The Security Systems Basis for Design in Gold Storage Facility - Term Paper Example

Running head: Survеillаnсе Systems Survеillаnсе Systems Customer inserts his name University name Introduction The security of a facility is very significant for the protection of assets, monies, precious metals, personnel, private information and of other customers’ welfare as well. But due to lack of knowledge/ technology in the area of security management, many gold storage facility encounter breaches to their security, resulting in armed robbery, theft and the like. The security system’s basis for design is an important phase in gold storage facility. This phase identifies system objectives, functional requirements, and the existing system definition and configuration designed to counter “a defined threat, reduce vulnerabilities, and control risk” (Grassie, 2008, p.18). It answers questions like what or who should be protected; why should they be protected; from whom should they be protected against; what level of protection is needed and what are the constraints for having such protective system.. This has been affected through avenues like the use of interception of oral, wire and electronic communication. It also involved using CCTV for surveillance. Paulson (2008) studied that the surveillance is monitored from a central point by the intelligence team. Items under the care of this gold storage facility are precious metals, jewelry deposited by after processing for safe keeping. Hence, in case of an armed robbery, the worst case scenario is that the huge losses will be incurred, not to mention the insurance to be paid for the loss of gold. In short, the gold storage facility’s ownership will end up bankrupt, and its employees without jobs (Grimble. 2006). Because of this, it is necessary to ensure top security measures inside and outside storage’s facilities. The following table will show the level of protection needed per item mentioned above. TO BE PROTECTED LEVEL OF PROTECTION Gold Very High Company information/ records/ files Very High Equipment High Employees High Facilities High Website Very High Gold is kept in the strong room for safekeeping. Their level of security is very high. The same goes for records and files of the company and the company website. As for equipment, employees, and facility, the level of security is high. This means that the main threats to the gold storage facility’s security are armed robbery, inside theft and equipment tampering. According to the history of gold storage facilities, 4 out of 10 gold stores have already been robbed by armed men. This resulted in a move, by the local government, to place more police stations, which can instantly be alerted whenever a call for help arrives. This, however, cannot justify a lack of security measures since the gold storage facility is located five minutes away from the police station. Within this short span of time, an armed robbery can be possible. Secondly, gold storage facility’s existing security can be breached by inside theft; viz. an employee conspires with robbers by giving them important access codes or the layout of the gold storage facility itself. An employee who knows the access code to important rooms, like the vault, or the mainframe computer, can conduct much damage to the gold storage facility and its customers. The figure below will show the current security design that needs to be redesigned by introducing CCTV. The above discussions have identified the assets which should be protected, the levels of protection needed, consequences of loss, and the potential threats to the gold storage facility’s security. Now, based on the figure above, this section will discuss how vulnerable the existing security setup is: 1. The storage room is the location of the primary assets of the gold storage facility and the main target of robbers. But in the initial system this storage room is very much exposed, both to the public eye, and to unauthorized employees. Although, from the outside it seems like an ordinary room, by simply observing where it is located, the position can easily be deduced by those in processing area. Much worse, the storage room is visible even from Entry Point 2, already giving potential criminals at the search area an idea of where the place they should target (Grassie, 2008). 2. The location of the processing area is at a wrong place. This allows every staff to get past the office or get near the storage room. Since this processing zone has no security cameras inside, this privacy can be misused to tamper the security lock and decipher the security code used to open the storage room (Dinkins and Callahan, 2010). 3. The number of security cameras is insufficient to cover the whole floor area of the workshop. The various offices assisting in making and processing gold, etc. at the left are partly open. However, the employees’ face is secluded from the center camera, with his back covering whatever transpires between him and the machines at the workshop- a welcome setup for inside theft. Moreover, there are no cameras to monitor the managers office, security room, director’s office, assistant director’s office, the coupon booth, staff lounge, and the open spaces at the sides. This means, for instance, that since the mainframe computer is located at the director’s office, anyone working there can tamper the machine without anyone noticing because there are no cameras in position(Carpency, n.d.). 4. The number of IDS (Intrusion detection system) is also lacking. At this current setup, the IDS are located at the entrance to the vault, and the open space at the right part of the store, right outside the vault. There are no IDS to monitor the main floor, offices, and the open space at the left. 5. There is no barrier in place, to delay armed robbers from reaching the vault and escaping out from the storage. For example, if they are able to declare hold-up at Entry Points 1 and 2, the vault is already in their sight. Several of them can quickly bolt to the security room and disable the control room. Then, the robbers can easily get to the director’s office or his assistant, take them hostage are force them to open the store. 6. No fire exit is established. In case fire breaks out, everyone will have to pass through the main entrance. In TOTAL the existing security of gold storage facility is poor. Hence, in consideration of the above threats, there are several security requirements needed. It would not only reduce the chance for crime, but also make the vicinity conducive for work. The following figure shows the proposed CCTV plan To protect the facility, it has to be hidden in sight as much as possible from the public and from non-authorized staff. Thus, the employees’ restroom and janitor’s closet. Further, the store, which serves as the gold storage, should have a lock which can be opened only by a security ID. In this case, the director and his assistant are those who have the code to open the store. But, with the inclusion of a security lock requiring a security ID, this ID will be handled by another top management officer. Meaning, both this management officer and either the Director or his assistant should be present in order to fully open the store. As indicated above, the existing floor layout of the gold storage facility has to be changed to provide a better environment for work, and at the same time, reduce the chances for crime (Carmen, 2010).. In the proposed layout, the design required partial re-construction of the facility and additional security equipment. It would cost a greater capital investment for gold storage facility’s owners, but, in the long run, the expense is rewarding in terms of security. The following are the changes that need to take place: 1. To protect the storage facility, it has to be hidden in sight as much as possible from the public and from non-authorized staff. Thus, the processing room needs to be transferred away from the storage room door. Further, it should have a lock which can be opened only by a security ID. In storage facility’s case, the director and his assistant are those who have the code to open the store (Cohen, Gatusso and MacLennan-Brown, 2006). But, with the inclusion of a security lock requiring a security ID, this ID will be handled by another top management officer. Meaning, both this management officer and either the Director or his assistant should be present in order to fully open the store. This will ensure only authorized individual access the area. 2. In line with protecting the store, as well as the business itself, barriers should be put in place to delay crime or prevent criminals from accessing important areas before the police arrive. For one, the workshop area should be reconstructed; the door connecting with the store is to be removed and replaced with a steel. Also, the Director’s Office, along with the mainframe computer and control room will be place in a separate area (Secure Area), which can only accessed by authorized personnel with security IDs. But upon entering this area, the mainframe computer room and the control room each require specific security IDs before anyone can enter them. Thus, non-authorized personnel, and those in the customer service area will have no idea of what is inside this area. So, in case armed robbers enter the premises, it will take them sometime to find and gain hold of the CONTROL ROOM. Due to this delay, those in the control room will immediately alert nearest police station, and alert all bank personnel of what is happening. The same happens if they go from the Director’s Office, to get him to open the store, and into the store Area. With this setup, criminal activity is delayed giving police enough time to reach the area while the robbers are still in the act of robbing the business. 3. The camera should be designed as shown below; 4. The former rooms containing various services are to be removed as replaced by small cubicles/ dividers to make them more visible to the security cameras. 5. Additional 3 light outdoor security lights are needed to fully light up the open spaces (rear and sides) at night. 6. A FIRE EXIT is to be added to safety in case fire break out inside the gold storage facility. Aside from creating an environment that would lessen the chance of crime, additional security features are needed. For one, eight (8) additional cameras, in support for the center camera, are required to be located at the sides, behind the gate’s area so that the face of every person approaching these areas can be monitored; at the office to monitor it; and at the rear corners of the facility to monitor its open spaces. Moreover, an additional Intrusion Detecting System (IDS) is needed to guard the secure room when the facility is already closed. This would alert the night-shift security guards of uncommon movement in the said area. Finally, the security guard stationed at the left rear corner, will be designated during operation hours at the PERSONNEL SEARCH AREA so that there will be two guards supplementing the metal detectors instead of one. This is because metal detectors, while useful in detecting metal items, can also be unreliable. R.D. McCrie (2001) explain that one disadvantage of metal detectors is that its sensitivity is difficult to regulate. For example, they provide false alarms from metal in the human body, like a prosthetic device or metal shoes; it can be so acute that even a single coin or small metal button can be detected. On the other hand, if its sensitivity is lessened, it may fail to detect small weapons (McCrie, 2001, p.329). Hence, this guard will help the load of inspecting clients’ bags prior to entering Entry Point 2. To sum up, the needed upgrades are: 1) partly reconstructing the gold storage facility to add barriers to robbery; 2) adding more security cameras, lights and motion detectors, security locks, and a police alert button; and 3) repositioning security guards. While it may cost additional capital to gold storage facility’s owner, this expense is far better than having the gold storage facility’s assets, as well as customers’ monies, robbed and the gold storage facility business bankrupt. Features of CCTV The cctv will have a sensor which will sense when an intruder patronizes the store. The sensor will be connected the security room where all data is collected. The sensor will also include camera that will take images of all persons objects within its vicinity. Images are taken when the sensor triggers the camera. The sensor will trigger the camera when it senses movements within the area. The additional feature is the key pad as shown in the figure below; The screen short above shows the working of one feature of the CCTV that is the alarm system. From the diagram it can be loaded that there is nine buttons which will be used by officer in the security room when there is possible security breach. The alarm will be raised to alert other staff members during the day but alert the police during the night. The CCTV camera and alarm bells should be linked to the a ringer, so that when there is an intruder it activates the alarm bells. Alarm activation should be provided for when having ground-to-air radio or formal security room is not possible. Stores that have an operating cctv should provide for an initial alarm, alarm bells, through security guards, and through cellular/telephone. Communications should provide primary and secondary means of direct communication between the alerting individual, Control room for proper security. It should also provide for primary and secondary means of direct communication between the cameras and the responders’ who should check the source of the alarm. Besides that the emergency communication system should facilitate communication between the dispatch team and the respondent. cctv machines are prone to malfunctions just like any other computer applications, which is a common phenomenon. This may happen due to many reasons like power cut. Incase this happens, it is always important to troubleshoot the machine regularly. The importance for troubleshooting is to make sure that the camera captures correctly intent of the company.. Conclusion Installing CCTV devices for the purposes of knowing worker productivity is paramount so that an employee is paid for what he/she does. However, there is a thin line between employer right to collect information that is important for the general safety of the population and intrusions into property. In conclusion, using electronic surveillance is of essence in the current technocratic society. Everyone has become techno savvy, even criminals, organized gangs and terrorists have found new ways of attack by using technology. In the current day of hacking of electronic information, such information can be easily accessed by third parties. Although using technology to capture activities reduces the levels and frequency of crimes that are committed in an area more so if the results lead to the prosecution and conviction of the accused, its use raises ethical and legal practice questions. Unless the law is made clear to everyone, using electronic surveillance will remain a controversial issue in a long time. References Carmen, D. V. R. (2010). Criminal procedure: Law and practice, 8th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Carpency, F.M. (n.d.). Systems Design and Engineering, Part 2. [PowerPoint Slides]. MD: Carpency and Associates, LLC. 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