Security on a Grand Scale
- By Ralph C. Jensen
- May 01, 2018
When we talk about government
security, the first thoughts are of
the federal government. It is true
that the federal government is bloated and
somewhat mismanaged, but let’s talk about
security on the grander scale; safe cities and
even safer schools.
There has been a movement afoot for
quite some time now, about Safe Cities.
Safe Cities attract businesses, foster
innovation and will provide numerous
opportunities for those companies and people
who value security. As city populations grow,
governments’ urban planners and business
leaders have to make critical decisions about
security and safety. Collaborative efforts
on the part of business, government and
technology leaders can lay the groundwork
for continued success.
Emergency preparedness is a keystone to
success in every city. Keeping citizens and
cities safe means that emergency services
must have the ability to respond quickly
during an unplanned event or when natural
disasters occur. Through public-private
partnerships, cities can better assist all
stakeholders proactively assess and prepare
for emergency situations throughout a
municipality, which also includes education
and public utilities.
It is also critical that any emergency
service have a complete picture to maintain
a secure environment. That means that
security and law enforcement can be given
greater situational awareness through a
partnership. Cities need a solution that
allows public organizations to grant
police departments full system access to
view cameras at a facility that is under a
lockdown in order to effectively respond to
a threat.
Now, more than ever before, cities have
more people living within their boundaries
and certainly more people working in the
city, and without a comprehensive strategy,
an urban environment runs the risk of
becoming an inefficient place to live and
work. This can lead to lost productively, a
reduced quality of life and more crime.
Cities require solutions that are
effective and intelligently managed for the
experiences of daily life, including traffic
management, municipal transportation and
city infrastructure.
This article originally appeared in the May 2018 issue of Security Today.
About the Author
Ralph C. Jensen is the Publisher/Editor in chief of Security Today magazine.