The Security Industry Association (SIA) has recognized two industry leaders – Leire Arbona Puértolas and Arielle Thomas – as the 2024 winners of the SIA Industry Advocate Award. This award is presented to individuals making an extraordinary contribution of professional time, leadership and resources to position SIA and its members to address the public policy challenges impacting the security industry. Arbona Puértolas and Thomas were recognized with the awards at the 2024 SIA GovSummit conference.
Public anxieties about school safety are escalating across the country. According to a 2023 Gallup report, 44% of parents fear for their child’s physical safety at school, a 10 percentage-point increase since 2019. Unfortunately, these fears are likely to increase if the incidence of school tragedies continues to mount. As a result, school leaders are now charged with two non-negotiable responsibilities. The first, as always, is to ensure kids have what they need to learn, grow, and thrive. Sadly, their second responsibility is to keep the children in their care safe from threats and physical danger.
- By Ron Boezwinkle, Jason Russell
- May 22, 2024
In a perfect world, every school would have an unlimited budget to help secure their schools. In reality, schools must prioritize what budget they have while navigating the complexities surrounding school security and lockdown.
Ensuring guests have both a memorable experience and a safe one is no small feat for your physical security team. Stadiums, ballparks, arenas, and other large event venues are increasingly leveraging new technologies to transform the fan experience and maintain a high level of security. The goal is to preserve the integrity and excitement of the event while enhancing security and remaining “behind the scenes.”
- By Rick Taylor
- May 20, 2024
A recent survey conducted by KPMG, the audit, tax, and advisory firm, reveals that despite a growing number of attacks and breaches, C-suite cyber leaders are optimistic about the effectiveness of their defenses. The survey also highlights the growing importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in the fight against cyber threats. According to the survey of 200 C-suite cyber leaders at companies with revenue of $1 billion and above, 40% reported that their company had suffered a recent cyberattack resulting in a security breach, with 38% experiencing one to three attacks.
It’s a known fact that government agencies across the U.S. require a higher level of security due to the amount of sensitive information they keep on file. They must maintain control over their public facilities and require more stringent security practices than the normal building. With constant risks of attempted forgery and tampering, government agencies must ensure that only authorized personnel have access to public records and their facilities. A great way to take control and bring security to the next level is investing in a fully comprehensive ID card solution. Most agencies today are implementing an ID card policy to help ensure confidential information stays private.
- By Andrew Schonzeit
- May 20, 2024
The Foundation for Advancing Security Technology (FAST) is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2024 Security Technician of the Year Awards, now in its second year. This prestigious initiative highlights the critical role that security technicians play within the industry, celebrating their excellence in the meticulous design, installation and maintenance of security systems that safeguard our communities.
The Monitoring Association (TMA) is pleased to announce that David Charney, chief customer officer (COO), Stealth Monitoring, has accepted the position of co-chair of the TMA Surveillance and Video Verification (SVV) Committee. Charney joins seated Committee Co-Chair Wes Usie, Guardian Alarm Systems.
Elite Interactive Solutions, a remote video guarding pioneer using proprietary intelligence and integration to achieve proven crime prevention, announces the launching of its new website, eliteisi.com. Several months in the making, the site has been designed with the security end-user customer across a diverse range of vertical markets in mind, highlighting myriad benefits of Elite’s solution and company differentiation in an appealing and user-friendly format.
To say that the Internet of Things (IoT) has become a part of everyday life would be a dramatic understatement. At this point, you would be hard-pressed to find an electronic device that is not connected to the internet.
Smartphones and other mobile devices have had a profound impact on how the world securely accesses the workplace and its services. The growing adoption of mobile wallets and the new generation of users is compounding this effect.
- By Sanjit Bardhan
- May 15, 2024
We have come a long way from the early days of fuzzy analog CCTV systems. During that time, we have had to migrate from analog to digital signals. When IP-based network cameras arrived, they opened a new world of quality and connectivity but also introduced plenty of challenges. Thankfully, network devices today have become smart enough to discover themselves and even self-configure to some degree. While some IT expertise is certainly required, things are much smoother these days. The biggest change is in how fast security cameras and supporting infrastructure are evolving.
- By Adam Lowenstein
- May 14, 2024
Willis Tower, an iconic symbol in Chicago for more than 50 years, has undergone significant transformations to become a modern workplace and community hub that delivers the best experiences for its tenants, area residents and visitors. Originally known as Sears Tower, it was renamed Willis Tower after a change in ownership in 2009.
The Security Industry Association (SIA) has announced the first-ever Security Industry Community Service Day, an initiative created by the SIA Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Advisory Board to rally the entire security industry to give back and make the world a better place. The 2024 Security Industry Community Service Day and supported by event sponsors ASSA ABLOY and HID – will take place on Friday, June 7, and the event will be held on the first Friday of June each year.
It is simple to set up a unified, robust access control solution for one tenant leasing one building. It is even easier if the tenant owns the property. But what is involved when multiple companies lease space in a building? And what about companies that have multiple buildings in the same city or locations across various regions in the country and the world?
- By Lester LaPierre
- May 10, 2024
Axis Communications celebrated the grand opening of its latest Axis Experience Center (AEC) in Frisco, Texas on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. The new Dallas-area facility replaces the original Irving AEC location with a larger, state-of-the-art facility built to accommodate the need for a greater Axis presence in North Texas, and to better serve customers as the Axis product portfolio expands and its partner ecosystem grows. The space also offers additional meeting space, with plans to expand staffing in the future.
The Transportation Services and Mobility department for the city of Grand Prairie, Texas recently completed a substantial project to replace the locks on their Intelligent Traffic Cabinets with a better and more secure choice. Turns out what they needed was only a few miles away with ALCEA’s Traffic Cabinet Locking Solution powered by ABLOY technology.
The physical security industry is experiencing a time of great transformation. Cloud connectivity is accelerating, and more organizations are choosing to blend on-premises and cloud-based solutions. This transformation is affecting all aspects of security, including access control. In the Genetec annual State of Physical Security Survey, it was access control that topped the list of new technologies end-users planned to focus on in 2024.
- By Kris Houle
- May 08, 2024