Security Plan

After you have completed your risk assessment and have uncovered vulnerable areas, you must put together a Security Plan in order to mitigate and manage the potential risks indicated. Strive for the best plan within your budget.

As the risk assessment, the security plan is an ongoing process. If something happens -- a car robbery, for example -- it does not mean that you have no defense/barrier against that particular threat. It does mean, however, that whatever defense you do have has proven to be insufficient.

Note that despite the fact that leaving things as is may be less expensive, fortifying your security is undoubtedly the correct action to take. If one takes into account liabilities and other possible security contingencies, one may eventually have to come to terms with the fact that one does get what one pays for.

The security plan, as the risk assessment, must be made into a written document. A good way to do so is to follow the format of a manual.

A plan may include the installation of cameras, lighting, access control, the hiring of security staff and many other actions.

The security department's mission, organization, and policies must be outlined in the plan as well.

Note that the definition of the security department should be consistent with the corporate mission and policies of your company, of the general management and of stakeholders, as the legal counsel, as well.

Decisions, such as if security should be contracted or proprietary in-house, if security will be armed, if they will handle violent, medical or life-saving situations, need to be made.

A good way to define the security posture in relation to the property is to organize and define the resources to be adopted in barriers:

1 - Human Barrier

Security staff can perform as a security barrier in several ways: security officer patrols, fixed post guards, first medical responders and so on.

2 - Technological Barrier

Cameras, access control, alarms, lightening, and AI (Artificial Intelligence) software are examples of technological barriers.

3 - Physical Barrier

Wall, doors, fences are examples of physical barriers.

 

The human barrier is the most effective, once it provides subjective intelligent decision-making and can cover various duties when detecting, deterring, denying, delaying and defending your property/organization. The human barrier, however, is the most expensive and is thus commonly replaced by the other two barriers.

Combining the three barriers to provide the most secure environment, yet optimizing costs, is a challenge.

The most effective use of human resource is a well-defined and managed patrol.

Although costly, personnel are the most important resource to security. When hiring security personnel, the technological and physical barriers perform as tools that strengthen, not replace, human capability.

Patrolling is a procedure to virtually increase the strength of the human barrier without increasing the number of personnel. Since we cannot have a security officer in all areas of risk, we make one guard move throughout all areas.

This is why patrolling, or guard touring, is one of the most important cost-effective, procedures in security.

For example, IP cameras running with AI (Artificial Intelligence) software can detect and deter, if the threat is visible to the camera. AI software can recognize faces, authorize personnel or not and trigger alarms; security officers, however, will be needed for further necessary action and will respond accordingly, making subjective decisions.

Recommended:

Risk Assessment

Patrol Procedures

Guard Tour