Video; A Useful Tool But Not The Complete Picture

I frequently hear it mentioned that one cannot get away with anything these days because of the video cameras which seem to be omnipresent in our lives. If only this were true.
Because despite the proliferation of multi camera CTTV systems, video surveillance does not provide the single-source solution to fighting crime, or addressing quality of life issues. In my my experience I find that while video can be very useful in the documentation of incidents and the identification of criminal activity,cameras by themselves offer little in the way of actual crime prevention.

Case in point are the panhandlers and vagrants who troll the strip centers and retail outlets serviced by our vehicle patrol. In the numerous encounters I have had with panhandlers, the persons whom I have approached were either unimpressed or unaware of the cameras focused on their activities. What got these folks to move on was my presence and communication with them. In my opinion, it is the uniformed security officer who is not only the best deterrent to conspicuous criminal activity but also it is the officers who are the primary tool to engage private policy on the street level.



Ready When You Are CB

As I mention, cameras can very useful in the documentation of activity, but the capabilities of the video system must be matched to the objectives of the particular video customer in order to be effective. One may be surprised at how many times I have found video systems totally lacking in their ability to accurately record. For example, I have seen exterior-mounted cameras on commercial sites that relay quality images during daylight hours, but at night show only a blacked-out screen. Then there are the video streams to no-where; cameras which display live feed but do not have a functional DVR to record the images. In these cases the systems were about as useful as a sleeping security guard, and potentially just as costly.



Ultimately consumers must see video for what it is; a component of a complete security plan. A useful tool to document activity at critical moments, and to alert first responders to the first signs of trouble.

DW

Select Patrol Transitions to Less-Lethal Weapons

As of February 18th, Select Patrol employees no longer carry firearms on duty. With myself excluded, all previously armed employees may continue to carry less lethal defense weapons such as pepper spray, batons and Taser guns.

I had begun to phase out firearms last year. But the process was hastened by my worker's compensation carrier who has excluded coverage for armed employees.I had anticipated this move for some time based upon my own experiences and what I saw as a growing trend among other private patrol services who had transitioned away from firearms. For myself, I found there had been a clear shift in attitude towards firearms over the past decade. Requests for armed security officers declined and objections to guns, by clients, grew. Added to that were the cost prohibitive factors such as the apartment complex in Echo Park which required Select Patrol to increase its general liability coverage from $2,000,000.00 to $5,000,000.00 solely because my employees were armed.
Finally, there was the fact that in 26 years of operation no Select Patrol employee had been involved in a shooting incident. This is due in no small part to the scope of the officer's duties and the degree to which I allow my employees to directly involve themselves in situations they encounter on the job. To those who may now wonder how this may affect the ability to my staff to protect Select Patrol clients, I can assure you that our operations have not been affected in any way. We shall continue to do the job as we always have..