The Advantage of Video Monitoring

• By Daniel Forrest
• May 30, 2023

The last few years have been unique, and we, as a society, continue to face new challenges. Organizations and businesses of all types are walking a fine line between facility accessibility and supporting facility security. As a security industry professional, you likely have felt the impact.

From small businesses to critical infrastructure, physically safeguarding people and property starts at the perimeter. While outdoor perimeter protection applications have challenges, modern technology offerings address these pain points and drive greater threat detection, real-time response, and crime deterrence efforts.

Physical Security is Fundamental to All Security
Physical security is a vital part of any security plan and is fundamental to all security efforts. Without it, information security, software security, user access security, and network security are significantly more difficult, if not impossible, to start or support.

Whether overseeing security for a retail center or operations for a sports arena, airport, or critical infrastructure, perimeter security is always, as it should be, a top priority. Without the right security protocols and technologies, assets are vulnerable to theft or sabotage. Staff is at risk of assault. Bystanders are subject to dangerous suspects at large.

Today’s Most Common Perimeter Security Challenges
When we think about serving a site and protecting the perimeter, we often do it through the lens of ideal situations, such as modern facilities and adequate budgets. This is not always the case in real-world situations. Most often, securing a site involves a series of compromises between what is affordable, effective and able to be implemented. The goal is to create layers of protection that protect against the threats of the greatest concern, and, ideally, keep those threats at the perimeter.

Until very recently, some of the greatest user challenges of perimeter security have included the ability to protect sites affordably and adequately 24/7, the endangerment of security guards, the difficulty involved in securing remote sites, and reactive versus proactive security solutions.

Compatibility is another barrier to physical perimeter security. Perimeter security should be able to integrate with other security systems, such as alarms or sensors, and should not impede their effectiveness or accuracy. Failure to integrate these systems can create vulnerabilities and reduce the overall effectiveness of the security system. Therefore, it is important to ensure that all security systems are designed and implemented to work together seamlessly.

Another key factor in physical perimeter security is flexibility. Perimeter security should be adaptable to changing threats, regulations or environments, and should not become obsolete or ineffective quickly. This requires a continuous evaluation and updating of the security system to ensure that it still is effective and up to date.

Key Trends in Perimeter Security
A key trend in perimeter security is the continued and increased adoption of video monitoring. Powered by sophisticated analytics and paired with live audio intervention, remote video monitoring is revolutionizing video surveillance capabilities and vastly expanding applications.

This shift from traditional video monitoring to an initiative-taking solution has allowed the security industry to address many of the common barriers in physical security, including deterrence, cost-effectiveness and covering challenging spaces.

The most significant advantage of video monitoring in perimeter security is the ability to detect potential security threats before they become incidents. According to a study by the Department of Justice, video surveillance is effective in deterring crimes such as theft, vandalism and trespassing (Roman, Reid, & Reid, 2008). By monitoring video feeds in real time, security staff can quickly detect potential threats, and act before they escalate into more serious incidents. This can include alerting law enforcement or dispatching on-site security staff to investigate the situation. This benefit increases with the addition of analytics and live intervention.

Rather than being relegated to a post-event forensic analysis tool, remote video monitoring can detect suspicious, unwanted or unusual activity, and alert human security professionals to provide immediate responses to the activity with live, personalized audio while following additional protocols.

Reduce the Cost of Staff
Studies show that video monitoring can help to reduce the cost of security staff. This is because video monitoring allows a small team of security staff to watch multiple locations simultaneously, reducing the need for more staff. Video guarding can be particularly beneficial for small businesses or organizations with limited budgets.

Remote video monitoring has also proven to be especially valuable in providing security for remote, dark, and expansive areas. In these scenarios, it allows for real-time surveillance of the property from a remote location. This eliminates or reduces the need for on-site security personnel and decreases the risks associated with securing these areas. Remote video monitoring is integrated with other security systems, such as access control and intrusion detection, to create a comprehensive security solution.

Today, remote video guarding is an essential part of perimeter security. It supplies real-time information on potential security threats, reduces security personnel costs, improves response time, supplies evidence in criminal investigations, and offers peace of mind for property owners and facility managers. As the cost of video surveillance technology continues to decrease and the effectiveness of these systems continues to improve, video monitoring will likely become even more essential in perimeter security.

This article originally appeared in the May / June 2023 issue of Security Today.