There are many players participating in providing loss prevention and security services, the key team member of course in this is you. This point is important as many times the so called expert attempts to persuade you otherwise. When one considers the numerous authorities who presents themselves it is critical to the success of any program whether commercial or residential to know who the participants are and what role they perform. This discourse is an attempt to assist you in better understanding who's who in security.

The Customer

This is the person or group who is interested in buying security related products and services. This person is you or your organization. Really and truly you are the primary expert among the specialists as its relates to security specific to your needs and budget.   Unfortunately, it is here where the customer does not realize the important role and power which they posses. Based on this fact the lesser or minor experts comes in and clouds and confuse the effort. Really, how can a stranger come into your business or home and dictate what security requirements you need. You must have a plan!

Enter the Consultant  

I highly recommended this person, because he or she is not attached to any service provider. This means the advisor cannot be sent or represent the company selling the service. This creates and obvious conflict of interest, and even the reliability of there advice. He or she must actually visit your site sit with you to obtain a feel for what you want and balance it what you need. Many times it is the fear of crime that dictates our desires not necessarily the reality of crime and the risk associated with the crime event. Further many efforts to reduce loss are usually implemented with the outside thereat, when any company doing business today will admit that the internal loss events cost them the most. 

Guard Service Provider

This is the entity that seeks to put a guard on your property to protect your assets, for the most physical assets. There are many of them out there who would do anything to secure your confidence, but painfully very little to keep it. After acquiring an agreement from you, in many instances it is the last sight of them, unless something happens. In the Bahamas very little has been done about the quality of service being provided guard companies. In fact more has been done to regulate conch vendors and Jet Ski operators than guard service providers; sadly the industry has been allowed to run wild. Is this to say, that there are no quality providers in the market place, of course not; however their high-level of service is many times lost in the sea of unprofessional and unethical practices?

Security Guard / Officer

The person who the service provider sends to represent you, make no mistake the guard standing at your door represents you. What is the basic requirement for guard service in the Bahamas? Did you know that only Bahamian citizens are eligible to work as guards in the Bahamas, no other nationality can become a security or work as a security guard. How many hours are the guards working a week / day as a matter of fact? Do want you want a guard who cannot read or write. Do you want someone who is on there last leg, overweight, and has poor hygiene? Remember inmost instances the hired guard is the first and last impression that persons will have of your business.

Alarms and Intrusion Detection

In the last few years the electronic security market has seen many leaps and bounds. Technology has fast tracked this industry leaving many of the consumers / customers behind.   I remember attending a security convention, ten years ago and being blown away by the numerous variables available by combining these systems with computers. Today almost everyone has access to this. These are probably the most common oldest of the mechanical zed security initiatives, in that the automation of detection not dependant on manual supervision. Never the less the principal is the same, activation cause loud audible alerts. But let us consider today, how many of us pay any attention to car alarms, outside of can some please turn that noise off.

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)

This is hot topic and in fact and a previous article has been dedicated to this tool. It must be remembered that this is only a tool, the end it all. For the most part CCTV is only used as an investigative tool, thus its prevention attributes are not fully maximized unless the system is being monitored and reviewed. This fact is important because many persons are sold on the fact that a camera is watching 24 hours a day, but forget about who is watching the camera.

We will continue this discussion next week, looking at other contributors to the loss prevention

Gamal Newry is the President of Preventative Measures, a Loss Prevention and Asset Protection Training and Consulting Company, specializing in Policy and Procedure Development, Business Security Reviews and Audits, & Emergency and Crisis Management. Comments can be sent to P.O. Box N-3154 Nassau, Bahamas or, email gnewry@gmail.com   or visit us at www.preventativemeasures.net