Counter Terror

PerpetuityARC Training, part of Linx International Group - the world’s renowned provider of accredited security systems training courses, is responding to a surge in demand, for its portfolio of online training courses. The company is experiencing unprecedented international demand from organizations of all sizes, operating across a wide range of sectors, as they look to ensure they have the skills in-house to coordinate their response to the rapidly changing coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. Demand for online training course Director of Sales and Marketing at the Linx International Group, Sarah Hayward-Turton stated, “Even the very well-prepared organizations with extensive contingency plans, based on thorough risk assessments, have been stunned by the scale and speed of the situation we currently face.” Effective risk, crisis & disaster management begins with preparation for the worst case scenario" She adds, “Key personnel off sick or isolated, travel restrictions, offices and stores shutdown, supply-chain issues affected by manufacturing shortfalls, import delays, and panic-buying. These are just some of the issues impacting organizations right now. The scale is unprecedented, but effective risk, crisis and disaster management begins with preparation for the worst case scenario.” Latest methodologies and best practices Hayward-Turton further said, “We are helping small businesses with no continuity strategy, through to large multi-national organizations who want to train more employees on the latest methodologies and best practice, to ensure that expertise resides in-house, to help manage their response to this crisis, as well as being as ready as possible for what the future may bring.” Crucially, the accredited training courses provided by PerpetuityARC Training are available online and all offer CPD points. Courses range from bite-size introductions, through to formal accredited security risk management programmes. PerpetuityARC Training online training courses available now include: Security Risk Management – Learn how to identify threats, risks and vulnerabilities, and create a comprehensive plan that will enable practical measures to be applied to mitigate the impact. Crisis Management & Business Continuity - Learn about risk assessments, how to identify threats, and how to build a crisis management team. Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management – BTEC Level 4 qualification of immediate benefit to those working as security managers, intended to introduce and develop security and risk management to the highest level. The syllabus includes: risk communications, business impact analysis, continuity planning and crisis management, forming and operating a crisis management team, command and control structure and liaison with the emergency services. Managing Security Risk in the Oil and Gas Sector – IQ Level 4 qualification addressing some of the more complex risks associated with the oil and gas industry in a range of environments and examines the risks in upstream and downstream operations. Topics covered include: security risk analysis, corporate social responsibility, human rights, and community management, managing activism risk, managing acts of militancy and terrorism against the oil and gas sector, oilfield and pipeline security, refinery security, maritime and offshore security and downstream (retail security). Hayward-Turton concludes, “Whilst there is no precedent in modern times for the global situation we are facing, there are tried and tested tools, techniques and methodologies that every organization can put in place today that will help.”

Allied Universal, globally renowned security and facility services company in North America, is proud to celebrate Women’s History Month, which commemorates and encourages the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history. Security is one of the fastest-growing professional careers worldwide. Today, more and more security companies are employing women. “Allied Universal celebrates the hard-working women who work for us each and every day at all career levels within the organization,” said Steve Jones, CEO, Allied Universal. “We employ many women in a wide variety of positions including security professionals, administrative and executive positions.” Honoring women security professionals While security is not traditionally a sector that most women consider to build their careers, the landscape has shifted dramatically. It has been an evolution, rather than a revolution, that has attracted the diverse population of employees who now serve as our country’s security professionals. “Every day, thousands of female security professionals put on their uniforms and ensure the safety and security of countless workplaces, schools, shopping malls, and communities,” says Caress Kennedy, Northeast Region President for Allied Universal. The Committee of 200 (C200) It is important to recognize these women for their distinguished service" She is also associated with many industry associations, including The Committee of 200 (C200) - a prestigious network of top-level women entrepreneurs and corporate innovators, New York Staffing Association, NYPD Law Enforcement Explorers, NYC Workforce Investment Board and serves on St. John's University Homeland Security Academic Program Advisory Board. Caress adds, “It is important to recognize these women for their distinguished service.” Elizabeth Core, a military veteran and Shift Advisor for Allied Universal, decided to join a security company due to the opportunity to share her military knowledge with her team such as discipline, respect and honesty. For most of her 26-year career in the military, Core was stationed at Joint Base Andrews in Washington, DC. The security industry is ever-changing and combines the evolution of technology and physical security, coupled with the opportunity for continual learning and growth. Empowering working women “We are able to not only positively impact our clients, but also our world at large,” said Liz Thomas, Vice President of Sales, Northwest Region, Allied Universal. She adds, “Having the opportunity to work at Allied Universal, who serves so many different vertical markets, has opened the door to connect with diverse groups of people and create incredible relationships and long-term friendships with customers and employees, which is the greatest benefit of all.”

RealNetworks Inc.’s SAFR, globally renowned company in the field of facial recognition technology and computer vision platform for live video, has announced the appointment of Eric Hess as Senior Director of Product Management. In this new position, Hess will lead the product strategy and will be responsible for expanding and accelerating the core SAFR application globally, with a particular emphasis on the public safety and gaming markets. Video analytics and facial recognition  Eric Hess is a well-known expert in the use of video analytics and facial recognition technologies Eric Hess is a well-known expert in the use of video analytics and facial recognition technologies for expedient resolution of criminal investigations, surveillance, loss prevention, and identity solutions. Prior to joining SAFR, Hess served as the Senior Director of Video Analytics for IDEMIA, globally renowned company in biometric solutions. He also held senior sales and product management positions at MorphoTrak, and NEC’s Global Center of Excellence for Face Recognition. As a former Port of Seattle police officer, Hess has a unique appreciation for the mission and challenges of law enforcement and public safety customers. Commercial and public safety “We are very pleased to welcome Eric to the SAFR team,” said Dan Grimm, Vice President and General Manager of Computer Vision at RealNetworks. “He brings a unique mix of operational experience, technical background, and business acumen to ensure the successful adoption of facial recognition and video analytics across wide-ranging commercial and public safety projects.” “I am excited to join SAFR at a time when computer vision solutions are truly gaining momentum,” Hess said. “Advances in machine learning and cost reductions in computing power enable SAFR to bring solutions to public safety and commercial markets not previously served — improving school safety, enhancing security for public transportation and air travel, and reducing risk and liability for commercial venues where society gathers. Facial recognition can be a force for good and can be applied to help make life safer and more convenient.” Crime-prevention tactics expert As a recognized industry expert, Hess has been a speaker at numerous law enforcement and industry events, including INTERPOL, the Law Enforcement Video Association International (LEVA), the International Association for Identification (IAI), King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and, most recently, at the U.S. Secret Service’s Electronic Crimes Task Force in Oakland, California, USA.

Sepura has been shortlisted for “Large Business of the Year” at the Cambridge News Business Excellence Awards 2020, a reward for achieving record revenues through significant sales around the world, including in the UK, the Netherlands, USA, Canada and Oman. The decision to recognize Sepura’s success is a milestone in their recovery from a challenging financial position, resulting in Hytera Communications purchasing them in 2017. Since then, the company has succeeded in bringing state-of-the-art technologies and products to the market, achieving outstanding commercial success and recording year-on-year revenue growth. TETRA radio fleet Highlights of 2019 include – a new TETRA radio fleet for London’s Metropolitan Police Service Highlights of 2019 include – a new TETRA radio fleet for London’s Metropolitan Police Service – also Sepura’s largest ever European order; delivering new radios to their local force Cambridgeshire Police; winning 100% market share for police TETRA radios in the Netherlands; supplying a communications system into Heathrow Airport; and winning global business in Nepal, Singapore, Brazil and Australia, amongst others. In the UK, Sepura have increased their market share to 65% of police radios, with over 85,000 radios recently ordered by UK police forces as they refresh their current radio fleets. The company’s radios are also used in NHS ambulances and regional air ambulance forces around the country. SC Series TETRA radios In total, Sepura shipped a record number of their SC Series TETRA radios worldwide in 2019. To complement the radios they developed innovative software products to help drive customers’ efficiencies and an applications environment to enhance this capability. Steve Barber, CEO at Sepura, outlined the reasons for Sepura’s success in the past 18 months, “By ensuring that we have an outstanding team in place around the world, we can engage with each customer on a personal level, ensuring that we understand their needs before proposing solutions that match these requirements. In this manner we have been able to deliver world class solutions that our competition has not been able to match.” Cambridge News Business Excellence Awards 2020 HR Director at Sepura, Joe McHugh said, “Sepura is a Cambridge success story again; an SME dominating the European market and winning significant business at home and overseas against the competition of multi-billion dollar global technology companies, delivering more than 30% worldwide market share. Joe adds, “Our dynamic, focused teams have provided creative support to our customers, resulting in Sepura winning significant new business, substantially growing the business and cementing our customer base.” The Cambridge News Business Excellence Awards winners are announced at the Awards Dinner at Kings College in the United Kingdom on March 19th.

Safety and security have always been primary concerns for those running large events and gatherings, such as at concert venues or soccer stadiums. However, the Manchester Arena attack of 2017 highlighted that more should be done to protect those visiting these locations. This is the standpoint taken by Figen Murray, the mother of Martyn Hett – one of the 22 victims of the devastating attack. She has been campaigning for the introduction of stronger counter-terror security measures at public venues and has succeeded in gaining government backing for ‘Martyn’s Law’. According to the Home Office, the law would require venues to consider the risk of an attack and take “proportionate and reasonable measures” to protect those in attendance. Murray’s proposal would see increased physical security, such as airport-style metal detectors and scanners, become mandatory for major venues that draw large crowds, as well as training, incident response plans and exercises for staff. The law would seek to tackle the inconsistent nature of security practices currently seen at venues, and bring holistic counter-terror practices to the fore. Introducing airport-style security measures at concert venues isn’t a fix-all solution However, introducing airport-style security measures at concert venues isn’t a fix-all solution. The ecosystem of these locations must be considered and responded to accordingly. Adding extra checkpoints in areas with a high flow of people will not only result in additional queues and disgruntled visitors, but may have more disastrous consequences as large crowds are typically the target of terror attacks. Disruptive security measures may move the mass of people from inside the venue, where people will have had to pass through some form of security – if only just a bag check – to outside the venue, where there are typically no security measures in place. Disrupting threats with enhanced security So, what can be done to enhance the protection of those attending these locations? Investment into technology that can provide an additional layer of security without being intrusive is key, and facial recognition is one such tool. Security teams can use this innovative technology to scan crowds or queues for a sighting of a person of interest, whose biometric data is included on a watch list of known individuals. As well as providing an additional layer of protection, this tool can provide peace of mind for security teams who can monitor those who have not yet entered the venue or are waiting outside. When the facial recognition system identifies a potential match, staff must be prepared to act – as the system will never make the final decision over a person’s fate. They can analyze the picture from the watch list with the video of the individual identified, decide whether the detection was accurate and then interact directly with the person of interest. The level of contact may be as simple as asking for proof of identity and if adequately able to verify who the person is, no further action is needed and any biometric data is removed. Alternatively, it could lead to the acquisition of a known criminal, providing valuable intelligence of any immediate threat. When the facial recognition system identifies a potential match, staff must be prepared to act The real benefit of facial recognition is that response can be proactive as well as reactive, whether it be from fixed surveillance cameras or mobile devices such as body worn cameras. Devices capable of live streaming coupled with analytics such as facial recognition, offer an invaluable surveillance tool, allowing security teams and first responders to react quickly and more effectively to an unfolding situation, all in real-time. Control centre staff are still vital in this circumstance, but are able to work with heightened situational awareness thanks to the live streaming aspect. It allows them to more accurately assess a situation and therefore make decisions based on all of the information at hand, with outcomes that will be far more effective. For example, the information relayed to the emergency services will be more exact in terms of what happened, where and who was involved – rather than being based on fragmented eyewitness accounts. Planning ahead Even though it isn’t yet official, Martyn’s Law is already making waves in the industry – with Manchester City Council pledging to adopt the law early and the security minister, home secretary and prime minister all “100% behind” the proposal. Despite its early stages, operators of concert venues and stadia must start forward planning and enhancing security measures ahead of the government beginning to consult on the law in the spring. Only time will tell what the full legislation will entail, but we can all agree that action is necessary. In order to be as effective as possible, the law should not only mandate metal detectors and bag searches, but technology such as facial recognition and body worn cameras that can work to enhance these other measures and elevate the human response.

Insider threat programs started with counter-espionage cases in the government. Today, insider threat programs have become a more common practice in all industries, as companies understand the risks associated with not having one. To build a program, you must first understand what an insider threat is. An insider threat is an employee, contractor, visitor or other insider who have been granted physical or logical access to a company that can cause extensive damage. Damage ranges from emotional or physical injury, to personnel, financial and reputational loss to data loss/manipulation or destruction of assets. Financial and confidential information While malicious insiders only make up 22% of the threats, they have the most impact on an organization Most threats are derived from the accidental insider. For example, it’s the person who is working on a competitive sales pitch on an airplane and is plugging in financial and confidential information. They are working hard, yet their company’s information is exposed to everyone around them. Another type of insider, the compromised insider, is the person who accidentally downloaded malware when clicking on a fake, urgent email, exposing their information. Malicious insiders cause the greatest concerns. These are the rogue employees who may feel threatened. They may turn violent or take action to damage the company. Or you have the criminal actor employees who are truly malicious and have been hired or bribed by another company to gather intel. Their goal is to gather data and assets to cause damage for a specific purpose. While malicious insiders only make up 22% of the threats, they have the most impact on an organization. They can cause brand and financial damage, along with physical and mental damage. Insider threat program Once you determine you need an insider threat program, you need to build a business case and support it with requirements. Depending on your industry, you can start with regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, NERC CIP, PCI, etc. Talk to your regulator and get their input. Everyone needs to be onboard, understand the intricacies of enacting a program Next, get a top to bottom risk assessment to learn your organization’s risks. A risk assessment will help you prioritize your risks and provide recommendations about what you need to include in your program. Begin by meeting with senior leadership, including your CEO to discuss expectations. Creating an insider threat program will change the company culture, and the CEO must understand the gravity of his/her decision before moving forward. Everyone needs to be onboard, understand the intricacies of enacting a program and support it before its implemented. Determining the level of monitoring The size and complexity of your company will determine the type of program needed. One size does not fit all. It will determine what technologies are required and how much personnel is needed to execute the program. The company must determine what level of monitoring is needed to meet their goals. After the leadership team decides, form a steering committee that includes someone from legal, HR and IT. Other departments can join as necessary. This team sets up the structure, lays out the plan, determines the budget and what type of technologies are needed. For small companies, the best value is education. Educate your employees about the program, build the culture and promote awareness. Teach employees about the behaviors you are looking for and how to report them. Behavioral analysis software Every company is different and you need to determine what will gain employee support The steering committee will need to decide what is out of scope. Every company is different and you need to determine what will gain employee support. The tools put in place cannot monitor employee productivity (web surfing). That is out of scope and will disrupt the company culture. What technology does your organization need to detect insider threats? Organizations need software solutions that monitor, aggregate and analyze data to identify potential threats. Behavioral analysis software looks at patterns of behavior and identifies anomalies. Use business intelligence/data analytics solutions to solve this challenge. This solution learns the normal behavior of people and notifies security staff when behavior changes. This is done by setting a set risk score. Once the score crosses a determined threshold, an alert is triggered. Case and incident management tools Predictive analytics technology reviews behaviors and identifies sensitive areas of companies (pharmacies, server rooms) or files (HR, finance, development). If it sees anomalous behavior, it can predict behaviours. It can determine if someone is going to take data. It helps companies take steps to get ahead of bad behavior. If an employee sends hostile emails, they are picked up and an alert is triggered User sentiment detection software can work in real time. If an employee sends hostile emails, they are picked up and an alert is triggered. The SOC and HR are notified and security dispatched. Depending on how a company has this process set-up, it could potentially save lives. Now that your organization has all this data, how do you pull it together? Case and incident management tools can pool data points and create threat dashboards. Cyber detection system with access control An integrated security system is recommended to be successful. It will eliminate bubbles and share data to see real-time patterns. If HR, security and compliance departments are doing investigations, they can consolidate systems into the same tool to have better data aggregation. Companies can link their IT/cyber detection system with access control. Deploying a true, integrated, open system provides a better insider threat program. Big companies should invest in trained counterintelligence investigators to operate the program. They can help identify the sensitive areas, identify who the people are that have the most access to them, or are in a position to do the greatest amount of harm to the company and who to put mitigation plans around to protect them. They also run the investigations. Potential risky behavior Using the right technology along with thorough processes will result in a successful program You need to detect which individuals are interacting with information systems that pose the greatest potential risk. You need to rapidly and thoroughly understand the user’s potential risky behavior and the context around it. Context is important. You need to decide what to investigate and make it clear to employees. Otherwise you will create a negative culture at your company. Develop a security-aware culture. Involve the crowd. Get an app so if someone sees something they can say something. IT should not run the insider threat program. IT is the most privileged department in an organization. If something goes wrong with an IT person, they have the most ability to do harm and cover their tracks. They need to be an important partner, but don’t let them have ownership and don’t let their administrators have access. Educating your employees and creating a positive culture around an insider threat program takes time and patience. Using the right technology along with thorough processes will result in a successful program. It’s okay to start small and build.

Global and domestic threats have highlighted the need for tighter security across all verticals. One of the technologies that has redefined situational awareness and intrusion detection is thermal imaging. Once a technology exclusively manufactured for the military operations, thermal cameras today are deployed across hundreds of security applications and continue to see strong demand in existing and emerging commercial markets. With thermal technology, security personnel can see in complete darkness as well as in light fog, smoke and rain Technology Overview And Early Adoption What distinguishes thermal cameras from optical sensors is their ability to produce images based on infrared energy, or heat, rather than light. By measuring the heat signatures of all objects and capturing minute differences between them, thermal cameras produce clear, sharp video despite unfavorable environmental conditions. With thermal technology, security personnel can see in complete darkness as well as in light fog, smoke and rain. Originally a military developed, commercially qualified technology, the first thermal cameras for military and aircraft use appeared in the 1950s. By the 1960s, the technology had been declassified and the first thermal camera for commercial use was introduced. However, it wasn’t until the late 1990s - when FLIR Systems introduced a camera with an uncooled thermal detector - when the technology began to see substantial adoption beyond government defense deployments. Installations At Critical Infrastructure Sites In the 2000s, industrial companies were some of the first adopters of thermal, using the technology for predictive maintenance to monitor overheating and machine malfunctions. In the years following the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, there was an increase in thermal camera installations across critical infrastructure sites. Stricter security requirements drove the deployment of thermal cameras for perimeter protection, especially in the nuclear power sector. Thermal cameras produce clear video in daylight, low light or no light scenarios and their sharp images result in higher performing analytics In 2010, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Committee released its 73.55 policy, which states nuclear facilities must “provide continuous surveillance, observation and monitoring” as a means to enhance threat detection and deterrence efforts onsite. Because thermal cameras produce clear video in daylight, low light or no light scenarios and because their sharp images result in higher performing analytics, thermal cameras quickly became the preferred option for nuclear facilities. Likewise, following the 2013 sniper attack on PG&E Corporation’s Metcalf transmission substation, the Federal Energy Regulation Commission introduced the Critical Infrastructure Protection Standard 014 (CIP-014). The policy requires utilities to identify threats to mission critical assets and implement a security system to mitigate those risks. This statute also led to more thermal installations in the utility sector as thermal cameras’ long-range capabilities are ideal for detection of approaching targets beyond the fence line. The demand from both industrial and critical infrastructure entities, as well as other factors, helped drive volume production and price reduction for thermal, making the technology more accessible to the commercial security marketplace. Commercial Applications In recent years, the increasing affordability of thermal cameras along with the introduction of new thermal offerings has opened the door to new commercial applications for the technology. In the past, thermal cameras were designed for applications with enormous perimeters, where the camera needed to detect a human from 700 meters away. Locations like car dealerships, marinas and construction supply facilities can be protected by precise target detection, thermal analytic cameras providing an early warning to security personnel Today, there are thermal cameras specifically designed for short- to mid-range applications. Developed for small to medium enterprises, these thermal cameras ensure property size and security funds are no longer barriers to adoption. Lumber yards, recreation fields and sports arenas are some of the commercial applications now able to implement thermal cameras for 24-hour monitoring and intrusion detection. Affordable thermal cameras with onboard analytics have become attractive options for commercial businesses Innovation And Advancements Innovation and advancements in the core technology have also spurred growth in thermal camera deployment, providing faster image processing, higher resolution, greater video analytic capabilities and better camera performance. In particular, affordable thermal cameras with onboard analytics have become attractive options for commercial businesses that need outdoor, wide area protection. Car dealerships, marinas and construction supply locations all store valuable merchandise and materials outside. Without protection, these assets are vulnerable to vandalism and theft. However, by providing precise target detection, thermal analytic cameras provide an early warning to security personnel so that they can intervene before a crime is committed. By helping to deter just one incident, the thermal solution delivers a clear ROI. New Market Opportunities Not only are there more thermal cameras in use today than ever before, but there are also more thermal sensors being integrated with other multi-sensor systems, driving the adoption of thermal in new markets. For large perimeter surveillance applications, thermal is repeatedly being integrated with radar and drones to expand situational awareness beyond the point of fixed cameras. Users get immediate, accurate alerts of approaching targets and evidentiary class video for target assessment In the commercial market, thermal imagers are combined with optical sensors, analytics and LED illuminators into one solution that integrates with central monitoring station platforms. By bringing these technologies together, users get immediate, accurate alerts of approaching targets and evidentiary class video for target assessment. The result is a lower number of false positives, reducing the total cost of ownership for the solution. These multi-sensor solutions also feature two-way audio capabilities, which enable remote security officers to act as “virtual guards” and speak to intruders in real-time to dissuade them from illegal activity. The introduction of solutions that integrate all these state-of-the-art technologies under one unit reduces the amount of capital and infrastructure needed for deployment. Consequently, more small businesses and alarm monitoring companies can implement advanced perimeter security technologies like thermal sensors, some for the very first time. Thermal cameras have gone from military defense devices to widespread commercial security cameras Multi-Sensor Thermal Solutions Multi-sensor solutions featuring thermal are quickly gaining traction and opening the door to new business opportunities for the security channel. One of the primary reasons for the strong market interest in these systems is they enable integrators to increase their recurring monthly revenue (RMR). With intense price competition and eroding margins on CCTV equipment, integrators have to rely on RMR to grow their businesses. Offering remote video monitoring services and virtual guarding technologies is one of the best ways to do so.  Additionally, there is a clear demand for it. Central stations are continually looking for new technologies to offer their customers and businesses are interested in economical alternatives to physical guards. In conclusion, thermal cameras have gone from military defense devices to widespread commercial security cameras that are a substantial segment of the outdoor security protection market. From nuclear power plants to construction locations, thermal technology is being implemented to secure sites around the globe.

Security’s intersection with consumer electronics is on view at CES 2020, the world’s largest technology event, Jan. 7-10 in Las Vegas. The giant show features more than 170,000 attendees, 4,500 exhibitors and 1,100 industry thought-leaders featured on the CES stage. A range of technologies will be on display, from artificial intelligence (AI) to 5G, vehicle technology to AR/VR (augmented and virtual reality), robotics to home automation. Security plays a prominent role, too.The impact of this event for the smart home could be about delivering home analytics and enhancing privacy" Smart home market on the forefront The smart home market is a major focus. “For the smart home market at CES this year, we expect to see numerous announcements regarding home awareness,” says Blake Kozak, Senior Principal Analyst at IHS Markit. “This will include brands offering up additional analytics for consumer security cameras with a focus on edge-based solutions.” “The impact of this [event] for the smart home could be about delivering home analytics and enhancing privacy through cloudless architectures and new electronic door lock approaches,” he adds. An example of cloud analytics is the Resideo Home app, introduced in December, which will make whole-home monitoring possible for four critical networks of the home – water, air, energy and security. Resideo promises a “simplified and integrated smart home experience.” Video is also prominent at the show. “For cameras, we can expect to see more cameras focused on the outdoor space and possibly new form factors for video doorbells,” says Kozak. Familiar security industry brands exhibiting at CES 2020 include ADT, Ring, August Home and Yale (both part of ASSA ABLOY), Bosch and Alarm.com. Focus on Cybersecurity In 2020, companies will continue to focus on solutions for protecting consumer data" Cybersecurity is an aspect of many of the devices on display at CES. “Device security and data privacy play a key role in the adoption of connected devices,” says Elizabeth Parks, President, Parks Associates. “Consumer security concerns for smart home products will continue to be a barrier to adoption in the U.S. and Europe, and these concerns can actually intensify with device adoption-71% of U.S. smart home households are concerned about cybersecurity. In 2020, companies will continue to focus on solutions for protecting consumer data. One big area of interest is protection on the network router, providing whole home solutions, which are very appealing to consumers.” “At CES we will see the traditional players introducing new DIY (do-it-yourself) products, as well as new players announcing new product features, services, and partnerships,” Parks adds. Smart access control Smart locks will be among the security products at CES 2020. For example, PassiveBolt, a lock company, will show the Shepherd Lock, a touch-enabled smart lock with enhanced security through sensors and AI. The add-on lock converts existing locksets into touch-activated devices. Another lock manufacturer is Kwikset, whose door locks and door hardware include Wi-Fi-enabled smart locks, Bluetooth-enabled smart locks, keyless and keyway-less locks and connected home technology. Video doorbells, including industry-innovator Ring, have been a hit in the consumer market. At CES, Ring will expand the mission to make neighborhoods safer by creating a “Ring of Security” around homes and communities with a suite of home security products and services. The “Neighbors by Ring” app enables affordable, complete, proactive home and neighborhood security. Homeguard offers a range of affordable CCTV solutions for home and small business DIY CCTV demonstrations DIY security systems are another market. Homeguard is a leading DIY consumer brand offering a range of affordable CCTV solutions for home and small business, including wired and wireless CCTV kits, smart cameras, home alarm systems and wire-free HD CCTV kits. Swann Communications is also at the forefront of surveillance and monitoring with new products developments including wire-free HD cameras and doorbells, professional CCTV video surveillance systems, and 1080p full HD systems with “True Detect” heat and motion sensing. AVTECH, and subsidiary YesGo Tech, will demonstrate a compact Wi-Fi home security set, a series of special cameras with face recognition, thermal detection and license plate recognition, customized central management software and a university ID tag that is compatible with access control, OEM and ODM opportunities. Security and automation solutions D-Link’s home networking, security and automation solutions will help consumers connect, view, share, entertain, work and play. SECO-LARM, manufacturer of a Room Occupancy Monitor that shows whether a room is in use, has a line of keypads and proximity readers with built-in Bluetooth for convenient access. Another smart home security solutions provider, Climax Technology, integrates wireless security, home automation, energy management, home emergency monitoring and live visual monitoring. Personal safety mobile application Manufacturers are positioning outdoor cameras as deterrents to theft before a burglary happens" WaryMe designs and develops a personal safety mobile application to improve a user’s security in public places, schools, transports and companies by addressing major risks such as terrorism attacks, intrusion, fire and even industrial accidents. An all-in-one mobile application integrates alerting, crisis management and mass notification features. “Market players are looking to expand beyond established smart home devices like smart thermostats and networked cameras to products like smart water leak detectors, smart pet feeders, and smart air purifiers,” says Elizabeth Parks. “Manufacturers are positioning outdoor cameras as deterrents to theft before a burglary happens. This trend is part of a broader security marketing effort to extend the perimeter of home security beyond traditional home access points.” “Familiarity with smart home devices lags behind familiarity with smart entertainment products; it even lags that of smart speakers, which are quite new in the market,” adds Parks. “In 2020, we will see players working to advance the visibility and marketing around device integration, and specifically focus on use case scenarios around safety, security, and convenience, which have always been the primary drivers of adoption of these types of products.”

The UK Government has been working to reduce the risks associated with illegal drone use since a high-profile incident at UK’s Gatwick Airport in December 2018, when a drone sighting triggered a three-day shutdown of the UK’s second busiest airport, disrupting the travel plans of 140,000 people and affecting 1,000 flights. To address growing security threats by drones, the UK Government has released its ‘Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Strategy’. ‘Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Strategy’ This strategy sets out our approach to countering the threat the malicious or negligent use of drones can bring" “This strategy sets out our approach to countering the threat the malicious or negligent use of drones can bring,” says Brandon Lewis, the U.K. Minister of State for Security. “It will provide the security the public and drone users require to continue to enjoy the benefits of leisure and commercial drone use and facilitate the growth of the drone industry.” “Given the challenge posed by rapid advances in drone technology and the potential threat, the strategy will provide overarching direction to our efforts,” says Lewis. The strategy focuses on ‘small drones’, those weighing less than 20 kg (44 pounds). Countering malicious use of aerial drones The UK Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Strategy centers on mitigating the highest-harm domestic risks resulting from malicious use of aerial drones. They are: Facilitating terrorist attacks, such as modifying commercially-available drones to conduct reconnaissance or attacks. Facilitating crime, especially in prisons, where drones are currently used to deliver contraband. Disrupting critical national infrastructure, such as airports, where a malicious incursion using a drone can have serious safety, security and economic consequences. Potential use by hostile state actors. Maximizing benefits of drone technology The initiative will also look to build strong relationships with industry to ensure high security standards Over the next three years, the strategy will seek to reduce the risks posed by the highest-harm use of drones while maximizing the benefits of drone technology. It will develop a comprehensive understanding of evolving risks and take a “full spectrum” approach to deter, detect and disrupt the misuse of drones. The initiative will also look to build strong relationships with industry to ensure high security standards. Further, promoting access to counter-drone capabilities and effective legislation, training and guidance will empower the police and other operational responders. Tactical response to drone-based threats Because technology is rapidly evolving, the response needs to keep pace, according to the strategy document. Lewis adds, “We will therefore work to understand how drone-based threats might evolve in the future, both at the tactical and strategic levels.”  The strategy will be to build an end-to-end approach to tackling the highest-harm criminal use of drones. It will also work to make it easier to identify malicious drone use against a backdrop of increased legitimate use. Legal drone operators will be required to register with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and to pass an online competency test before flying a drone. Retailers who follow a specific set of safety guidelines when selling drones will be designated ‘DroneSafe’. Unmanned traffic management system The government is working toward future implementation of an unmanned traffic management (UTM) system, which provides a means of preventing collisions between unmanned aircraft and other manned or unmanned aircraft. The current strategy includes early planning for the system. An Industry Action Group will ensure a continuing relationship with the drone industry and help to improve existing counter-drone measures and identify new opportunities, such as use of ‘Geo-Fencing’ to restrict drones from flying in certain areas. Regulating commercial and domestic drones The UK Department of Transport is responsible for safe and lawful use of drones within the UK airspace The strategy will seek to communicate the UK’s security requirements to the counter-drone industry and to encourage a thriving sector that is aware of, and responsive to, the needs of government. Regulating drones is the responsibility of two UK government departments. The UK Department of Transport is responsible for safe and lawful use of drones within the UK airspace, while the Home Office has overall responsibility for domestic counter-drone activity. Fast-evolving drone and counter-drone technology Also, the Center for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) has been involved in reducing the vulnerability of sensitive sites, including airports. New performance measures will track the strategy’s success. Due to the fast-evolving nature of drone and counter-drone technology, the intent is to review and, if necessary, refresh the strategy in three years.

As the deal/no deal prospects of Brexit are tossed in a whirlwind of UK and EU politics, the uncertainty of the back-and-forth has broadly impacted general economic trends, and by extension, the physical security market. The new deadline for a Brexit agreement is October 31, already postponed six months from the scheduled April 12 departure date. Numbers show that Britain’s GDP shrank in the second quarter, possibly reflecting fewer exports because of Brexit uncertainty. And beyond the current indecision lies the long-term impact of a possible change in trading status between the United Kingdom and continental Europe. Other issues include capital flow and labor mobility. Brexit uncertainty leading to security concerns Loss of shared information with the EU will make the UK less safe “Companies … are unclear about their future,” comments Martin Warren of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. “Companies are making decisions now about jobs, supply chains, headquarters and asset locations, incurring significant, and possibly unnecessary, cost and upheaval.” Warren fears the destructive effects of a ‘no deal’ outcome and hopes politicians will break the deadlock and restore business confidence. Security implications of Brexit extend beyond economics. Loss of shared information with the EU will make the UK less safe. Extradition across EU borders will be more difficult, and exchange of data such as fingerprints and vehicle registrations is at risk. The Irish border after Brexit is of particular concern to security professionals. Countering threat of international terrorism Robert Hall of London First and Alison Wakefield of Security Institute say the security impact of departing the EU will be long lasting and profound. “In security terms, the UK will still have to contend with international terrorism, transnational crime and the global movement of people, all challenges that require wide scale cooperation.” They add that leaving the EU will require “a significant investment in people, resources and databases to cope with the anticipated volumes of traffic through ports, airports and tunnels.” Analyst company IHS Markit earlier commented about the impact on the security industry of Brexit’s drag on the UK economy, “Access control, intruder and fire alarm markets typically track construction rates closely and are forecast to be affected most. However, a large cut to infrastructure spending would be just as damaging to the video surveillance market.” UK security companies Prefer ‘soft exit’ from EU If a ‘soft exit’ trade deal is not negotiated, the UK would have to revert to WTO trade rules If a ‘soft exit’ trade deal is not negotiated, the UK would have to revert to World Trade Organization (WTO) trade rules, which means tariffs on trade between the UK and the EU, says IHS Markit. There are five British-based access-control and intruder-alarm vendors supplying the European market in significant quantity – each with revenue exceeding $10 million. IHS Markit estimates these companies combined account for less than 10 percent of total European, Middle-Eastern and African (EMEA) market revenues for both industries.  Uncertain future of UK security marketplace Asset protection specialist VPS Security Services has warned that the ongoing Brexit saga will likely lead to a rise in vacant commercial and residential properties as developers and investors are more reluctant to move forward with their UK real estate strategies. Seemingly endless machinations and shifting proposals are making the eventual outcome of Brexit very much a guessing game. Uncertainty translates into a volatile and changing outlook, and the eventual impact on the broader economy is an open question. As a reflection of that economy, the security marketplace will inevitably feel the economic impact, too, not to mention the new security challenges likely to ensue.

Three more UK police forces have jointly upgraded to Sepura SC20 TETRA radios, significantly improving their front line officers’ ability to communicate with colleagues. Bedfordshire Police, Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Hertfordshire Constabulary made use of their joint purchasing power to equip officers from across all three forces with the new SC20 TETRA radios. In all over 1,900 radios were purchased across the three forces, to work alongside their existing fleet of Sepura radios. SC20 TETRA radios By using the SC20 TETRA radios, officers will benefit from powerful, robust radios with loud, clear audio By using the SC20 TETRA radios, officers will benefit from powerful, robust radios with loud, clear audio, ensuring that critical voice communications can be clearly heard and understood, even in noisy environments. In addition the radios are applications ready, meaning that each force can in time develop bespoke applications to enable quick, secure access to critical data. A key advantage of the Sepura solution is that their radio programming solution Radio Manager can work across different Sepura products, meaning that the transition to new devices is as smooth as possible. Intuitive user interface Andy Gregory, Business Development Director at Sepura said, “After conducting trials, the response from the forces was that the SC20 benefitted from robust design, an intuitive user interface and loud audio, making it ideally suited to the users’ operational needs. The sale is significant to Sepura of course, as Cambridgeshire are Sepura’s ‘home’ force, and many of our staff live in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire where the new radios are now being deployed.” Gary Maughan, Regional Sales Director for the UK and Ireland at Sepura added, “Sepura radios continue to be chosen by police organizations in the UK and across Europe as the leading TETRA device available on the market today. We are proud to work with our local forces as we do with all UK police forces, ensuring that they are equipped with the best communication solution possible.”

Videalert, one of the UK’s renowned suppliers of intelligent traffic enforcement and management solutions, has supplied Wiltshire Council with a new mobile enforcement vehicle (MEV) which is initially being used to enforce residential permit parking in Salisbury. The vehicle is equipped with a complete suite of Videalert software giving it the ability to be used in future for a wide range of safety-related parking applications including bus stops and the enforcement of keep clears outside schools. The council is also deploying Videalert cameras to enforce two bus gates in Devizes. According to Joanne Pattison, Parking Manager at Wiltshire Council, “Videalert has provided the council with a flexible, hosted solution that will help us to significantly increase the productivity of the whole parking team. It will also enable us to cost effectively extend enforcement to other safety-related applications as required and provide a more efficient service.” Peugeot 108 equipped with ANPR cameras Videalert supplied a Peugeot 108 equipped with two roof-mounted ANPR cameras and two color cameras Videalert supplied a Peugeot 108 equipped with two roof-mounted ANPR cameras and two color cameras to capture contextual video evidence. The ONVIF-compliant cameras accurately capture reflective number plates at distances of up to 40 metres with capture rates of up to 98%. Importantly, this can be achieved with just a single pass at normal road speeds. Used in conjunction with the latest video analytics, the system delivers the highest productivity at the lowest operating cost in any traffic environment. Wiltshire Council is also installing Videalert cameras to enforce bus gates located at two housing developments in Devizes. These locations, situated next to main arterial routes into the market town, have previously been controlled using rising bollards, which have proved to be increasingly unreliable due to water damage. The first cameras have been installed at the Newman Road bus gate and will provide uninterrupted enforcement around the clock while delivering cost savings by eliminating the ongoing maintenance liability of the rising bollards.  Hosted digital video platform Images of contraventions are transmitted to Videalert’s hosted digital video platform where evidence packs can be viewed and validated prior to sending to the council’s back office system for the issuance of penalty charge notices (PCN). Videalert’s flexible hosted platform makes it a quick and cost effective process to deploy enforcement as it does not require the installation of any IT at the council’s offices. To reduce the number of appeals, PCN recipients can view still photographs and video footage of the alleged offense over the internet. Tim Daniels, Sales and Marketing Director at Videalert added, “Videalert MEVs have proved to deliver industry-leading capture rates while consistently outperforming vehicles from other suppliers. These multi-purpose MEVs give councils greater flexibility to enforce a wide range of moving traffic and parking contraventions.”

Patriot One, developer of the PATSCAN Multi-Sensor Covert Threat Detection platform, is pleased to announce a collaboration partnership with Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), part of Major League Soccer (MLS), to pilot its PATSCAN platform at Banc of California Stadium. Threat and intrusion detection “We are excited to announce this PATSCAN pilot deployment project with another U.S. major sport franchise,” said Martin Cronin, Patriot One CEO and president, adding “In the New Year, our installation team will begin work with the Los Angeles Football Club and Banc of California Stadium on this important game safety initiative. MLS fans will enjoy an added layer of security while attending their favorite team’s home games in Southern California”. Martin further said, “Our vision is to not only to create a world safe from acts of violence, but also to help save a way of life people have come to expect in their normal everyday lives, and that includes participating in professional sports and entertainment activities with their fellow fans.” PATSCAN Multi-Sensor Covert Threat Detection The PATSCAN Multi-Sensor Covert Threat Detection platform will ship in January 2020 to the security team at LAFC The PATSCAN Multi-Sensor Covert Threat Detection platform will ship in January 2020 to the security team at Los Angeles Football Club, where they will be joined by Banc of California Stadium security and Patriot One implementation engineers to begin the integration and pilot deployment project.  Specific location of the Platform’s deployment will not be disclosed. “Customer safety is our number one priority at Banc of California Stadium,” said LAFC Vice President of Information Technology Christian Lau. “We are excited to work with Patriot One to give customers an extra layer of security while attending events at our world-class venue in the heart of Los Angeles.” Stadium security Following the initial pilot deployment of the PATSCAN platform with LAFC at an undisclosed location within Banc of California Stadium, Patriot One will work with the team and stadium management to broaden deployment throughout the complex.

Sitting on the banks of the river Niger in West Africa is Niamey, Niger’s capital city. The capital city faces some unique challenges to the safety of its local residents and visitors. To help tackle these issues, the government of Niger is working with Hikvision’s West Africa team to install a state-of-the-art, cutting-edge video surveillance solution across the region. Niamey has a history of trade and commerce. Its large and bustling open air market – the Grand Marché – sells everything from clothes, to jewelry, to food, and attracts an estimated 20,000 tourists a year. But while the city has long been known as one of the more relaxed capitals of West Africa, in recent years Niamey has received high profile attention due to criminal incidents in and around the capital city. African Union Summit The city would also receive high profile guests from around the world, including key personnel from the UN and WTO When it was announced that Niamey would host the 33rd Session of the African Union (AU) Summit for the very first time, the Government of Niger decided to seize the opportunity to establish a complete urban video surveillance network. It was vital that this high profile event could run for the full five days without any disruption or untoward incidents, as Niamey would attract visitors and heads of states from across the continent. The city would also receive high profile guests from around the world, including key personnel from the United Nations and World Trade Organization. Complete video surveillance solution Vincent Wang, Technical Support Engineer for Hikvision West Africa, says, “The AU Summit is a key event in Africa’s diary, and always requires a high security presence. It gave us the ideal springboard for launching a complete surveillance solution that would provide security to those in attendance, while giving the city a robust set of tools to help prevent and manage security incidents long into the future.” When seeking out the ideal surveillance solution for this project, the Government of Niger learned about several similar projects that Hikvision had already completed in African cities and was impressed how well the solution is running. “They wanted to emulate a project, so that’s what we set about doing.” says Vincent. Hikvision high resolution cameras Vincent and the team worked with technology partners, ITS Solutions to design a complete urban surveillance network in Niamey, which would protect residents and visitors across the whole city during the summit and beyond. Central to the solution was the installation of more than 100 Hikvision high resolution cameras for 24-hour monitoring of the city. Along the 12 main roads, and at key intersections throughout the city, the government’s security team installed the Hikvision DarkFighter 2 MP Speed Dome Cameras (DS-2DF8225IX-AEL). These cameras are designed to deliver high quality images in low light or dark environments. They are also equipped with license plate recognition technology so as to effectively identify vehicle violations, such as over speeding or other traffic rules violations, even at midnight with no light. Hikvision PanoVu Series 180° Panoramic + PTZ Cameras Security personnel can also know close-up details of the scene with the 180 degree panoramic PTZ cameras Meanwhile, Hikvision PanoVu Series 180° Panoramic + PTZ Cameras (DS-2DP0818ZIX-D/236) were installed at the entrances and exits of the main government offices and hotels, for reliable surveillance and overall protection of all visitors with panoramic view at the time of the summit event. Security personnel can also know close-up details of the scene with the 180 degree panoramic PTZ cameras. And the high speed PTZ also offers the function of fast detail positioning over the panoramic area. In the control center, security teams were given Hikvision iVMS-8600 video management software (VMS) in conjunction with large LCD monitor screens, to display a live stream from all the city’s surveillance cameras. Hikvision’s urban video security solution also includes mobile surveillance, allowing law enforcement or government officials to use a mobile device to see a live stream from any Hikvision camera installed in the city, even while on the move. Enhancing network infrastructure The installation was thoroughly planned. “The existing local infrastructure provided some challenges,” says Vincent. “But we investigated it fully during our test phase, so we could design a surveillance network to suit”. “For instance, we found a few potential issues with the local power supply, but to remedy this we installed a UPS network to guarantee power to the cameras for at least 2 hours should the grid fail. We also assessed the local network infrastructure, and the ambient lighting at night. This work was fully completed during our proof of concept several months before the summit.” Hikvision surveillance solution for smart city The African Union Summit was well received and passed without event. The Hikvision surveillance solution undoubtedly played a key role. “The people of Niger feel a certain confidence when talking about the summit,” says S.E Brigi Rafini, the Premier Ministre, at the government of Niger. “It couldn’t have happened without the support of Hikvision technology. The comprehensive security solution was central to the event’s success.” Counseil de Bureau de Securité at the Government of Niger kept positive attitude towards the future potential of this solution. “Thanks to Hikvision technology, Niamey now has a comprehensive city safety solution that will help us to both prevent crime, and respond in real time when incidents do occur. It’s a landmark project for our country and the region as a whole, and we are very interested to see how this innovative technology can help our city and our people to be safer.”

The new year is several weeks old, so it is safe to say that many of our New Year resolutions have fallen by the wayside. Despite the limited success of our personal resolutions, the new year is a great time to take stock, look ahead, and plan to make 2020 the best year yet. Thinking about our industry as a whole, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What should be the security industry’s “New Year’s resolution?” 

Public spaces provide soft targets and are often the sites of terrorist or active shooter attacks. Public spaces, by definition, require easy accessibility and unrestricted movement. Given that openness, what security technologies can provide real results? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How is technology innovation impacting the security of public spaces?

Statistically speaking, incidents of terrorism are unlikely to impact most businesses and institutions. However, the mere possibility of worst-case-scenario attacks is enough to keep security professionals awake at night. Compounding the collective anxiety is the minute-by-minute media coverage when an attack does occur. The immediacy of the shared experience of global tragedy impacts us all – including security system decision-makers. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How is the rise in terrorism impacting the physical security market?