EDITOR'S NOTE

Taking a Shot at Violence

• By Ralph C. Jensen
• Jun 01, 2019

I suppose when the topic of government security comes up, we often think big, as in the federal government. Let’s back it down a little bit and think of King City, Calif.

Tom Cook, Hanwha Techwin America, has authored a story that details how King City Police Department went head first into reducing a tragic statistic, homicides. With the help of then newly appointed (2016) Police Chief Robert Masterson this disturbing trend was on the hot seat.

First of all, for a city of 13,000, 17 police officers were just not enough. To curb youth violence in King City, a 23-point strategy was initiated, and one of those points was to install video surveillance cameras throughout the city. Cook’s story points out recommendations, capturing video and looking for relevant information. The story is on page 10.

Troy Harper, OnSolve, writes our cover story about how government agencies can ensure the protection of people and their property. All of this can be in the palm of your hand. I’m sure you already know that because everyone these days has a smartphone.

Harper writes about leveraging a warning system that has been updated by the FCC, and revisions to the Emergency Alert System. People have always wanted to know the basics of a given situation but now citizens are able to receive geographically-targeted text messages alerting them to safety threats in their area. This story can be found on page 14.

This article originally appeared in the May/June 2019 issue of Security Today.