In today’s world, security is of utmost importance. Whether it’s protecting our homes, businesses, or public spaces, we want to ensure that we are safe from potential threats. One way to do this is through the use of video monitoring and human security guards.
BOS Security offers human guard services and real-time remote video monitoring to clients across the country. Both of these security solutions can secure a property’s assets and offer safety and peace of mind to business owners, employees, and residents. However, these approaches vary in their capabilities to respond to incidents at a location. When combined, human guards and live video monitoring can ensure a safe and secure environment for your business.
In this article, we will explore the benefits of integrating live video monitoring with human security guards, how the technology enhances their capabilities, and real-life examples of this unbeatable duo in action.
Introduction to Live Video Monitoring and Human Security Guards
Interactive video monitoring has become an essential tool in maintaining security and safety. With advancements in technology, video monitoring systems are now more sophisticated, efficient, and accessible than ever before. They can provide real-time surveillance, access control, and advanced analytics to help identify potential threats and prevent incidents from occurring.
On the other hand, human security guards have always been a vital component of physical security. They are trained professionals who can assess situations, respond to incidents, and provide a visible deterrent to potential threats. Human guards can also interact with people, understand their concerns, and offer a more personalized approach to security.
With thirty years of experience in physical guarding solutions, BOS Security launched our interactive live remote video monitoring solution, VirtuGuard™. VirtuGuard™ and physical guarding solutions are both effective and efficient in their own right. When combined, these security solutions eliminate blind spots and increase the timeliness and quality of incident responses.
Why Integrate Video Monitoring with Human Security Officers?
Integrating live video monitoring with human security guards can provide the best of both worlds. It combines the advanced capabilities of video monitoring technology with the experience, judgment, and adaptability of human security officers. This powerful combination can help create a more comprehensive security solution that addresses the unique needs and challenges of each situation.
Live agents are responsible for much more than just security camera monitoring. With a live video monitoring solution, virtual security guards can monitor a variety of alarm systems, including intrusion detection systems, standard burglar alarms, fire and smoke detectors, and much more.
By integrating video monitoring with human security officers, you can take advantage of the strengths of both approaches while mitigating their weaknesses. Live video monitoring allows for constant, real-time surveillance of large areas, while human security guards can focus on specific areas or situations that require their expertise. Together, they form an unbeatable duo that can provide optimal protection and security.
Benefits of Combining Video Monitoring and Human Security Officers
There are several benefits to integrating video monitoring with human security guards. Some of these include:
Enhanced Situational Awareness
By combining the advanced capabilities of live video monitoring with the experience and intuition of human security guards, you can gain a more complete understanding of the situation at
hand. Video monitoring provides real-time information on a wide area, while human guards can focus on the specific details that may be missed by cameras.
While a human guard is limited to what is happening in front of them, Command Center Agents have multiple perspectives of a property, giving them the full picture of what is happening on a property at all times. This results in a more comprehensive view of the situation and allows for more informed decision-making.
Improved Response Times
With real-time video monitoring, security officers can immediately identify potential criminals and risks, and respond quickly to incidents. This can help prevent situations from escalating and mitigate the property damage or safety threats caused by security breaches.
If an onsite Security Officer becomes aware of an arising incident, they can request for VirtuGuard™ to view all angles of an area and observe for any activity that could pose a threat to them or to the employees, residents, or guests in the area.
On the other hand, if Command Center Agents observe an arising incident, they can alert the onsite security guard and direct them to the area, giving them details of the incident and people involved so that they are better prepared to approach and resolve the situation, all with a reduced response time.
Additionally, if an incident is occurring your physical location that cannot be resolved solely by security staff, VirtuGuard™ Agents can dispatch emergency services. Whether an incident requires the response of local law enforcement, paramedics, or fire fighters, a Virtual Guard can communicate details of criminal activity and potential criminals. When responders have a full picture of an ongoing event, they are better prepared to respond quickly and deter crimes, keeping your assets safe and your property secured.
Greater Efficiency
Integrating video monitoring with human security guards can help reduce the number of personnel needed to secure an area effectively. Video monitoring can cover large areas, allowing security officers to focus on specific tasks or areas of concern. This can result in a more efficient use of resources and reduced costs.
VirtuGuard™ can save businesses up to 60% in annual human guard costs. Rather than hiring several guards to patrol a property, with the risk of incidents slipping through blind spots, remote video surveillance monitoring can augment physical guarding a fraction of the cost. Don’t wait for human security officers to discover an event in progress. Let VirtuGuard™ cover your entire property and direct human security officers to specific areas of concern, saving you valuable time and resources.
How Video Monitoring Technology Enhances Human Security Guard Capabilities
Live video monitoring technology has come a long way in recent years, and it continues to evolve rapidly. Some of the advancements in video monitoring technology that can enhance human security guard capabilities include:
High-Definition Imaging
Modern video monitoring systems can provide high-definition images and video feeds, even in low-light conditions. Night vision and thermal cameras allow Command Center Agents to detect human presence and movement when environmental conditions could make this impossible for standard security cameras. This allows security officers to see more detail and identify potential threats more easily.
When compiling reports for property owners and managers or even local law enforcement, high-definition imaging and video evidence can assist in incident investigations at all levels.
Advanced Analytics
Many live video monitoring systems now offer advanced analytics, such as facial recognition, license plate recognition, and object tracking. When Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other advanced video analytics are applied to security cameras, VirtuGuard™ Agents can be alerted to abnormal or unwanted behavior in real-time. An AI trigger will send an alert into the Command Center for Agents to review. This eliminates false alarms that would otherwise waste time and money for responding security officers or local law enforcement officers.
Additionally, license plate recognition is efficient for paid or private parking lots, reducing the need for onsite parking attendants. These features can help security officers quickly identify potential threats and take appropriate action while also reducing the need for onsite observation.
Remote Access and Control
With remote access and control, VirtuGuard™ Agents can grant access to employees, residents, or guests from our remote Command Center. Whether you are seeking access control for your parking lot or deck, office building, residential community, or other establishment, VirtuGuard™ can customize a solution for you.
Through gate access control systems, Command Center Agents can screen visitors by verifying their identification and their intentions of entering the property. For indoor access control solutions, Agents can act as Virtual Doormen, granting or denying access to individuals attempting to enter a building.
VirtuGuard™ can take over your access control systems and responsibilities, all from our remote Command Center. This removes the need for additional onsite access control officers, freeing up onsite security to attend to arising or ongoing incidents.
Real-Time Video Monitoring and Its Role in Optimizing Security
Live video monitoring plays a crucial role in optimizing security. It allows remote Command Center Agents to monitor live video feeds from multiple cameras, giving them a comprehensive view of the area they are responsible for. This enables them to identify potential threats more quickly and take appropriate action to mitigate the risk.
In addition, a real-time video monitoring service can help security officers coordinate their efforts with other members of the security team. For example, if a VirtuGuard™ Agent spots a suspicious individual on a video feed, they can communicate this information to other officers on the ground, who can then respond accordingly. When responding security officers have details of an ongoing incident and the individuals involved, they are able to safely, effectively, and appropriately resolve the incident.
Not only does live video monitoring increase the safety of your business’s employees or visitors, but it also improves the safety of onsite security officers when responding to potentially dangerous situations.
Remote Video Monitoring Services: A Crucial Component in Comprehensive Security
Remote video monitoring services are becoming an increasingly important part of comprehensive security solutions. These services allow trained security professionals to monitor live video feeds from a remote location, providing an additional layer of security and ensuring that potential threats are identified and addressed quickly.
By outsourcing virtual security to a remote video monitoring service, businesses and organizations can reduce the burden on their onsite security team and focus their resources on other aspects of their security strategy. VirtuGuard™ can support both BOS Security officers and security teams within a business or outsourced from other companies. While live video monitoring supports onsite security officers in their response efforts, it can also provide quality assurance. VirtuGuard™ can monitor security officers’ appearance, ensuring that they are in proper uniform. Additionally, Virtual Guards and monitor the activity of your onsite guards, making sure that they are on task and completing their responsibilities as directed.
Adding VirtuGuard™ to your security solution can result in a more efficient and effective security program overall.
Case studies: Success Stories of Integrating Video Monitoring with Human Security Guards
There are numerous examples of businesses and organizations that have successfully integrated VirtuGuard™ live video monitoring with human security guards to achieve optimal protection. Here are a few case studies that illustrate the benefits of this unbeatable duo.
Example: VirtuGuard™ Interactive Remote Guarding Catches Trespassers on Construction Site
At a construction site near downtown Athens, home of the University of Georgia, VirtuGuard™ conducts live video monitoring to prevent theft of expensive equipment and materials as well as trespassing of unauthorized visitors. Many construction companies are required by their insurance policies to implement security measures at their active sites to prevent theft and other liabilities, which VirtuGuard™ remote video monitoring is able to provide.
In the early hours of the morning, the Command Center received an alert triggered by AI motion detection at the location. A VirtuGuard™ Agent reviewed the video footage that triggered the alert and began observing the event in real-time. The Agent found two young men entering the construction site and approaching the heavy machinery. VirtuGuard™ called a nearby BOS Security Supervisor and alerted him of the event.
Shortly after, the Security Supervisor arrived and found the two men climbing down from the top of a crane. As he announced himself, the two men began to flee on foot. The University of Georgia Police arrived soon after and began to chase the men on foot. After pursuing the young men, the responding police officer apprehended one of the trespassers and arrested him. The young man was charged with Obstruction of a Law Enforcement Officer and underage possession of alcohol.
Read the full story of the construction site trespassing event here.
Example: Proactive Monitoring Catches Trespasser in Athens Apartment Complex
The gallery was not found!A luxury student apartment complex utilizes both VirtuGuard™ live video monitoring and physical security to keep the buildings secure and the residents safe. During a random virtual patrol in the early morning, VirtuGuard™ Agents observed a man enter an elevator from an off-street entrance and exit onto the sixth floor.
The Agents on duty reported that the man appeared to be confused and possibly homeless. A Command Center Agent called the after-hours answering service and spoke to the off-duty residential police officer to alert them of the ongoing event. Agents also called the local police to report the incident and request their assistance.
While the residential police officer was getting ready and the local police were on their way to the complex, VirtuGuard™ continued to monitor the man’s movements and location. Agents relayed this information to police to better prepare them to respond to the incident safely and quickly.
Police arrived on scene and were directed by Agents to the trespasser’s exact location. They approached him and began to talk. Soon after, Agents observed the officers guide the man into the elevator and exit the building on the ground floor. The police officers notified VirtuGuard™ that the man was barred from the property and if he returned, he would be arrested for trespassing.
After the incident was resolved, VirtuGuard™ reviewed the video footage to investigate how the man had gained access to the building. They found that the door was either malfunctioning or unlocked, reported this information to the complex’s after-hours line, and continued to closely monitor the area overnight to ensure that no one else was able to trespass into the building without proper authorization.
Achieving Optimal Protection with the Unbeatable Duo
Integrating VirtuGuard™ video monitoring with human security guards is an unbeatable duo that can provide optimal protection for a wide range of settings. This powerful combination can enhance situational awareness, improve response times, and create a more efficient and effective security program.
By investing in advanced live video monitoring technology and training security officers to use it effectively, businesses and organizations can significantly improve their overall security and safety. The benefits of this unbeatable duo are clear, and the potential for even greater advancements in video monitoring technology in the future makes it an even more compelling option for those looking to achieve the highest level of protection possible.
Interested in learning more about dual security solutions for your business? Visit our VirtuGuard™ webpage for more information or complete the contact form below to speak with one of BOS Security’s experienced security professionals.