Security has undergone a major transformation since the invention of computers. Traditionally, facility surveillance was done manually by security guards who would patrol to watch out for any criminal activities. Technology introduced security surveillance devices which have evolved with digital technology. These devices include CCTV cameras, sequence cameras, motion picture cameras, and digital cameras (Fischer et al. 184). CCTV systems are widely used in residential settings, banks, schools, and museums among others. The systems are integrated with recording equipment (VCR), that is, tapes or digital records which can be reused after deletion of data. Advanced CCTV systems have sophisticated lenses that can identify objects from a distance as far as 100 miles (Fischer et al. 186). This hallmark has given CCTV cameras an upper hand in the field of security.
Another selling component of CCTV is their size. The systems’ reduced size is convenient for covert places like mannequins and clocks. Digital surveillance systems have proved their superiority over conventional methods through their ability to perform widespread surveillance of multiple sites from a central location. An effective surveillance system should be able to serve two major roles. First, the system should provide clear images of persons involved in criminal behavior or breaching a company’s security regulations. Secondly, the surveillance system should have the potential to identify and deter any attempted security violation whether inside or outside the facility (Fischer et al. 184).[A1]
Security Measures to Ensure Effective Surveillance
To ensure effective interior and exterior surveillance, there are factors to consider while planning any building design. Firstly, perimeters and facility openings should comply with the standard number of safety codes, and perimeter protection should be included in the building design. For exterior windows that are 14 feet and below the ground level, plastic materials, laminated glass, or glass brick should be used in construction. Alternatively, they can be insulated with steel grilles or heavy screening. It is important to protect points of possible access or exit, that is, openings that are larger than 96 square inches in the facility perimeter (Fischer et al. 190).
Exterior restricted doors should be protected with sophisticated locks that incorporate smart card technology. The security team should also install high-quality lighting systems and widely separate shipping and receiving bays to avoid movement in storage areas. Emergency doors should be fitted with alarms. Concerning traffic control, service areas and employment offices should be located near the exterior entrances to minimize the movement of unauthorized members in the facility while employee entrances should be situated near the parking lot (Fischer et al. 191).
Limitations of Security Surveillance Systems
Despite their efficiency, the installation and maintenance of security systems, especially advanced ones, can be costly. Furthermore, most organizations are concerned about the impact of these surveillance systems on the morale of employees. Most employees feel pressured when working under security surveillance systems, therefore, their productivity can be influenced (Fischer et al. 184). CCTV systems that lack quality lenses can produce blur images and unclear audio recordings. Other factors like poor illumination and lighting can also affect the quality of images and audio recordings. This can cause difficulty in analyzing the events from the footage, therefore, deterring security procedures. Sometimes it can also be hard to follow movements of a certain object from multiple cameras (Liu et al. 2).
Works Cited
Fischer, Robert, J., Halibozek, Edward, P. and Walters David. “Introduction to Security.” Butterworth-Heinemann, 26 Sep 2012. Pp. 184-191 https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=G_8uY45TFZgC&dq=introduction+to+security+robert+edward+chapter+9&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Liu, Weiru, Miller, Paul, Ma, Jianbing and Yan Weiqi. “Challenges of distributed surveillance system with heterogeneous information.” Queen’s University Belfast. (n.d.). p.2. www.cs.qub.ac.uk/~W.Liu/QRASA09.pdf
[A1]Do not end paragraphs with citations, ensure you provide a concluding sentence.