The Operational Safety Handbook: Principles, Concepts & Guidelines for the Tactical Environment

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December 8, 2016

Foreword by John Bigelow, Editor Security Solutions Magazine:

This book brings together a collection of operational wisdom decades in the making. The author goes to great lengths to assess, evaluate and incorporate only the most scientifically researched and operationally proven techniques, discarding anything that fails to withstand the rigors of real world operations. Not the imagined reality of what we would like to do, or the personal reality of what we think we could do, but rather the brutal, primal reality of conflict which happens in the blink of an eye. It is from this point of view that the material in this book has been written.

If you work in public safety operations, chances are that you will encounter conflict at some stage. You therefore owe it to yourself, your colleagues, and those you care about, to be as prepared as possible. To that end, this book should be an essential component of your tactical toolbox.

The information has been contextualised from training and experience predominantly in the private security sector, and is aimed at operational, training and administrative personnel from all areas of public safety. It presents concepts and principles that can be adapted for application on the job, and covers a wide variety of topics organized into 5 chapters. Contents include:

Operations Concepts: Survival Mindset, Tactical Options, Duty Equipment, Command Presence, Workplace Conflict, Aggression, Tactical Communication, Physiology & Psychology Violence, Exertion & Safety, Conflict & Cameras, Trauma Management, Incident Reports, Confrontation Fallout, Courtroom Survival

Defensive Tactics Concepts: Defensive Tactics for Operations, Survival Concepts, Tactical Control Principles, Anatomical Vulnerability, Distraction Strategies, Open vs Closed Hand, Pressure Points, Approach to Control, Chemical Aerosol, Compliance Techniques, Positional Asphyxia & Excited Delirium, Ground Dynamics, Multiple Attacks, Edged Weapons

Firearms Concepts: Firearms & Public Safety, Shooting Fundamentals, Precision vs Combat Shooting, Firearm Ballistics, Stopping Power, Firearm Training & Competency, Alternate Options, Shotgun, Tactical Strategies, Fatal Errors in Operational Safety, Low Light Operations, Weapon Retention, Primal Fear, Stress Reactions

Training Concepts: Establishing a Training Facility, Safety in Training, Training Methodology, Intuitive Operational Safety, Use of Force Training, Total Training, Training Scars, Instructor Responsibility, Reality-Based Training, Protective Suit Training, Projectile-Based Training, Reality-Based Training Process, Scenario Design, The Role Player

Administrative Concepts: The Security Profession, Politics of Confrontation, Public Safety Conundrum, Intelligent Public Safety, Critical Incident Response, Emergency Risks, Resistance & Response, Operational Safety Fitness, Fatigue, Post-Trauma Stress, Technology & Operational Safety, Future Training, Buyer Beware, Choosing a Training Provider

To order your copy email rich@moderncombatives.com.au or call +61 3 9432 350 or visit www.moderncombatives.com.au

ONVIF Hosts 15th Developers’ Plugfest in Taiwan

By

Security Solutions

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December 7, 2016

ONVIF®, the leading global standardisation initiative for IP-based physical security products, hosted its 15^th ONVIF Developers’ Plugfest (ODP) November 9-11 in Taipei, Taiwan, at the Fullon Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf in the city’s Tamsui District. With multiple testings of ONVIF conformant products, the Developers’ Plugfest included interoperability testing for five ONVIF profiles, including the newly released Profile Q and ONVIF’s video profile that is currently in development.

Engineers and developers from ONVIF member companies gathered at the members only event to test their implementations of ONVIF Profile Specifications with other ONVIF Profile-conformant products. In addition to Profile interoperability tests, all ONVIF clients had one hour of testing using ONVIF’s Device/Client Test Tool and were offered the opportunity to discuss with Test Tool developers any issues that arose during conformance testing.

“The ONVIF Developers’ Plugfest provides real-world, in person practical testing for our members before they release their ONVIF-conformant products in the market,” said Steven Dillingham, Chairman of ONVIF’s Technical Services Committee Taskforce, Developers‘ Plugfest. “In many ways, testing a product at an ODP is one of the last steps in the process of developing and designing new technologies and prepping them for entrance into the marketplace. It is an important step in the conformance process and also presents developers and engineers from member companies with the chance to socialize and network.”

The Taipei Plugfest drew 42 technical experts from 15 companies from around the world. Attendees logged 136 hours of total testing time during the three-day event, with five of ONVIF’s profiles tested for interoperability, including Profile Q for out-of-the-box interoperability, Profile S for IP-based video systems, Profile C for IP-based access control and Profile G for edge storage and retrieval. Some developers also tested for interoperability using Profile T for video, ONVIF’s newest profile that is currently in development.

The Taipei Developers’ Plugfest also included a plenary meeting of the ONVIF Developers’ Plugfest Task Force, which announced that ONVIF’s 16th Developers’ Plugfest is scheduled for May 10-12, 2017, in Montreal, Canada, and will be hosted by Genetec.

Founded in 2008, ONVIF now consists of nearly 500 member companies in six continents and more than 7,000 Profile conformant products. With Profile S for streaming video; Profile G for recording and storage; Profile C for physical access control; Profile Q for improved out-of-the-box functionality and the Release Candidate Profile A for access control configuration, ONVIF continues to work with its members to expand the number of IP interoperability solutions ONVIF conformant products can provide.

Further information about ONVIF’s conformant products, including the vendors and the conformant models, is available on ONVIF’s website: www.onvif.org.

Courtroom Survival: Operational Safety After The Fact

By

Richard Kay

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December 5, 2016

The purpose of operational safety training is to prepare officers for that aspect of their job that has the potential to put them in harm’s way, and includes knowledge for officers to make correct decisions within lawful and procedural parameters, physical skills for officer safety and subject control, and strategies to manage the stressful aftermath of confrontations.

One aspect that is often not addressed properly is courtroom procedure. In the course of operational work, it is possible that officers may have to attend court to testify, either as a key person in a case (for example, as the arresting officer), a witness (for example, to testify on the actions of others), or in the event officers act outside proper protocols, as a defendant (for example, accused of a crime in a criminal prosecution or against whom civil relief is sought in a civil case).

When it is time to go to trial, officers may be called to testify, so their courtroom skills need to be solid enough to help win the case, or else their lack of skill and preparation may endanger it. Officers should also be mentally prepared to testify effectively, as the consequences of failing to do so have been seen too often and are simply too dire.

Officers can get snagged on the stand by issues that have nothing to do with their credibility or level of professionalism. They get caught up in little things that are preventable through training and practice. Testifying in court may be the most difficult and important task officers face in their career. No other assignment subjects officers and agencies to more intense scrutiny than an officer’s credibility, competency and conduct in a courtroom.

If an officer fails to be an effective witness in the courtroom, all the work that he and other officers did on the case, all that the victims and their families endured, all that other witnesses may have done over many months or years it takes for a case to go to trial, will have accomplished nothing more than a procedural process. An officer’s ineffective presentation in the courtroom can result in the acquittal of a subject, no matter how much evidence they have or how well they followed procedure during the actual incident.

The reputation of officers and agencies can be enhanced or harmed by a courtroom presentation. It is a high pressure situation, but if officers educate themselves they can hone their skills as a witness to match those they have in operations and prepare themselves to be as effective in the courtroom as they are on the job.

Court Preparation

When compiling a brief of evidence, it is essential to have a clear understanding of what will constitute admissible evidence and what material is likely to be ruled inadmissible or excluded in the exercise of judicial discretion. The law of evidence consists of the rules and principles that govern the means of proving the facts in issue. The rules are concerned with regulating that part of the law of procedure that determines what facts may or may not be proved, what sort of evidence may be given of such facts, and by whom and in what manner the evidence may be proved. The facts in issue are those that a party has to prove in order to succeed and are determined by the charge, the plea, substantive rules of law and the way the case is conducted.

Cases proceed to court on the strength of the evidence, including whether it is corroborated, the reliability of the evidence, the credibility of witnesses and the weight likely to be given to their evidence. There is no point in proceeding with a case that has no prospect of success because it will only waste the time of all involved and result in unnecessary costs. Preparation for court appearance ensures that all relevant evidence has been properly prepared, who is to present what evidence, and that each person is prepared to attend court and thoroughly understands what is required of them. Legal counsel may collaborate with witnesses, but a witness must not discuss their testimony with other witnesses before or during the case.

Prior to attendance in court, officers should speak with legal counsel in relation to the matter being heard. This allows both parties to clarify all issues prior to officers taking the witness stand. Officers should ensure that all material to be used or referred to has been thoroughly reviewed. They should look at their reports through the eyes of an attorney. Be aware of holes and possible angles of attack. Officers should make sure the report is as thorough, detailed and iron clad as possible and then be ready to discuss issues they can predict attorneys will bite down on. It is imperative that they are totally familiar with the information to be tendered, that it is complete and all items are immediately available when requested. Court is not the place for surprises, as officers may harm their credibility and the credibility of the case.

Court Protocol

The following guidelines are offered for professional officer conduct during court proceedings.

Presentation

Officers should present for court with the same attention to detail they would going on duty. They should be exceptionally neat – fingernails clean, hair trimmed, clothes pressed, shoes shined. Carry only the essentials and avoid unnecessary items that may distract. Agency policy may dictate whether officers wear uniform or civilian clothes when they testify; often, on-duty officers wear uniform and off-duty officers wear civilian attire.

Credibility starts with conduct. Officers should mentally prepare themselves for the fact that when they enter the courtroom everyone will most likely be watching their entrance. Stay poised and remember that this is how every witness is viewed. Officers should bow their head to the presiding magistrate or judge as a sign of respect for the court and the authority they hold when entering and leaving the courtroom and after being excused from the stand. Officers should not avoid looking at the judge or jurors; look at them as if speaking normally to a person.

Swearing In

Officers who frequently testify in court often view the swearing in process as a rote exercise, which can be communicated in their attitude and demeanour, such as only partially raising their hand and holding the fingers in a relaxed, cupped posture, failing to look at the person swearing them in, engaging in other action or starting to seat themselves while the process is being administered. Officers should be mindful of what this communicates about their respect for the truth. Much of a juror’s impression about witness credibility is based upon witness demeanour rather than what they actually say on the stand and officers should not communicate a cavalier attitude towards the truth.

Swearing in is an excellent opportunity for officers to make a strong, credible first impression within which all subsequent testimony will be viewed. During the process, look at and seriously listen to the person administering it. Keep the right hand at shoulder level with wrist and fingers extended until the process is completed. Give it the respect it deserves, and make eye contact with the jury. The oath is a word of honour, a personal promise to the jury that they can trust officers.

Demeanour

It is normal for officers to be nervous on the stand – they might sweat, shake, have trouble focusing, forget names, speak too rapidly or in a monotone voice, the voice may involuntarily raise or lower – all of these symptoms are normal. A normal reaction to the stress of being on the stand is slouching, so officers should sit up straight, but not stiffly. Orient themselves in the courtroom by looking at each of the walls within their vision without turning around, and looking at each person or groups of persons in the courtroom. Officers can control anxiety the same way they control stress in operations, by breathing properly.

Officers should be calm and confident but not try to look or sound smarter or more self-assured than they are, as this may convey the impression of being cocky or faking it. Everyone has different personalities, presentations and ways of filtering information. Officers cannot change who they are as a witness, so they should not try to. They should talk as they normally would in a professional manner. It is okay to be nervous, and most officers are when they testify. The jury needs to understand the officer, relate to and believe him.

If officers are working a night shift or have otherwise been up all night before testifying, tell the prosecutor and suggest that he establish this in the beginning of the direct examination. Sleeplessness (or illness) will affect officer demeanour, and the jury should have this information so they can evaluate it for what it is and avoid drawing negative inferences.

Testifying

Listen carefully, think before speaking and be attentive. This communicates that officers care about being accurate and responsive. They should take time as needed to fully understand the question and give a proper response. It does not hurt to appear thoughtful, so officers should organise their thoughts.

A common misconception officers have is that they need to have an answer for every question and remember everything. That is not true and it can prove dangerous to believe otherwise. If officers do not know something or cannot recall specific details or events, by all means they should say so. Trying to fill in memory gaps or make up answers can wreck a case and put officers in professional peril. Do not fabricate. Only ever tell the truth. Remember, officers are there to perform a job – to testify truthfully and accurately.

Answer the question being asked. It is tempting for officers to add information that they think helps the case, but they should resist doing this. This is the prosecutor’s job, so officers should let them develop their testimony. Do not jump ahead and do not anticipate. When officers elaborate for one side and then are very reserved when cross examined by the other, they appear biased and this undermines officer credibility as an objective reporter of facts. Adding extraneous information to answers also opens up other areas for cross examination.

Experienced officers can be particularly susceptible to trying to help cases by angling their answers in a manner they believe will aid the outcome. Sometimes that can affect their ability to be completely neutral when they get in to court. An officer’s job is to remain neutral. He is there to present factual evidence on behalf of the incident. There are a lot of ways for judges to make a decision, and a key one is in believing the officer. If officers look like they are an advocate for something as opposed to being neutral, they may end up being less credible from the viewpoint of the judge.

Speak a little louder and slower than is necessary. Do not inject long pauses between words, phrases or sentences, but do concentrate on making each word clearly heard and understood. Be sincere and dignified. Trials are serious matters for everyone involved. Officers should refrain from wise cracks and clever remarks, but it is okay for them to laugh at themselves or an unexpected occurrence, if appropriate. Avoid appearing frozen, calculated or completely devoid of emotion.

Remain calm and respectful. If officers lose their cool on the stand they lose credibility with the jury. The jury, as citizens, have granted officers with authorities and responses they do not permit themselves. If officers cannot control themselves in a courtroom, they are justified in being gravely concerned about their ability to control themselves on the job, where officers are subjected to much greater stress and no one is watching.

In a case where an officer’s choice of tactical response option is questioned, the first thing a defence attorney is going to try to show in court is that the level of force used was excessive. The attorney is going to try to show the jury that the officer is a hot head with a short fuse and an explosive temper, that officer behaviour on the stand supports the accusation that he cannot control himself or he is prone to violence and acted inappropriately. To achieve this outcome, the attorney will agitate the officer and lure him into demonstrating some kind of physical or verbal aggression.

Officers should resist the temptation to fire off cynical remarks or a negative glance, point fingers aggressively, squirm in their seat like they want to strangle the attorney, and should avoid getting cute with their answers or firing a question back at the attorney out of frustration. Officers should know things can get adversarial on the stand, and many times officer credibility is the only thing attorneys have to attack, so they should prepare themselves ahead of time to spot an emotional luring tactic and immediately be ready to counter it with calm rationale.

Officer patience and temper can be tested with interruptions, delays, argumentative questions and character attacks, but they should not become arrogant, antagonistic, impatient or excited. The worse it gets, the greater an opportunity officers have to impress the jury with their strength of character and integrity. Like it or not, jurors hold officers to a higher standard than they do lay witnesses and they expect officers to be able to withstand more pressure and still remain professional.

Officers should prepare for the totality of their operational roles. An officer’s task in court is to educate people that he is just doing his job and does not have a personal stake in the outcome for subjects. Knowledge of procedural guidelines, having appropriate physical skills for safety and control, and managing residual emotional fallout after an incident are all critical for operational effectiveness.

Being able to professionally and competently see the process through in court to ensure a successful outcome is an equally important aspect that officers should be well versed in. The personal stake is that officers did a good job, handled themselves professionally and their credibility is accepted.

Teaching Sales Staff To Respond Effectively To EAS Alarms

By

John Bigelow

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November 29, 2016

Most readers are familiar with electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems and their utilisation as a fundamental loss prevention (LP) tool. A recent article stated that approximately 80 percent of American retailers utilise some EAS tools, but only 44 percent of LP professionals describe it as effectively executed. This article focuses on addressing one of the biggest downfalls when utilising EAS systems – the lack of appropriate response when an EAS system activates at one of the store’s entry/exit points.

EAS systems play a pivotal role in LP efforts, providing various benefits and opportunities if their deployment is well thought out and appropriately utilised. They help identify merchandise as belonging to a particular store, they allow items of high value to be displayed in a way so customers can touch and feel them, they deter would-be thieves, they make thieves go to greater effort to steal items, they alert staff to the possibility of a theft taking place and help to identify store property quickly during a search. EAS systems also increase LP awareness amongst staff through training in EAS policy and procedures and through the management of EAS tags.

The Lack of Response to an Activation

Of the four functions of security, EAS systems help deter potential thieves, play a key role in their detection, may also play a role in delaying them; however, they do not automatically initiate a human response. For EAS systems to be highly effective, stores must ensure that staff members respond to activations as they occur.

When a person purchases something from a store, it is often handled in some way by the checkout assistant to ensure that the item will not activate the security systems upon the person’s exit. (Hard tags are removed with a strong magnetic detacher and soft tags are passed over an electronic deactivator.) But these systems are nonetheless frequently activated and, more often than not, the casual observer will note that no response is initiated to the activation. People walk through the EAS towers, loud beeping commences, and the person who seemingly has the cause of the activation on his person either keeps walking, or stops and waits for someone to approach him and, when no one does, either leaves or looks confused and returns to the store seeking assistance.

Staff Training is Essential

Typically, a lack of response to alarm activation is due to poor or no staff training and also a lack of ownership by staff members. For this gap to be effectively addressed, the organisation must have a strategy which is expressed as an EAS policy that is supported by clear procedures. For those procedures to become truly valuable, they must have management support and be backed up by staff training.

Staff need to be trained on how to work with EAS equipment and how to handle EAS activations with a customer service focus. It takes no longer than one or two hours and can be included within many other training programs, but should be conducted by LP staff or business supervisors/managers. If a retailer fails to carry out training on this important aspect of LP, serious impacts may result, such as:

EAS alarms not being responded to, reducing the effectiveness of EAS as an LP tool
mishandling of a response to EAS activations, exposing the company to litigation from customers
employer negligence in their duty of care by exposing staff members to the threat of confrontations and violence

What to Include in EAS Training

Topics to include in EAS training include:

An explanation of why and how EAS systems play a pivotal role in the organisation’s LP efforts – this relates to the EAS policy. If conducted properly, this will build a sense of ownership and responsibility within staff members.
An explanation of what the organisation expects of the staff members in managing the use of EAS systems, including what to tag, how to tag, and when and how to remove or deactivate EAS tags. This relates to the EAS procedures.
How to effectively and safely respond to an EAS activation – with the aim of providing staff with the skills and confidence to handle this potentially confrontational task successfully. The use of role plays here is highly effective.
The legal rights of customers and the store, including bag checks, refusing persons to re-enter stores (ban letters) and the mechanics of an apprehension.

The Number One Rule

One of the key outcomes of the training is to ensure that staff feel confident that they know what to do when responding to an EAS alarm activation. The number one rule to remember when approaching someone is to take a customer service approach of attempting to help the customer identify what caused the activation. Staff are not trying to catch shoplifters and they are not policing their stores. They are providing customer service!

Staff members have to be aware that activations can be caused by a large number of items, such as library books, mobile phones, DVDs, products from other stores, as well as countless other items. Tags may also have been left on accidentally by staff members during a genuine purchase. A customer service approach will resolve most of these issues in a mutually satisfactory manner.

Training Scenarios

In a perfect scenario, when responding to an EAS alarm activation a staff member would approach the situation having been trained and with clear expectations from management regarding store policy. Taking a customer service approach, a properly trained staff member will use the ‘right’ tone of voice and ask the ‘right’ questions to help to reassure the customer that he is NOT under accusation. In trying to find out what set the alarm off, the staff member should ask to see a receipt for goods purchased, and to see inside any bags to help identify the source of the activation. The customer can be requested to move items around in his bag if needed so that all contents can be observed without actually touching the bags. It may be necessary to have the customer walk through the EAS towers again with any suspected item (causing the activation). Staff must remember that the customer is not under accusation unless previous circumstances indicate otherwise. Customer service is the key here in dealing with a potentially uncomfortable situation. Any found items that have not been paid for can either be purchased or retrieved – with an accurate record of the event recorded on the bag check log.

Not all situations go as perfectly as that. One of these responses could turn quite ugly very quickly, especially if untrained staff members are left to deal with potentially dangerous situations, and training must address these scenarios.

Handling Confrontation

There are a number of things that the customer may claim when being questioned about the possession of an item that has not been paid for. He may claim that he entered the store with it, he cannot find the receipt, or claim he bought it from another store. In these cases, when it cannot be proven that the item came from the store, it is best to get as much detail as possible from the customer without accusing them and to try and verify the details or refer the situation to a supervisor or manager. Sometimes a customer may just walk away from the staff member. In this case, the only requirement of the staff member is to note as much information as possible about the incident and to report it. Most retailers will instruct staff members never to apprehend potential shoplifters unless specifically trained for this due to the serious legal consequences of a false arrest.

When a confrontation does take place, it can lead to verbal abuse or even physical violence; therefore, it is important to remember that staff safety is paramount. Violent confrontations must be avoided at all cost or dealt with by properly trained LP officers. It is not uncommon for shoplifters to carry weapons (knives, syringes and so on) so staff need to be aware of and be prepared for this. It is also not uncommon for shoplifters to overreact to a confrontation with a staff member by becoming loud and animated. They utilise this as a form of distraction, drawing attention from other customers and claiming innocence.

There are three ways of dealing with a difficult situation/confrontation. Firstly, if the customer raises his voice or begins shouting, the staff member should attempt to reassure the customer that he is trying to help and try to diffuse the situation. Secondly, the staff member should attempt to get support from another staff member, manager, or LP officer, whilst keeping an eye on the customer. Thirdly, if the confrontation becomes too aggressive and there is a threat or a risk of violence, then the staff member can simply walk away, thus removing himself from the potentially dangerous confrontation. The primary thought in any such confrontation, as mentioned previously, is that safety must come first. Staff must be trained to recognise and be aware of the warning signs of a confrontation, at which time they are to seek assistance or remove themselves from the situation. After any such reported incident, management should debrief the staff member to offer advice and support.

Conclusion

Responding to EAS systems is a key element of their success. Properly trained staff will maintain or increase the systems’ effectiveness and will be in a stronger position to handle the potentially difficult situations that may arise.

Prior to becoming general manager of the IT services company Vision|3 (formerly B Technologies) Daniel Pinter enjoyed a successful career as a private security consultant with extensive security industry experience in management roles across a number of sectors, including retail loss prevention, university security and risk management.

Callan Lynes is a client services manager with Business Risks International. His experience includes successfully operating his own private security firm and management in the retail and university sectors.

My Memories Of September 11

By

Steve Lawson

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November 28, 2016

This article has little to do with aviation security other than September 11 was an aviation security event and I was sent to New York to manage Qantas’ on-ground response. My experience was minor in the scope of the events and restricted to Qantas operations, but it was a defining time. This article is dedicated to Qantas JFK Airport Manager Joe Ward and the JFK Qantas staff on duty on September 11, 2001. They were all affected by the tragic events, but they worked tirelessly and selflessly to repatriate Australians.

On the 12^th of September 2001, Qantas was expecting some industrial action around the network and I was sent to Adelaide to oversee security during the action. My family lives in Adelaide, so I was at my brother’s house. It was late in the evening on the 11^th and my brother and I were standing in his family room telling jokes and chatting. There was a TV on in the background with a US breakfast show and I remember telling my brother to move aside because “an aircraft has just flown into that building”. The next morning, the industrial action was cancelled and I was on the first flight back to Sydney.

As soon as I got off the flight I went to my boss’s office and asked what plans were in place and what my function was to be. I think my actual words were closer to, “What’s the go”. His response was, “Sort your go bag, you’re off to New York.” I gave the professional reply, “Seriously, what do you want me to do?”. He turned slightly and said, “I am serious, you are off to New York as soon as we can work out how to get you there.”

Things became a little blurry after that. My tickets were arranged for me, my go bag (which is usually an overnight bag) expanded to a checked bag as I loaded things that could be needed on site. In any emergency, one of the first things you should do is secure accommodation, so I recall sending a number of faxes to the hotel that Qantas uses in Manhattan, only to realise that the hotel had two buildings in Manhattan – one off Times Square and the other next to the World Trade Centre. I had sent the first fax by mistake to a non-existent building.

Qantas had a number of aircraft stranded in Los Angeles (LA), so the plan was for me to fly from Sydney to LA and transfer to one of the stranded aircraft which would operate the LAX-JFK sector. However, the LA aircraft was supposed to depart before I arrived. The scheduling was odd, but I gathered that they had a number of passengers stranded in LA and limited arrival times (slots) in JFK, but they planned to delay its departure from LA pending my arrival. I was given two sets of tickets; one was normal operational staff travel and the other was the same but full commercial fare.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) opened the US west coast airspace and I got a phone call from Operations Control asking if I could get to the domestic terminal asap because a B747 aircraft was going to depart from Melbourne to LA slightly earlier than Sydney and it meant that they could shorten the delay to the LAX-JFK aircraft.

They were holding a Sydney to Melbourne domestic flight so that I could join the B747 in Melbourne. I said that I did not have a ticket, but Operations Control said there was no time – the aircraft was waiting and they had blocked a seat. They called the Sydney duty manager who would be waiting; I was to give him my bag and get on the aircraft. So I went straight to the domestic terminal and ran to the gate. I chucked my bag to the duty manager and boarded the aircraft. That was the last time I saw that bag until I returned to Australia! It was the only bag lost in 17 years working for Qantas and 30 years in the aviation industry.

On arrival in Melbourne, the duty manager met me and gave me a Melbourne to LA ticket. I got through immigration in super quick time to the waiting B747 and into my favourite seat (4K) and waited. The aircraft was delayed, as was all traffic into the west coast of the US following a scare of an attack in LA. Then my boss, Geoff Askew, got involved and asked for the Melbourne aircraft to be launched, gambling that the airspace would open before we arrived – he needed someone on deck in JFK. It is unusual for airline staff to get a positive seat when travelling on duty, but I got a whole aircraft!

While we were in the air, the airspace did open and on arrival in LA I was met by our local staff and ushered through, only to find that the Qantas flight to JKF had been cancelled. Everything was not lost. My full fare tickets included American Airlines, so I was rushed to their counter, with no baggage. Unfortunately, paper tickets must be ‘pulled’ in order, but since my ticket for Sydney to LA was unused, I could not use the subsequent tickets and the Melbourne to LA tickets were not associated with my original tickets so they were useless. Basically, I did not have a valid ticket for LAX to JFK. All of this could have been fixed, but it would have taken too long and the first American Airlines flight LAX to JFK was ready. The customer service agent said that she had blocked the only remaining seat – it was in first class and I had to pay full fare. I tried my mobile phone to get permission, but there was no signal. There was a bearded guy next to me screaming that he wanted that seat and he was offering way above market. I figured that they launched a B747 on the off chance that airspace would open, so this was not an issue. I pulled my corporate credit card out, hoping that I would be forgiven and, to be fair, it was never even raised.

I got to JFK and started work as soon as I got off the aircraft. I will not diminish the effort, as it was hard work in the days immediately after my arrival. The Qantas staff worked tirelessly and the days were long.

The initial response by the US was a little chaotic. Remember that there was no Department of Homeland Security or any real coordination between the various departments back then. There was not a single ‘no-fly’ list – we got them from the FAA, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), customs and any other agency that thought it had a right. Our systems were not automated, so we had to consolidate and run the lists manually. We had to do additional security checks of the passengers at the screening point and the gate and even had to conduct random searches on the aerobridge just before they boarded the aircraft.

Then there were the little things. Around the 20^th of September, the British Prime Minister decided to visit and, rather than park his aircraft on the other side of the airfield where they usually park VIP aircraft, they thought it best to block our aircraft. I recall a not very diplomatic conversation with British Airways about what they should do with the aircraft.

Probably the most frustrating thing was the ‘beefing up’ of the screening point. The FAA thought that more X-ray equipment and walkthrough metal detectors should be inserted into an already small space and that staff should stand closer to the walk through so that people “could not sneak through”. I had a conversation with the terminal security manager telling him that these actions would be less efficient than the FAA expected and that if he implemented them the lines would go onto the sidewalk in front of the terminal. He differed in his estimate (this is probably a more professional version of the conversation). The next day, the lines were out onto the sidewalk!

One evening, I took a walk and ended up close to Ground Zero. It was still burning, so obviously I could not get onto the recovery site, nor did I want to. I am still amazed that I was allowed as close as I got. I recall that near City Hall there was a small piece of grass and the ash looked like new snow, but grey, and there was a set of footprints across the grass. A little further, the ash was blown up against a building like small snow drifts. I remember saying in a phone call to Sydney that they should imagine what burning concrete would taste like for an idea of the air over Manhattan.

An enduring memory is of flags. The Americans are famous for their flags; every vehicle, every building, every food cart and especially every fire truck seemed to have huge flags. Yellow cabs had signs on their windows like “Proud American”, which was both inspiring and tragic.

I decided to get a flag and have it signed by the Qantas staff who were on duty on September 11 and take it back to Australia. I found that flags for sale in Manhattan had suddenly gone up in price and I do not like that sort of opportunism, so I went to a small store between JFK and Rockaway. I got two, one for me and one for Qantas. On my return, I found that Qantas could not accept the flag because it was defaced and there was a concern that in the climate of the time it could offend some US citizens. The US Embassy politely said that most people would be insulted; quite the opposite, but (tongue in cheek) their marines may think differently.

Perhaps the most emotional memory is Union Square, where people placed photos and memorials to loved ones lost in the attacks. I am not one given to tears, but that place did cause me to tear up. The next year I was in Bali as a response to the first bombings there; not a great two years.

Dahua Technology Opens New Showrooms

By

John Bigelow

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November 25, 2016

Dahua Technology recently opened showrooms in Sydney (St Leonards) and Melbourne (Docklands) to provide technical support and help system integrators and distributors increase their sales.

In the past two weeks, Dahua hosted opening events to demonstrate how system integrators and distributors can use the space. The showrooms can be used to host live demonstrations so customers can see Dahua products and systems at work or to test out products to ensure they meet specific project requirements. Dahua also will host technical and sales trainings at the showrooms.

“We think it’s much easier to make a purchase decision when you can see a product in action, and particularly when you can see how it works in an entirely integrated system,” said Damien White, Dahua’s Oceania marketing director. “We also know that even the best products and teams need technical support, so for those two reasons we created these showrooms.”

The Dahua showrooms offer a range of products and systems like intercom and IP systems, CVI cameras, control center solutions, mobile solutions and intelligent building solutions. At the grand openings the sales and tech teams were there to chat and answer questions, while those ready for a break from the work week could enjoy food and beverages.

Both the Sydney and Melbourne offices house factory-trained technical support staff, pre- and post-sales support staff and pre- and post-sales project engineers. Distributors and system integrators can book appointments to chat with them in the showroom. Regional senior management and repair staff are also based in Sydney, the head office for the Oceania region.

For more information visit www.dahuasecurity.com

Security at a turning point: National Security Summit sets 2017 agenda

By

John Bigelow

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November 24, 2016

Safeguarding Australia 2017 will help face those challenges and shape the security agenda by taking as its most demanding theme to date: Security at a Turning Point — Innovation, Leadership and Diversity.

“Competing priorities, growing threats, increasing complexity will continue to present fundamental challenges to Australia’s national security agenda in the coming years. Public and private security professionals — policy makers, practitioners and providers — will be forced to address to varying degrees a wide range of issues range that developed over recent decades and continue to grow, from violent extremism to cyber threats from lone and state actors, in a number of ways, from border control to national laws,” says Rod Cowan, Safeguarding Australia 2017’s convenor.

“In coming years, they will need to also contend with the security issues inherent in societal issues, adding known-unknown dimensions the an already complex national security agenda, most notably an aging population, technology creeping into all facets of life, and diversity in the workplace reflecting an increasingly cosmopolitan society.”

For over 14 years, the Research Network for a Secure Australia (RNSA), a not-for-profit network of security policy makers, professionals and academics, has gathered at the Safeguarding Australia annual national security summit, to hear from high level speakers representing both government and corporate viewpoints, exchange ideas, debate issues, and learn about techniques, cases studies and ground-breaking research, to meet the security challenges of today and the solutions for tomorrow.

In addition to full briefings on current policies, trends and activities, Safeguarding Australia 2017 will go further by drawing on local and international experts to examine three overarching themes affecting the way security and risk is managed to protect the nation, including:

Innovation, exploring knowledge around technology, standards and research;
Leadership, focusing on the next generation, the greying population, and education; and
Diversity, in particular the role of communications as security tool addressing disparate ethnicities, genders and culture.

“Safeguarding Australia is the only serious high-level conference run by and for leading thinkers, policymakers and practitioners in the national security domain, working across whole-of-government at state and federal levels, including law enforcement and intelligence agencies, as well as engaging with corporate and private security practitioners and providers,” says Cowan.

Speakers will include Government ministers, Senior policy makers and advisors, world-class academics and experts, and respected practitioners.

The event attracts a range of senior representatives from security, intelligence, military and law enforcement, risk and security managers and consultants, agency security advisors, critical infrastructure owners and operators, negineers, scientists, technologists, researchers and academics, and corporate and business executives responsible for security and risk.

“Safeguarding Australia is an opportunity to engage with high calibre speakers, content and relevance — marrying theory and practice — to help understand security and risk, define your organisation’s security agenda, and play your part in keeping Australia secure,” says Cowan.

Security Solutions magazine is an offical publication for the summit.

Safeguarding Australia 2017: Security at a Turning Point — Innovation, Leadership and Diversity — National Security Summit, will be held on 3^rd & 4^th May 2017 in Canberra.

For more information and updates, visit: www.safeguardingaustraliasummit.org.au

A Strategic Approach To Physical Security

By

John Bigelow

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November 23, 2016

By Tony Haddad

Physical security assets are often high-value assets of significance to an organisation, and are costly to procure and maintain. When seeking to secure budget approval of a new security system, the typical business case will focus on the cost of installation. The client will traditionally document the requirements, at times with the assistance of a specialised security consultant, and these requirements will then form the basis of a request for tender or approach to market.

In some cases, an organisation will consider a well-prepared business case for capital expenditure, and approve such a request. These can range in cost from a few hundred thousand dollars to several million dollars. The risk is that the business case is based upon a business need which is valid, and a cost estimate that is for the supply and installation of the solution; but is it fit for purpose and will it be up to the task?

In many cases, a client will explain the design to the security consultant, provide floor plans that have been marked up with locations of card readers, CCTV cameras and, in some cases, even detail bollard locations. But is this the right approach?

The consultant might now be locked into a conversation about how to technically deliver a security solution that the client has designed. However, the conversation should not be around how many card readers or cameras are required. This is simply asking for trouble and should start to sound alarms in the mind of the consultant.

This article discusses a strategic approach to physical security; this involves an understanding of the security risk posture of the client, often attained by way of a security risk assessment or site survey, understanding the design objective (which is another way of saying ‘what does the client really want to get out of the overall performance of the system’) and the technology mix required to achieve it. Subconsciously, the client already knows the answers to these questions, even if the design objective has not been documented.

This is the ‘understanding and educating your customer phase’; strategic security consultants have an obligation to ask the difficult questions and challenge the typical status quo. This is not easy to do in some cases, as the client typically wants the consultant to finish the specification quickly to allow the tender process to commence.

Having a considered and comprehensive physical security strategy in place will guide the security consultant to ensure that the security solution is fit for purpose and tailored to meet the client’s needs, as opposed to copying and pasting from a specification from a previous job.

There are other considerations that need to be articulated at this stage that are critical to the client’s ability to satisfactorily operate and maintain a security solution that was initially expensive to install. End-users need to understand the limitations of the selected security solution, such as median times between failures and the life expectancy of each of the individual components that, together, make up the security solution.

Maintenance Options

A newly installed security system will almost always come with a 12-month defects liability period (DLP); this is not always aligned to the warranty periods of individual products. Many products offer longer warranty periods these days, even as much as three years on some elements.

In some cases, the maintenance strategy has not been particularly well thought out. Typically, the approach adopted tends to be a reactive maintenance approach. This can occur for a number of reasons, although almost certainly it is due to the lack of a well-considered and defined strategy.

What will be the approach to maintaining the system/s and will it be based upon a pre-determined strategy? There are a number of maintenance approaches that might be appropriate, including:

reactive maintenance (breakdown or run-to-failure maintenance)
preventive maintenance (time-based maintenance)
predictive maintenance (condition-based maintenance)
reliability centred maintenance (pro-active or prevention maintenance)

Critical to the type of maintenance program an end-user elects to adopt, it needs to be based upon the:

security risk exposure
risk appetite
the level of assurance expected from the system

The maintenance strategy has to be considered and should form part of the business case. The costs to achieve the desired state need to be understood up front and budgeted for to avoid expensive reactive maintenance in as little as a few years’ time.

Another critical aspect of the strategy is what emerging security-related technology is on the radar, and whether the security solution will be replaced at a point in time.

It is recommended that the strategy be well defined and documented from the onset; planning for a replacement system should ideally be part of the initial procurement strategy and vision. In essence, when planning for a security system, organisations should also be beginning to think about the replacement system.

Essentially, it is critical to understand what the long-term plan is for the system to ensure an organisation is not over-capitalising on the maintenance of the system and is maximising its return on investment (ROI).

Security System Refresh Program

It is essential to understand what depreciation schedule will be applied to the assets from the finance team and to align the depreciation schedule with the recommendations from the product manufacturer.

As mentioned earlier, it is important to understand the life expectancy of each item and factor these costs into the security program. This should be included in the business case and the costs articulated to the approving entity.

The convergence of physical and cyber has been an exciting space to watch, and for many it has been a sigh of relief as more and more security systems leverage existing network infrastructure in place in many organisations and, thankfully, the technology is no longer foreign to colleagues operating in the cyber space.

This does introduce some risk, with the IT security manager typically having reservations about the on-boarding of a security system onto the network. However, these are easily overcome by penetration testing of the devices, which most manufacturers are happy to provide assistance with, and the logical separation of networks to accommodate virtually separated networks.

Do all these advancements mean that the security system can be handed over to the IT department to manage? In some cases, yes, and in many others, not quite. The relationship and accountability will continue to be a shared one. In saying that, the business case should clearly articulate each device’s end of life as stated by the equipment’s manufacturer, and a replacement schedule developed to ensure the system is refreshed accordingly. A key consideration as to when certain aspects of the security system are refreshed will be the depreciation schedule that is applied.

Final Thoughts

There are some clear and obvious differences between an IT system and a security system; however, these differences are slowly becoming less and less.

Before any organisation considers a security system, it is strongly recommended that the following questions are satisfied:

What is the security strategy?
What is expected from the system?
Will it address the strategy?
How will the system operate?
Who will be operating the system?
How much assurance is expected from the system?

Finally, each organisation should have a physical security strategy that forecasts the security technology strategy over a 10-year period.

Genetec Announces Mission Control – Situational Intelligence and Decision Support System

By

Security Solutions

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November 22, 2016

Offering Will Empower Organizations to Confidently Manage Both Routine Operations and Unexpected Incidents

Genetec Inc. (“Genetec”), a leading provider of open-architecture, IP security solutions recently announced Mission Control, a Decision Support System (DSS) that will provide security professionals with new levels of situational intelligence, system visualization, and incident management. Designed to work seamlessly with Security Center, the company’s unified security platform that combines video surveillance, access control, automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) and communications management, Mission Control aims to simplify the operator’s tasks and decision-making process when handling routine activities and undesirable situations. Genetec Mission Control is expected to be available in Q4 2016, and will be demonstrated at the ASIS 62^nd Annual International Seminar and Exhibits, on booth #2327 in Orlando, FL, September 12-15th.

With Mission Control, organizations will be able to define their response strategy and contingency plans in advance. Based on their unique needs and environment, security and operations departments will be able to create incident categories, the multi-layered rules that trigger each, and automate system actions to address them. They can further assign automated workflows and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to incident categories, which are triggered when an incident is detected to guide the response of the operator to ensure compliance with internal and external policies.

“Security systems have been traditionally designed to report events and alarms, leaving it up to the operator to interpret the information and react to situations. However, with the increased complexity of security installations, and the sheer volume of data gathered by the multitude of sensors, it can be difficult for operators to confidently assess complex situations or respond to threats,” explains Jimmy Palatsoukas, Senior Manager of Product Marketing, Genetec, Inc. “Mission Control will allow personnel to take control of undesirable situations by correlating incoming data to detect more complex situations, prioritize larger incidents and threats, and remove emotion from the response by steering operators along the way.”

Mission Control gives security personnel a more intelligent view of an incident so they can make informed decisions. This is achieved by ingesting data from thousands of sensors and associated real-time information and qualifying them more intelligently based on the end-user’s operational environment. Once triggered, incidents launch workflows that drive system behavior and guide operator responses through the entire lifecycle of the incident using SOPs. In addition to comprehensive incident management, Mission Control will offer operators the ability to manage both active and historical incidents, run reports for analysis purposes and continuous improvement, as well as for auditing purposes.

To enhance and streamline the operator experience, Mission Control introduces new levels of interaction within dynamic maps, including monitoring live incidents and response management, to go beyond traditional maps that are generally limited to monitoring security devices and singular events. By utilizing a map-centric approach to monitoring and command and control, operators will be able to more intuitively visualize the security environment and take appropriate action as warranted.

For more information about Mission Control, visit the product feature page at: http://www.genetec.com/mission-control.

Honeywell puts building controls in occupant’s hands

By

John Bigelow

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November 21, 2016

Mobile software application enables building occupants to tap into Internet of Things capabilities to address common building issues including temperature settings, access control.
SYDNEY, Nov. 15, 2016 – Building occupants long have grappled with whom to call when their work area is too cold or how to gain access to a facility when they forget their access card at home. Honeywell (NYSE: HON) announced a new mobile software application that addresses these common frustrations.

The Honeywell Vector Occupant App combines the convenience of today’s mobile devices with connected building features to give users more control over their comfort levels and ability to securely move about the workplace. The new software is the latest example of Honeywell’s leadership in the Internet of Things around connected buildings.

“Buildings are alive and teeming with opportunities for users to interact with them…”

– John Rajchert, Honeywell Building Solutions

“Smart phones and apps continue to enhance our everyday lives, from allowing us to hail a cab to giving us direct insight into where we stand on a restaurant waiting list. We’re now applying these same concepts of insight and control to how one interacts with a building,” said John Rajchert, president, Honeywell Building Solutions.

“Buildings are alive and teeming with opportunities for users to interact with them—if you can make the right connections. The Honeywell Vector Occupant App facilitates these interactions so users can create their best experiences.”

The new app provides digital identification and integrates with core building functions, including access and comfort control, to enhance building occupants’ experience with the touch of a screen. The app’s access control capability eliminates the need for physical cards or fobs and gives users secure access via their smart phones. In addition, occupants can quickly and easily communicate temperature discomfort to prompt real-time adjustments instead of the more time-consuming process of seeking out a facility manager.

Facility managers benefit from immediate insight into where and how comfortable occupants are so they can make adjustments more quickly and easily. And the app’s digital identification and access control capabilities make it easier to manage occupant credentials, eliminating the need to keep track of and replace misplaced access cards.

“Occupant engagement is an increasingly important aspect of intelligent building solutions,” said Casey Talon, principal research analyst with Navigant Research, contributing to its Building Innovations program. “The smart phone app is an innovative new platform for gathering insight that can refine environmental conditions to optimise workspaces.”

Backed by a cloud-based architecture and enabled by HID Global’s Seos® credential technology, the Honeywell Vector Occupant App works independently of underlying building systems, enabling widespread use and adoption. Facility administrators can use the app to manage user identification and credentials. Users who download the app must receive an invitation from the administrator in order to gain access to its features.

The app features:
• Digital Identification – Eliminates the need for plastic badges or temporary tags and solves the issue of outdated photo IDs by providing an up-to-date photograph.
• Convenient Access Control – Builds on the app’s digital identification feature, offering mobile-based access control that can easily be managed by a facility and eliminate the need to track and replace cards or fobs. Occupants have one less item to carry and can open doors from greater distances than traditional key cards and fobs.
• One-Click Hot/Cold Calls – Provides a quick and direct way for occupants to indicate when their work areas are too hot or too cold, and to receive confirmation that their issues are being addressed. Facility managers are alerted to occupants’ discomfort right away and can view the location of the call, identify patterns, and quickly make adjustments to satisfy occupants.
The Honeywell Vector Occupant App is part of Honeywell’s approach to connected services, which leverages the connectivity of buildings to improve how they operate and the experiences they offer for those who visit and work within them.

The app is also the latest addition to Honeywell’s mobile software strategy, a significant part of the company’s efforts to provide the latest technology innovations to help keep facilities safe, secure, comfortable, productive and energy efficient. Future enhancements and capabilities are planned for the app that will take advantage of building connectivity.

The Honeywell Vector Occupant App currently works with Apple and Android products and is available on iTunes® and Google Play™.

GLOBAL THREATS DRIVES HOLOGRAM 2017 GROWTH, SAYS TRADE BODY

By

John Bigelow

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November 18, 2016

The IHMA’s Dr Mark Deakes says there will be continuing demand for authentication and brand protection holograms in 2017

CONTINUING demand for effective security devices to meet global threats will drive growth for authentication and brand protection holograms in 2017, says the industry trade body.

Next year marks 70 years since the first commercial hologram was developed and the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) believes the technology will continue to push new boundaries in the next 12 months.

The arrival of new banknotes in 2017, which include the Bank of England £10 polymer note, the Swiss 20 Franc and Israeli 100 Shekel, can only strengthen holography’s role as a leading edge security device.

The technology will also hold up well in comparison with other optical variable features in the currency market says the IHMA general secretary Dr Mark Deakes – and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

“The new polymer notes will benefit from holographic security features that will continue to reassure both central banks and the public about currency authenticity,” adds Dr Deakes.

“Some of the holographic features in more traditional paper substrates will also continue to push the boundaries of what the technology can now achieve, demonstrating that there is plenty of mileage in holography yet.”

Holograms for ID, where innovations linked to digital applications, packaging and tax stamps are all tipped for continued growth.

Eye-catching holograms add design appeal to brand packaging, so 2017 will see success in a sector where companies have to invest in new products or refresh existing brands to meet consumer demand, the IHMA forecasts.

Elsewhere, holograms will see increasing use alongside other track and trace technologies to provide overt and covert protection.

This will only strengthen their role in tax stamp programmes, combatting the multi-billion global trade in illicit or counterfeit tobacco and alcohol products.

The IHMA also predicts more activity for holographic optical elements (HOE).

Dr Deakes says: “This nascent yet exciting area of opportunity for holography will see organisations exploring holography technologies for new wearable head-up displays and other smart devices to enhance people’s lives.”

With LEDs in use as vehicle rear lights and brake lights, HOEs are being used to enhance the emitted light while they also have an important role in vehicle instrumentation and improving the image on small and large format LCD and OLED displays.

“Display holograms, which are often overlooked, also possess growth potential, so 2017 could well see activity in this sector starting to gain traction,” believes Dr Deakes.

While Europe and North America will continue to offer opportunity, it’s in the economic powerhouses of India and China, where counterfeiting remains widespread, that still has massive potential.

“China in particular continues to offer almost limitless scope for the holography industry today and in the years to come,” says Dr Deakes.

“But we need to see more and quicker action if the tidal wave of Chinese counterfeit goods flooding onto the market is to be checked, let alone stopped.

“More needs to be done to tackle the problem and this might include increased integration of holograms in China as part of brand protection strategies.

This will see the IHMA building on its work in 2017 with the Chinese authorities including the China Trade Association for Anti-Counterfeiting (CTAAC), to address the problems.

Such moves will protect those retail brands destined for export markets against the threat of counterfeit criminals and organised crime.

“The Chinese cannot defeat counterfeiting on their own, so collaboration with the likes of the IHMA, and what we offer in terms of helping China to tackle counterfeiting, has to be a welcome priority.

“International communication, open-mindedness and closer collaboration will be beneficial as we move forward, helping us to tackle and solve this problem together.”

This will include well-designed and deployed authentication solutions, as advocated in ISO 12931, on authentication solutions, to enable examiners to verify the authenticity of a legitimate product, differentiating it from the counterfeits coming out of China.

Even those that carry a ‘fake’ authentication feature can be distinguished from the genuine item if it carries a carefully thought-out authentication solution.

The IHMA (www.ihma.org) is made up of 100 of the world’s leading hologram companies. Members include the leading producers and converters of holograms for banknote security, anti-counterfeiting, brand protection, packaging, graphics and other commercial applications around the world, and actively cooperate to maintain the highest professional, security and quality standards.

VIVOTEK Delivers Optimal Security Coverage at USS Midway Museum in San Diego, California

By

John Bigelow

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November 17, 2016

Background

Decommissioned in San Diego, California, the USS Midway

served from 1945 until 1992, as the longest-serving American aircraft carrier of the 20th century. The historic naval ship museum opened to the public for tours on June 10th, 2004 and receives 1,000,000 visitors annually. The USS Midway’s mission is to preserve, inspire, educate and entertain visitors as well as serve as America’s living symbol of freedom. Throughout USS Midway’s 47 years of service, the aircraft carrier played key roles in the Cold War, served with the Atlantic Fleet, was combat deployed in Vietnam as well as the Arabian Gulf for Desert Storm and many other operations throughout the world. The aircraft carrier is home to flight simulators, a gift shop, café and a theater, measures 1,001 feet. long, and contains 18 decks. The large number of tourists, volunteers and museum staff occupying the facility, along with the many events held onboard on any given day, make safety and surveillance a top concern for the museum’s Board of Directors.

Solution

Earlier this year, Director of Safety and Security Bill McClurg, with the full support of the CEO and the museum’s board, led a team of USS Midway department directors including information technology, finance and operations, and launched a project designed to update and improve the museum’s existing video surveillance system. The process culminated in the selection of VIVOTEK’s valued partner, Layer3 Security Services, a systems integration company headquartered in San Diego that serves companies, government agencies and institutions throughout Southern California.

The new video surveillance system features dozens of VIVOTEK network cameras including fixed domes, box cameras and Pan Tilt Zoom models. “There were many reasons for selecting VIVOTEK for this demanding application,” said Dario Santana, President of Layer3 Security Services. “These include the breadth of VIVOTEK’s product line, the high degree of integration with ExacqVision’s VMS platform, and the products’ superior price and performance. In the end, it only made sense to select VIVOTEK for the USS Midway upgrade,” concluded Dario.

A variety of camera models were chosen to monitor specific areas of the museum and surrounding areas. VIVOTEK’s FD8373-EHV fixed dome network cameras were installed throughout the premises due to the 3-Megapixel Wide Dynamic Range CMOS sensor’s excellent ability to adjust to challenging lighting conditions. The WDR Pro feature allows the camera to capture both the dark and bright areas of an image and combine the differences to generate a highly realistic representation of the original scene.

VIVOTEK’s FD8365HV and FD8338-HV fixed dome network cameras were also positioned in areas in need of surveillance. Both camera models are able to withstand inclement weather and the IP66 and IK10-rated housing protects the unit against acts of vandalism, making these units a great selection for installation aboard the aircraft carrier.

Working closely with Layer3, Bill McClurg also chose SD8364E, speed dome network cameras for the zoom capabilities in parking lot as well as ship deck monitoring and IP8155HP, box network cameras. VIVOTEK’s SD8364E 1080p full HD resolution speed dome delivers superb image quality with its 30x optical zoom lens, perfect for monitoring wide open spaces. SD8364E’s IP67 and NEMA 4X-rated housing protects against rain, dust and corrosion as well as operates under extreme weather conditions making it suitable for San Diego’s climate. The IP8155HP professional box network camera offers 1.3-Megapixel resolution and WDR Pro II providing extreme visibility in high contrast environments.

Customer Feedback

“Layer3 Security Services and VIVOTEK far exceeded our expectations with the installation of our new upgraded surveillance system. Layer3’s ability to translate our needs into a workable design and their recommendation of VIVOTEK’s superior yet efficient product line led to a successful deployment. Effective video surveillance on a museum, whose mission is to be, ‘America’s Living Symbol of Freedom,’ is an essential element in preserving it for generations to come,” said Bill McClurg, Safety Director.

Hikvision Thermal Bullet Camera

By

John Bigelow

-

November 16, 2016

Hikvision recently launched their new range of high resolution Thermal Bullet Cameras designed specifically for perimeter protection and temperature monitoring applications. These new cameras provide outstanding thermal image quality and reliable smart functions such as line crossing, intrusion detection and temperature exception alarm and so on.

Designed for use in a wide variety of applications, Hikvision’s new Thermal Bullet Cameras are immune to interference from external light sources as well as inclement weather conditions such as rain, fog or snow. These new cameras are ideal for the detection of any object which emits obvious thermal radiation such as people or vehicles. Available with a range of lens options (15 mm, 25 mm, 35 mm, 50 mm, 75mm and 100mm), this camera makes it possible to optimize detection performance to meet most requirements. With a specified resolution of up to 640 x 512 pixels, the new Hikvision Thermal Bullet Cameras offer users more detailed images and more accurate detection capabilities than many other similar thermal cameras.

The new Hikvision Thermal Bullet Cameras also provide the ability to monitor the temperatures of specified object; if a temperatures exceeds or falls below a certain limit, an alarm will be triggered. The cameras can also track highlighted temperature-spans in an image through isothermal palettes which enables an interpretation of events in a scene making these cameras the ideal choice for use in fire prevention, the detection of equipment overheating, preventing damage caused by freezing, and many other hazards.

For more information, visit Hikvision at www.hikvision.com.au

Access Control Installed Base To Exceed 2.3 Billion While APAC Annual Shipments Stall

By

John Bigelow

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November 15, 2016

The total installed base of access control readers, panels, credentials and electronic locks is expected to reach 2.3 billion by 2016, up from 1.8 billion in 2012. About 95 percent of the installed base in 2016 was credentials, which is not surprising due to the requirement that each user have a card or pass. However, the growth of credentials is slowing, even though it makes up a majority of the market, because the turnover of credentials is much higher as employees move jobs and people accidentally misplace them.

Panels make up the smallest portion of hardware, with less than one percent share, but this category comprised 32 percent of revenue in 2016. Due to the capability for panels to cover a large number of readers, the quantity required is far lower than the number of readers, which are needed at each entry point. If credentials are removed from the installed base, panels make up 18.8 percent of all installed hardware and 38.3 percent of revenue.

The continued growth of electronic locks has started to affect the overall access control market. Previously, readers made up the second-largest segment of hardware, but in 2016 they have finally been overtaken by electronic locks. Electronic locks will make up 16.7 percent of the installed base, while readers will make up 16.6 percent. The growth of electronic locks, especially in the residential and utilities sector, will continue its upward trend. The installed base growth may start to slow, as the mechanical nature of the locks shorten their life cycles in comparison to readers.

Within the various vertical markets examined by IHS Markit, the commercial sector holds the largest portion of the installed base in 2016, with 495 million units or 21.6 percent share. The government sector is the second largest, with 17.1 percent of the total installed base in 2016. These two vertical markets have been the earliest adopters of access control products, since they share a growing need to secure their premises and properly audit entry and exit.

The residential sector is expected to rise the fastest from 2012 to 2016, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 7.4 percent, from a small base of 47.6 million units installed in 2012. There will be continued growth in this sector, as the use of electronic access control products has started to gain momentum. The sector does, however, suffer from more frequent replacements, since a greater portion of this market is electronic locks with mechanical moving parts that can wear out. Consequently, as replacement shipments rise, the installed base growth will begin to slow sooner than it has in other markets.

Annual revenue from electronic access control devices in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC) hit $1.2 billion in 2015 and is projected to grow by 6.6 percent in 2016, reaching $1.31 billion. Asia-Pacific continues to be the fastest growing market for the access control industry, but declining economic conditions and exchange rates hint that the market is changing.

The slowing Chinese economy and the collapse of the commodities industries (which helped improve gross domestic product growth in Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia over the past five years) has forced IHS Markit to lower expectations for the APAC region to a modest 7.3 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2015 to 2020. Chinese economic problems are expected to improve in 2018 as the region responds to lower commodity prices. APAC regional revenue will start to increase starting from 2017.

Across APAC, there has been increasing use of IP-enabled panels, biometrics, electronic locks and mobile credentials. In fact, in 2016, IP-enabled panels represented about 28 percent of panels shipments, primarily because they are easy to install. Even though this region normally has cheap labour and installation costs, ease of installation is still a major selling point. With improving internet infrastructure, especially in commercial offices, the major barriers holding back the market for IP-enabled systems have been removed. Both IP-enabled panels and biometric readers are projected to have a CAGR exceeding 10 percent from 2015 to 2020.

Biometrics represented about 21 percent of reader shipments and have been embraced in both commercial and residential settings in India, China and other countries in East Asia, but Southeast Asia has lagged behind. The main barrier to more widespread adoption of biometrics in Southeast Asia was pricing.

Electronic locks are projected to be the fastest growing equipment type in the APAC region. Wireless locks once flourished in Australia’s mining industry, because of reduced infrastructure costs. However, since the mining industry began to contract, the wireless lock market in Australia has been declining. Overall, the development of wireless locks has led to mixed trends. The residential segment and the growth of the smart home should lead market growth for wireless electronic locks, as convenience and ease of installation may be bigger deciding factors than security. Uptake in China will only start when China Telecom, China Unicom and other companies start to invest heavily into the residential access control market and the smart home market.

For mobile credentials, APAC was the smallest region in 2016, representing about 16 percent of the global market. By 2020, however, APAC will grow to encompass 25 percent. One aspect of the Asia region that is positively impacting the potential for mobile credentials are young people with an affinity for all things mobile and who are excited to adopt new mobile-based technologies, so there is a high prevalence of smartphones with both near field communication (NFC) and Bluetooth technology. The Asia-Pacific region generally – and China specifically – will start to gain momentum in 2020 as the region catches up to Western nations.

The Indian access control market, including electronic locks, will be the fastest growing market in the Asia-Pacific region from 2015 to 2020, as the use of biometrics, smart cards and electronic locks finally starts flourishing there. The market is predicted to benefit from new residential, IT and manufacturing projects, and increased consumer demand for better technology.

The Australian economy is now slowing more than previously thought, especially in oil, gas and mining and other high-yield industries, so growth in the access control market is expected to remain less than 2.5 percent per annum until 2020. The use of cellular panels in Australia will also play a role in bringing web-based access control solutions to more remote regions of the country. Lastly, biometrics has played a lesser role in this market, as concerns over privacy have held the technology back; however, suppliers are reporting increasing demand at the enterprise level.

Blake Kozak is a Senior Research Analyst with IMS Research. Now part of IHS Electronics & Media, IMS Research is a leading supplier of market research and consultancy to the global electronics industry offering syndicated market studies, bespoke client research and consultancy services.

What VIP Close Protection Staff Think Of Their Employers

By

Clive Williams

-

November 14, 2016

Close personal protection (CPP) is usually provided by police to government VIPs and occasionally to persons at risk from politically motivated violence. Celebrities also employ CPP or bodyguards who either have protective security backgrounds or are employees of security companies. They obviously have to work closely with those they protect and it often becomes a career job if they get on well with the person being protected.

I have known a few of them over the years. Discretion is an important part of the job, but there may be strong temptations to publish an insider’s account after the employment ends.

I went to school with one of them, Colin Trimming, who was a British police officer seconded to protect Prince Charles for almost 20 years. Colin threw himself in front of Charles in 1994 when David Kang leapt on to a stage in Sydney and fired a starter pistol to draw attention to the plight of Cambodian refugees. Colin did not know it was a starter pistol when he prepared to take a bullet for Prince Charles. Colin is now retired and has a grace and favour property in London allocated to him for his loyal service. Colin has never spoken about his experiences with Charles, nor has he written about them. The amount of time he spent with Charles destroyed Colin’s marriage but, in a nice romantic twist, he and his former wife have remarried since he retired.

By contrast, his CPP colleague, Inspector Ken Wharfe, who protected Princess Diana, would not have made himself at all popular with the British establishment with his book Diana: Closely Guarded Secret (2009). He was particularly critical of Prince Charles’ and the Royal Family’s treatment of Diana and what he saw as an ongoing establishment campaign to vilify her memory. Wharfe states that Charles’ continuing relationship with Camilla led to Diana’s affair with James Hewitt, but dispels the notion that Prince Harry could be Hewitt’s son.

Another talker was Special Branch officer Ron Evans, who was part of the Scotland Yard security detail ‘reluctantly’ protecting Salman Rushdie for over a decade. Rushdie had been the subject of a fatwa in 1989 by the Ayatollah Khomeini encouraging Muslims to kill Rushdie for his ‘blasphemous’ book The Satanic Verses. Evans had some very revealing things to say about Rushdie in his book On Her Majesty’s Service (2008). Evans describes Rushdie as nasty, tight-fisted and extremely arrogant, with poor personal hygiene. The book claims Rushdie made police pay him for staying overnight at his property to protect him. Rushdie took legal action against Evans for libel and won an apology; 4,000 copies of the book were pulped – although it is still available through Amazon.

There are inevitably many more leaks about the American First Family’s conduct and attitudes than there are about the British Royal Family’s. One reason is the large number of CPP officers involved in the American President’s Secret Service detail – more than 200 – and the regular turnover in First Families.

Leaked Secret Service quotes about the Clintons are of particular interest now that Hillary Clinton seems to be headed back to the White House. They include:

“Hillary Clinton was arrogant and orally abusive to her security detail. She forbade her daughter, Chelsea, from exchanging pleasantries with them.”
“Chelsea really was a nice, kindhearted and lovely young lady. The consensus opinion was that Chelsea loved her Mom but did not like her.”
“Hillary Clinton was continuously rude and abrasive to those who were charged to protect her life. Her security detail dutifully did their job, as professionals should, but they all loathed her, and wanted to be on a different detail. Hillary Clinton was despised by the Secret Service as a whole.”
President Clinton’s security detail “uniformly believed him to be disingenuous, false and that he did nothing without a motive that in some way would enhance his image and political career. He was polite, but not kind. They did not particularly like him and nobody trusted him.”
“Former President Bill Clinton was much more amiable than his wife. Often, the Secret Service would cringe at the verbal attacks Hillary would use against her husband. They were embarrassed for his sake, by the manner and frequency in which she verbally insulted him, sometimes in the presence of the Secret Service, and sometimes behind closed doors.”
Another comment was, “I have a relative in the Air Force who told me that the unofficial designation of any plane that Hillary was on was ‘Broomstick One’.”

By contrast, the Secret Service assignment to protect Laura Bush (the wife of President George W Bush) was a popular one. “Without exception, they concede that she is perhaps the nicest, and most kind person they have ever had the privilege of serving.” Likewise, the Secret Service considered George W Bush to be “a gem of a man to work for”. “He always treats them with genuine respect, and he always trusts and listens to their expert advice. They really like the Crawford, Texas detail. Every time the President goes to Crawford he has a Bar-B-Q for his security detail, and he helps serve their meals.”

Other reported Secret Service comments about US presidents were that “Nixon, Bush (Senior), and Carter never cheated on their wives. Clinton cheated, but couldn’t match Kennedy or LBJ in style or variety. Kennedy had Marilyn Monroe flown in for secret ‘dates’, and LBJ was a typical Texas ‘good ole boy’ womanizer.”

A book written by respected investigative journalist Ronald Kessler titled In the President’s Secret Service: Behind the Scenes with Agents in the Line of Fire and the Presidents They Protect (2010) has substantiating Secret Service anecdotes about many of the presidents and their families:

President Kennedy “was a strange man. He was usually pleasant and polite but was a philanderer of the worst sort. He’d fly Marilyn Monroe in for a romp then send her back on the next flight.”
President Johnson was “another philanderer of the highest order. In addition, LBJ was as rude and crude as the day is long. LBJ ran a lot of women through the White House in his extramarital affairs.”
Kessler notes that President Nixon “was a personally moral man, but very odd, weird, paranoid, etc. He had a horrible relationship with his family, and in many ways was almost a recluse. Mrs. Nixon was a quiet woman.”
President Ford was “a true gentleman who treated the Secret Service with respect and cordiality. He had a great sense of humor.”
President Carter was “a phony who would portray one picture of himself to the public but who was very different in private… He would have himself photographed carrying his own luggage, but the suitcases were empty.”
President Reagan was “the real deal: moral, honest, respectful, and dignified…Thanked people even for little things. He took the time to know everyone on a personal level. On cold nights he would bring cups of hot chocolate himself to agents on the roof of the White House.”
President George H Bush and Barbara Bush were “extremely kind and considerate. Always respectful. They took great care in making sure the agents’ needs were taken care of. They even brought them meals, etc.”
On President Clinton, “for him the Presidency was one giant party – but he wasn’t trustworthy. He was amiable because he wanted people to like him, but to him life was just one big game and party. Everyone knew of his promiscuity.”
Kessler’s reporting echoed the earlier negative comments about Hillary Clinton. “She was another phony. Her personality would change the instant that cameras were near. She detested, with undisguised contempt, the military and Secret Service…”
President Obama was described as “egotistical, cunning and untrustworthy. He’ll look you in the eye and appear to agree with you, then turn around and do the exact opposite. He has temper tantrums.”

So far there have been no leaks from Trump’s protective staff about what they think of him. As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump is not officially accorded Secret Service protection. (Hillary Clinton is entitled to Secret Service protection for life as a former First Lady.) Trump has long had his own personally employed security detail, headed for 17 years by Keith Schiller, a fiercely loyal former New York Police Department detective.

Clearly, VIPs need to choose their protective staff with care; and treat them with respect if they want to be remembered favourably.

ONVIF Hosts 2016 Annual Member Webinar

By

John Bigelow

-

November 10, 2016

ONVIF®, the leading global standardization initiative for IP-based physical security products, hosted its annual membership meeting on October 25, updating members on ONVIF’s accomplishments of 2016 and its outlook for the year ahead. ONVIF member companies heard presentations on the final release of Profile Q in 2016 and the ongoing development of Profile T for video, in addition to learning about the growing prevalence of ONVIF’s more than 7,000 conformant models of products in bid and specification processes in projects around the world.

In the webinar’s opening remarks, ONVIF Steering Committee Chairman Per Björkdahl highlighted ONVIF’s collective achievements over the past 12 months, including the organization’s continued work with the International Electrotechnical Commission on its IEC 62676-2-3 standard for network video clients and video transmitter devices. Björkdahl also cited the formation of the ONVIF Use Case Working Group as a significant step in increasing opportunities for member input.

Björkdahl announced the recipients of the 2016 ONVIF Award, which recognizes individuals and companies who have made significant contributions to the industry and to ONVIF. The 2016 ONVIF Award winners are: Sriram Bhetanabottla of Canon, Robert Haraldsson of Axis Communications and Hiroyuki Sano of Sony.

“Sriram, Robert and Hiroyuki have made significant contributions to the development of our Device Test Tool, Device Test Specification and Profile Q, our newest profile for improved out-of-the-box functionality,” Björkdahl said. “As a member-driven organization, it’s important to recognize members who contribute many hours of service to the work of ONVIF.”

Hans Busch of Bosch, Chairman of the ONVIF Technical Committee, spoke to members about the specification development roadmap and its alignment to the standardization activities within the IEC TC 79 working groups for video surveillance and physical access control standards. Technical Services Committee Chair Andreas Schneider of Sony gave an overview of the committee’s work on profiles, test tools, the conformance process and Developers’ Plugfests, and also provided additional information on the development of future Profiles. ONVIF Communications Chair Jonathan Lewit of Pelco by Schneider Electric followed the TSC with a recap of ONVIF’s internal and external communications in 2016.

The results of ONVIF’s annual elections for committees were announced by Stan Moyer, ONVIF’s Executive Director. Re-elected to the ONVIF Steering Committee were Mayur Salgar of Honeywell and Stuart Rawling of Pelco by Schneider Electric. For the Technical Committee, Honeywell’s Ramesh Subbaiah, Pelco by Schneider Electric’s Steve Wolf and Panasonic’s Hasan Ozdemir were re-elected, while Hanwha Techwin’s Sungbong Cho joined the committee as a new member. Bob Dolan of Anixter and Andrew Downs of Pelco by Schneider Electric were re-elected to the Technical Services Committee, joined by new committee member Giri Guntipalli of Honeywell. Tim Shen of Dahua was named to ONVIF’s Communication Committee as a new member, while Mike Mao of Honeywell and Jonathan Lewit of Pelco by Schneider Electric were re-elected to the committee.

Founded in 2008, ONVIF now consists of nearly 500 member companies in six continents and more than 7,000 Profile conformant products. With Profile S for streaming video; Profile G for recording and storage; Profile C for physical access control; Profile Q for improved out-of-the-box functionality and the Release Candidate Profile A for access control configuration, ONVIF continues to work with its members to expand the number of IP interoperability solutions ONVIF conformant products can provide.

Further information about ONVIF’s conformant products, including the vendors and the conformant models, is available on ONVIF’s website: www.onvif.org.

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