I was searching my email outbox archives the other day and I ran across a column that I’d written a few years ago about the use of video and integrated security systems. I was adamant that a camera be ruled out for an access control solution versus considering it as an optional feature. I still maintain that assertion. I’m not saying that every door should have a camera – every door should be considered for one – as an integrated component of your access control system.

When’s the last time you reviewed the services that your security integrator is offering? If it’s been more than a year, or perhaps even a few months, I’m certain that you’ll find that there are more choices and greater flexibility in the deployment of those choices.

I’ve written previously about the need to embrace our corporate or institutional culture and the language of business into enterprise physical security. All too often, we practical folks engaged in the day-to-day operations of our departments dismiss these concepts as superfluous or mere hoops to jump through to please some higher authority. As I’ve been known to preach about, regularly, is the need to market our services to our customers, both internal and external. One “corporate speak” method of marketing our work with the value added benefit of guiding our decision making is in the form of value statements.

I’m always amazed at how many of my colleagues still rely on a significant amount of manual data entry to their access control systems. Often, a large amount of employee information is entered at the badging station or after-the-fact at the security office.

I love tailgating. I tailgate at my own institution and try to tailgate at others, even at corporate sites. Yet, I strongly disapprove of tailgaters and the practice in general. Of course, I’m referring to the practice of tailgating into a secured space or building, whether it’s a facility protected by standard locks and keys, guard stations, or electronic card access. Tailgating is the act of following an authorized individual into a protected/secured space by one who is not authorized to enter that space or perhaps, just that particular entrance or space.

The term “video verification” generally applies to the use of a camera to verify whether an intrusion alarm is genuine, false, or a nuisance alarm. A false alarm would indicate an alarm generated by a system that is a result of a malfunction in the alarm system. A nuisance alarm is indicative of a system working properly, but is generated by some kind of user (human) error.