With over 523,000 recorded cases of theft from buildings in 2017, and over 4 million cases of theft overall, it’s clear that security is a major concern these days.
Events are becoming larger than ever before, and you’ll need more than a few pairs of watchful eyes. If you want to minimize the damage, and keep your events and conferences safe and secure against theft, using technology is the most reliable and effective way to do so.
Assess The Risks
The needs of a medium-sized party will differ massively from that of a large business exposition or conference. Before you start to think about any arrangements, sketch out a brief risk assessment and highlight the main concerns.
Where are the most valuable items? What’s easy to steal? This is a useful tip for the other risk factors too. For instance, with fires – are there any areas which may become too crowded? Never start your preparations without a thorough examination of the risks.
Create An Identification System
The simplest way to ensure that your events are safe is to only let in trusted people, and this can easily be achieved with an identification system, which could be entirely automated, or run by concierge staff.
Either way, purchasing an ID scanner, which can easily be connected to a database, is a reliable and quick way of keeping out any unwanted guests.
Set Up Alarms
There are a few different types of alarms which are often used at large events, such as intruder alarms and sensor alarms. Intruder alarms come in various forms.
For example, bells-only alarms are alarms which only issue a noise, hence the name. These alarms are cheaper, which makes them most suitable for smaller events.
On the other hand, a monitored alarm might be more appropriate for a larger venue. These systems can send automated alerts to directly inform the security, for example.
Both are also great because they can easily be combined with the speakers in your sound equipment and TV displays, which could then be used to warn people not in the immediate vicinity of danger.
Remember, the first and foremost objective of an alarm should always be to keep people safe. Pressure sensor alarms may also be an option to consider if you’re displaying any expensive items. Usually discreet, these alarms are effective without being unsightly.
Use Surveillance To Spot Theft
Surveillance is the final measure that you can employ to deter any potential thieves – and catch them if they do manage to steal anything. One of the most common mistakes made when installing cameras is to conceal them entirely.
While this may succeed in recording the criminal, it completely removes the deterrent factor, which could stop the crime from occurring in the first place.
Again, the utility of security cameras can increase exponentially if they’re combined with the other devices you already have. For example, TV displays could occasionally show the live CCTV feed, or a speaker system could be used as an intercom if there is any suspicious behaviour. When used intelligently, surveillance can greatly reduce the risk of crime taking place.
Theft is one of the most difficult crimes to prevent, often because it’s so difficult to completely secure everything. However, using these measures can make the job a lot easier, and save you a lot of money in the long run.
If you’re looking for a top notch security guard service in the NY or NJ area, contact Building Security Services today.
Joseph Ferdinando
Joseph Ferdinando is the visionary founder of Building Security Services, a leading security company renowned for its comprehensive security services. With an illustrious career spanning over 40 years in the security industry, Joseph has been instrumental in elevating the standards of security guard services for a broad spectrum of businesses and organizations. As an influential member of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) in both New York and New Jersey chapters, Joseph has played a pivotal role in shaping industry standards and practices.