team or your supervisor. Never approach anyone you think may pose a threat.
  • If you ever feel unsafe walking to or from your car after work, walk with a trusted coworker or ask for a security escort.
  • Keep personal items such as purses and wallets in a secure place out of sight. About 75 percent of workplace violence incidents are robbery-related, so consider the use of a locked cabinet or desk drawer to secure your valuables at all times.
  • Request that CCTV security cameras be installed in common areas such as the company parking lot, lobbies, break rooms, and hall ways along with monitors so suspicious activity can easily be identified.
  • Learn and become familiar with your company’s policy on evacuations and lockdown procedures. Knowing what to do and where to go in an emergency can save lives.

Making Movie Theaters a Safe Place

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Movie theaters need to follow the lead that other businesses and entertainment venues have taken to better secure and monitor their customers.  Most major facilities that support a large gathering of people such as ballparks, stadiums, hotels, and malls have not only recognized the need to secure and protect their customers, but also to manage the whereabouts of both individuals and larger flow of groups.  These businesses recognize that at any given time they will have a large influx of various people attending their property.  As such they need to discretely and easily watch the movement of people to protect their safety. One of the primary means that stadiums, hotels, and malls use to oversee an individual’s activity is through the use of video surveillance.  Video surveillance systems popularly known as CCTV (Close Circuit TV) have made huge advances during the last five years by taking advantage of digital technology.  Today’s CCTV systems can detect certain unusual movements, activity in restricted areas, and even have cameras automatically zoom into areas were there may be peculiar activity.  In addition, these systems use the latest digital and communications technology.  Today’s CCTV systems are managed through either a standalone DVR (Digital Video Recorder) or a NVR (Network Video Recorder).  The CCTV DVR uses a powerful processor that allows simultaneous viewing of live video, video recording and playback. The recording system performs on a continuous basis, or triggered by motion detection.  In addition, accessing the video images can be viewed at a onsite monitor, via a PC through an internet connection, or even wirelessly with a smart phone such as an iPhone, BlackBerry, etc… Properly implementing and manning a cctv system with the correct CCTV cameras placed in key areas such as at exit doors, theater entrances, stairwells, and parking lots can quickly identified usual activity such as an exit door being propped open, motion detection of someone going in and out of an exit, and extra ordinary activity in the parking lot, etc…