CCTV is nothing new – most commercial buildings or construction sites have CCTV camera systems installed; recording images which are stored onto a DVR gathering dust in a store room or similar.
However, calling this a ‘security’ system would often be stretching the concept of real security. Security is about keeping assets, property and people safe. For this to be effective there has to be a focus on proactivity; a method of intervention that stops any potential incidents of threat, crime, damage or vandalism before they develop into a negative or catastrophic event.
One simple change can turn your CCTV system into a proactive, effective security prevention system, ensuring round the clock protection of the people and assets that you value so highly and depend upon daily for the effective operation of your business.
The simple change is to have your system remotely monitored by a BS5979 accredited, specialist Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC).
Through connection to the internet, with the integration of relevant movement or intruder detectors, your CCTV system can be configured to send signals to a permanently manned ARC. Whenever the system is armed and a movement detector triggered on-site, security accredited ARC operators will be immediately alerted that an unexpected movement has been detected. ARC Operatives will immediately view live images (monitoring the footage to BS8418 – the highest British Standard of CCTV monitoring) and assess a situation as its happening, deciding on the best course of action to deal with the incident.
ARC operatives are trained to assess such incidents and make experienced judgements on how to deal with the event in a suitable manner. In the event that an intruder is detected, a BS5979 & BS8418 ARC operative will have immediate access to a microphone so they can warn the intruder they have been detected over a site installed audio system. Usually, the knowledge that they are being witnessed by a human is enough to deter an intruder. However, should the intruder persist, the ARC operative will track the incident on the site’s remotely controlled CCTV system whilst calling the local Police service to report a crime in progress. Given that the ARC will have a URN (Unique Reference Number), the police must respond immediately to this crime taking place. The operator will give a running commentary to the police to ensure information is being updated in real time.
A comparison with on-site security guarding highlights marked differences:
On site security guards have very limited vision of an entire site. Much like inside an ARC, an on-site security guard often detects potential threats through the monitoring of cameras. But unlike an ARC, on site security guards have many extraneous factors which could impinge on the ability to monitor this footage accurately – they could be on a patrol, could be distracted, or could be in the middle of a drawn out shift with dwindling levels of alertness.
Should an on-site guard detect such an event, how do they intervene and deter the intruder? Often, security guards are trained not to approach a potential intruder, for concerns over safety. Options are therefore very limited. Usually in such instances, security guards ensure their own safety, before calling out the police, the same as any normal member of the public. Without a URN (as held by an ARC), the police may not respond immediately.
Other general issues associated with manned guarding are instantly addressed; such as those associated with Reliability – a fully manned ARC comes with built in sickness and holiday cover, Audibility – all actions within an ARC have a detailed audit trail, Internal Risk – it’s highly unlikely that an ARC will be corruptible, taken hostage or attacked and Scalability – what happens if an incident occurs when an onsite guard is busy doing something else? A 24 hour ARC with multiple operators stationed offsite addresses all these realistic concerns by default.
What kind of price would you put on increased effectiveness, on reduction of risk and minimising of human error? Well another advantage of remotely monitored CCTV is that compared to 24 hour man guarding, it can have financial savings of up to 80%, year on year.
Services available from a BS5979 ARC don’t stop at CCTV monitoring – fire and environmental systems, access control systems and lone workers systems can all be remotely monitored and protected in the same manner.
The advanced use of latest technology, combined with the quality of people of and processes within BS5979 ARCs, ensure immediate and enormous cost and protection advantages that simply shouldn’t be ignored.
Find out how a remotely monitored CCTV and security system can increase your on-site security levels by talking to ASM (Advanced Signal Monitoring Ltd) – www.asmuk.net
