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Commercial Building Surveillance and Security Cameras: A Guide For Owners in Atlanta

Commercial Building Surveillance and Security Cameras: A Guide For Owners in Atlanta 

Building owners in Atlanta who are reevaluating their security options should begin by assessing their mix of security products and personnel. For many businesses, on-site officers have been their primary security solution, but increasingly, owners are investigating other options to replace or augment security guards on location. Cameras and other video surveillance equipment have become more affordable and user-friendly in recent years, putting them within reach of a greater number of business owners who may not have viewed themselves as candidates for remote security monitoring.

Why is Video Surveillance for Commercial Buildings Important?

The bottom line is that every business has something to protect at their location. Everything you own or are responsible for is at risk. Consider all that entails; your building and its surrounding property, products and equipment, employees and customers – even the data you gather is at risk. How many private security guards would you need to hire to cover all that ground 24/7/365? It is clear that commercial building surveillance should play a significant role in your security plan.

Building Surveillance and Security Cameras Have Multiple Purposes

Security cameras can serve as a deterrent to prevent crime, gather evidence to identify the perpetrators, or in some cases, interrupt criminals in the act and scare them away. Add motion-activated cameras and lighting or infrared cameras to help eliminate blind spots.

Why are Atlanta Companies Increasingly Turning to Commercial Building Security Cameras?

Well-placed cameras can protect businesses from a variety of risks, including vandalism, intrusion or theft. If security cameras are monitored in real-time, criminals can be interrupted in the act by voice commands from remote guards, the on-site guard they notify, or law enforcement. Cameras can also collect visual evidence to identify, apprehend, and prosecute wrongdoers.

Remote Security can Help Keep Your Workers Safe

Installed in the parking lot, cameras can give employees confidence and peace of mind when walking to their cars after dark. Add security cameras to blind spots, along with strategically placed, motion-activated lighting to eliminate places where assailants or stalkers could hide. Security cameras can perform the dual duties of protecting the safety of the employee and your business from liability. Customers deserve to feel safe on your property as well. Cameras can help ensure customers do not become victims of theft or assault. It also allows you to monitor their behavior to ensure they are not the ones committing crimes.


Related Post: Top Security Systems for Businesses


Gather Evidence with Security Cameras

If an employee is involved in a confrontation or accident, you will have access to visual evidence to review for management, law enforcement, or insurance requirements. It will be easier to determine who was the instigator in an incident between employees or if an employee is injured because of faulty equipment, ignoring safety practices, or committing fraud. Commercial building surveillance can also detect employee theft and other offenses, further protecting your business interests.

The Benefits of Security Cameras in Commercial Buildings In Atlanta

Commercial buildings in Atlanta can use security cameras to protect tenants and their property. Security staff, law enforcement or insurance providers can review footage in case of accidents or injury to verify verbal or written accounts and determine fault if necessary. This video can protect your company from liability or false claims by proving you are not at fault. Footage from security cameras can aid in accident reconstruction or in determining where a fire started. Security cameras can provide insight into the extent of damage in unsafe areas to enter in the case of fire, flood, or toxic conditions. Remote monitoring is a cost-effective addition to your security strategy.


Request Security Assessment

The experts at BOS Security can conduct a no-obligation assessment of your current security situation. 


 

The Ethics of Security Cameras and Surveillance

It is vital to comply with local, state, and federal laws and regulations with respect to security cameras and video surveillance. It is wise to work with a professional remote video monitoring company in Atlanta that can oversee the setup of cameras for you to ensure maximum coverage while avoiding liability. In most cases, video surveillance is not an invasion of privacy in commercial buildings.

Where are Security Cameras Permitted?

Generally speaking, video surveillance is acceptable in public places – anyplace where people have no reasonable expectation of privacy. For example, an entrance, lobby, or hallway is fine, but a restroom or locker room would not be. The purpose of cameras is to increase security, not invade privacy. Place them where they will have the most impact, such as doors and or items of high value or at high risk for theft or damage.

 The Benefits of Cameras Often Outweigh the Risks

With the ability to keep an eye on things from a central location, remote security monitoring can provide a discreet means of keeping people and property safe. Cameras are there when no one else can be; they do not need breaks or time off. They never get tired or even blink and miss something vital. They can be less intrusive than an on-site guard when discretion is essential. While they are not invasive, they are not invisible either. Their presence can be a deterrent so people will think twice about causing trouble.

Where Should You Place Security Cameras On An Atlanta Commercial Building?

Where you place security cameras can depend on the nature of your business in Atlanta. If you need to tightly control who gets into your building, put some of your cameras at entrances. Further, enhance security by taking a step back with cameras in your parking lot as well, capturing vehicles as soon as they enter your parking lot. They can read and track license plates as well as keep employees safe. Wide-angle lenses can enlarge the view without requiring a larger number of cameras.

Best Locations For Security Cameras

Security cameras are commonly placed in rooms where equipment or data is stored or areas where people or property can be at risk, such as loading docks, technology or maintenance rooms, or low traffic areas such as back hallways or entrances that are difficult to monitor. Both the type and location are essential to consider. Motion-activated, infrared, visible, and hidden cameras can each be part of your security strategy.

The Legality of Installing Security Cameras In A Commercial Building

For the most part, video surveillance is permitted in the U.S. if cameras are placed where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy. Laws vary by state on where video cameras can be placed and whether or not audio can also be recorded. Video has a lower bar legally than audio. Recording of audio is subject to federal laws such as the Federal Wiretap Act, which imposes civil and criminal liabilities for intentionally recording communications, and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986. various state laws on the legality of recording conversations. also apply. Always consult with a local legal advisor regarding the legality of installing cameras/surveillance, proper placement, and monitoring, etc.

Should You Monitor Your Own Cameras or Hire An Atlanta Security Monitoring Service?

Security monitoring, like most things, is best left to the professionals. Their staff will be well-trained and available to protect your business around the clock. BOS Security offers remote security monitoring for Atlanta businesses through VirtuGuard™, a remote securityservice that provides 24/7/365 attention to your security cameras.

If You Have Security Cameras Do You Also Need Security Guards?

Remote monitored security cameras can work in tandem with on-site security by issuing voice commands to intruders or alerting on-site guards or law enforcement to their presence. Place cameras in far-flung or low-traffic areas and allow security offers to focus their attention on a more strategic or concentrated area of the property.


Related Post: How Virtual Guards Can Enhance Physical Security Guards


Officers on Location are Still Essential

While it is likely you will still need to hire private security guards; you may be able to get by with fewer officers if you augment their presence with cameras. Virtual security officers can lower the cost of security by reducing the number of officers needed to cover the property. Remote security guard companies monitor cameras covering an extensive area from a single location.

BOS Security and VirtuGuard™ Have You Covered in Atlanta

Commercial building owners can benefit from Surveillance and Security Cameras. Remote security monitoring keeps an eye on your business 24/7/365. The types of Atlanta businesses BOS Security and VirtuGuard™ have been able to help include:

Contact BOS Security About Commercial Building Surveillance and Security Cameras in Atlanta

Remote security camera monitoring provides 24/7/365, keeping your commercial property in Atlanta protected around the clock. Control costs, risks, liability, and exposure to threats. Want to learn more about how you can protect your commercial business by combining security officers and virtual security guarding options? Contact BOS Security and learn more about our VirtuGuard™ remote guarding services.

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