Rethinking Security: A Proactive Approach

There are two ways to approach business security. Proactive security and reactive security are the different techniques used to protect a company’s assets. Most security systems are put in place with a reactive approach. If a burglar breaks in, the alarm will sound. If a crime is committed on the property, video footage will provide evidence of who did it. Proactive security attempts to prevent these events from happening in the first place. Reactive security is there for backup. The best security systems integrate proactive and reactive security. Below we go through elements of a security system and how you can use them proactively to prevent theft or damage.

ALARM Systems

Most alarm systems are simply reactive. It sends a signal to the monitoring station when a door or window is triggered, and it also sounds an alarm. While this does encourage burglars to leave, they typically don’t leave empty-handed. In fact, burglars may anticipate alarm systems and be prepared to ransack your place in just a few minutes.

Proactive: Invest in a smart security system. One that establishes routines and sends you notifications on your phone. Routines allow a series of actions to take place based on one trigger. For instance, when a motion detector senses motion it can turn on lights inside your house and capture a picture or video. That picture or video will be sent straight to your phone, so you’ll be alert to what’s happening. The light turning on inside the home will probably spook the burglar and make him think twice. Photo evidence that an intruder is entering your house will expedite law enforcement services.

 

A smart security system is a great way to take more proactive measures against potential threats. Other actions such as making sure your front door is locked and using a heavy-duty lock set and/or deadbolt can also help protect you.

SURVEILLANCE cameras

Almost all the time, security cameras are used as reactive security. Meaning they’re only used after an incident has taken place. However, they can be used proactively to prevent incidents from occurring.

Proactive Tip 1: The best way to prevent crime with surveillance cameras is live-monitoring. Either an on-site guard or monitoring station would monitor all cameras on the property 24/7. As soon as the suspicious activity is spotted, something can be done. Each company has its own security procedure, but typically it involves calling a security officer or law enforcement official to intervene. This can prevent or minimize the harm done compared to finding out an incident took place several hours later.

 

Proactive Tip 2: If you’re looking for a proactive solution with a smaller price tag, consider advanced analytics. These camera features will alert you when someone has done something they shouldn’t. For instance, if illegal dumping at the community dumpster is a problem, the “abandoned object” feature will alert you when someone, you guessed it, abandons an object. You can use the license plate recognition cameras to log license plates that illegally dump. When they enter your property, an alert will be sent, and the illegal dumping can be prevented.

 Access control & gate entry

Protecting your assets with controlled access is inherently proactive. Controlling access to places like your server room or inventory warehouse greatly reduced security risks. Adding multiple access points in your facility ensures optimal protection of your most valued assets. Intruders will have to go to great lengths for access.

 

 Gates keep unwanted vehicles and persons off the premises. If during the day, you have a busy facility, an intruder may be able to go unnoticed in the daily hustle and bustle. Gated entry ensures that only authorized persons enter the facility.

If you’re interested in making your security system more proactive, give us a call at 678-430-3116.

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