Why Local Businesses Should Build Strong Relationships with Law Enforcement

Why Local Businesses Should Build Strong Relationships with Law Enforcement

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

Building strong relationships with law enforcement has always been crucial to a successful loss prevention program. Historically, the relationship between retail stores and local law enforcement has been a part of both community safety and retail performance, reinforcing the critical elements of security and well-being.

Trust and respect are essential, along with a general understanding of how we can work together to keep our communities safe and our businesses successful.

SOURCE: 

Brittain, J. Fostering Next-Level Partnerships That Make a Difference, Loss Prevention Magazine, 11/20/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Cargo Theft is Real and You Need to Protect Your Assets

Cargo Theft is Real and You Need to Protect Your Assets

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

A new form of theft has developed – strategic cargo theft. Strategic cargo theft is defined as deceiving a party at various points within the supply chain to hand over their freight to thieves. This form of theft involves the manipulation of data, paperwork, and identities from a distance to gain access to freight under false pretenses.

Use dedicated, asset-based carriers to move your freight. An asset-based carrier is a company that owns its trucks and hires its own drivers. This allows you to clearly vet the company you will be doing business with.

Insist on placing disposable GPS trackers inside your high-value loads. These cost-effective devices eliminate reverse logistics and device management while providing complete visibility of your freight, in real-time, from anywhere around the world. 

 

SOURCE: 

Tabor, J. Strategic Cargo Theft: What It Is, How It Started, and What You Can Do to Stop It, Loss Prevention Magazine, 12/2/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Artificial intelligence and Machine Learning are Game Changers

Artificial intelligence and Machine Learning are Game Changers

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are no longer just buzzwords; they’re reshaping the very fabric of how we protect our spaces, assets, and people. These smart systems are not just observing – they’re thinking, predicting and enabling security professionals to do more with less.

AI and ML allow security departments to extend their reach and effectiveness without necessarily expanding their workforce. 

  • Automated Monitoring: AI can continuously monitor multiple video feeds from one to dozens or many hundreds of cameras, flagging only the events that require human attention.
  • Intelligent Dispatching: ML algorithms can analyze incidents, learn from the patterns, and automatically dispatch the most appropriate response.
  • Predictive Maintenance: AI can monitor the health of security equipment, predicting failures before they occur, helping reduce downtime.

These capabilities don’t just save time; they fundamentally change how security teams operate, allowing them to be more strategic and proactive in their approach.

 

SOURCE: 

Carder, H. Smart systems usher in a new era of proactive physical security, Loss Prevention Magazine, 10/22/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Manage & Analyze Data To Safeguard Operations Against Threats

Manage & Analyze Data To Safeguard Operations Against Threats

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

Effective data collection and management in the aftermath of violent incidents are key for preventing future occurrences. During violent incidents, chaos and stress can lead to critical details being overlooked. A standardized approach to data collection ensures that no pertinent information is missed.

Intelligence from mobile phones, tablets, computers, and hotlines, provides detailed information such as suspect identifiers, vehicle descriptions, targeted items, and much more.

Effective data management allows for the identification of patterns and characteristics shared among violent incidents. By analyzing data on vehicle information, physical descriptions, and targeted items, organizations can identify trends and take proactive measures.

 

SOURCE: 

How Proper Data Collection Prevents Future Violence Incidents, Loss Prevention Magazine, 10/10/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

License Plate Recognition (LPR): Secure, Intelligence Led Approach Retail Protection

License Plate Recognition (LPR): Secure, Intelligence Led Approach Retail Protection

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

Retailers are increasingly focused on establishing additional layers of control – so it makes sense why License Plate Recognition (LPR) is becoming a common talking point when it comes to LP strategies.

The scope of loss prevention has expanded to human safety first and foremost. This shift is matching the rise of Organized Retail Crime and violence in stores.

LPR systems use high-resolution cameras and other systems to capture and convert images of license plates into alphanumeric text, which can then be cross-referenced. Retailers worldwide have adopted LPR (sometimes known as ANPR) increasingly as an important component of their security strategies.

 

SOURCE: 

Elevating Retail Security Integrating License Plate Recognition and

Audio Detection into Your Safety Strategy, Loss Prevention Magazine, 12/10/2023.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Cargo theft involves the manipulation of data and identities to gain access to freight under false pretenses.

Cargo theft involves the manipulation of data and identities to gain access to freight under false pretenses.

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

Organized retail crime (ORC) has been the buzzword in the retail loss prevention world for well over the past decade. During that time, the lack of support from the criminal justice system has certainly negated most of those efforts.

Criminals will establish fake trucking and brokerage companies with the sole intention of stealing cargo. They go through the same process as legitimate carrier information, registration, obtaining insurance, and operating authority. These companies then start completing legitimate jobs to establish a history of work performed. Once established, the thieves target high-value loads within their customer network to steal.

Insist on placing disposable GPS trackers inside your high-value loads. These cost-effective devices eliminate reverse logistics and device management while providing complete visibility of your freight, in real-time, from anywhere around the world. If and when a theft were to occur, you could follow the load in real-time from your phone to assist law enforcement in finding its exact location.

As of now, there is no silver bullet that will stop these thefts from occurring. But understanding the problem, training your staff, and installing protective measures will certainly act as a shield to help fend off these criminals.

SOURCE: 

Tabor, J. Strategic Cargo Theft: What It Is, How It Started, and What You Can Do to Stop It, Loss Prevention Magazine, 10/01/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Shrink From Theft Significantly Impacts Small-To Medium-Sized Retailers

Shrink From Theft Significantly Impacts Small-To Medium-Sized Retailers

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

SMB retailers operate on narrow profit margins, they typically don’t have the budget or resources to invest in the training, security systems, and personnel to combat theft like larger retailers do. Offenders might also be more familiar with SMB retailers’ store layouts and know they lack specific security measures. If smaller stores with weaker security are located near larger stores with more robust protection, there might be an issue of displacement in which offenders pass by the big box shop for the mom-and-pop.

A low cost solution to theft prevention for SMB retailers is partnerships. Many law enforcement organizations have community policing units, where officers are specially trained to interact with local businesses and citizens to help them solve problems. SMB retailers can connect with this unit or a liaison and invite them to the store to dispense free crime prevention advice.

 

SOURCE: 

Fritsky, L. For Small- to Medium-Sized Business Retailers, Thwarting Theft Needn’t Come with High Effort or Costs, Loss Prevention Magazine, 10/09/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

A Security Management Platform Must Manage Events In Real Time To Manage Crisis.

A Security Management Platform Must Manage Events In Real Time To Manage Crisis.

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

The security sector has  adopted cloud-based artificial intelligence or machine learning resulting in revolutionary changes in access control, video surveillance and emerging areas like threat detection and drone identification.

A security management platform must provide clarity and control to act for greater efficiency and serve as the foundation for continuously improving security. It should optimize security operations, streamline services with real-time status updates, and manage events and team responses in real time to enable efficient management of sites, systems, events, users and data.

 

SOURCE: 

Byerly, T. Optimizing Security and Business Performance with Clarity and Control

The Essential Role of Digital Platforms in Security Management, Security Today, 09/10/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

An Effective Physical Security Plan Starts with Deterrence, Detection, Delay, & Response.

An Effective Physical Security Plan Starts with Deterrence, Detection, Delay, & Response.

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

Deterrence, Detection, Delay, & Response.

Physical security technology helps to control access, monitor behavior, and respond to potential threats, thus enhancing overall security posture. It involves securing organizational assets from harm due to physical events, including natural disasters like fires and floods, and human-inflicted dangers like theft and vandalism.

Elements of an effective physical security plan–

  1. Deterrence: Deterrence can encompass various equipment such as signage, security cameras and door access systems. It also includes physical barriers such as doors, locks and walls.  
  2. Detection: Technologies used for physical security detection measures are sensors, alarms and automatic notifications via video management software. 
  3. Delay: Simple security measures such as additional doors, locks and security guards can help delay incidents. More advanced physical security technology, such as key card access and mobile credentials, can make it more difficult for unauthorized users trying to enter a building.  
  4. Response: A response strategy such as building lockdowns or automatically notifying emergency services is critical. 

Successful and effective plans should include these technologies to ensure that a facility can prevent physical threats and take necessary action if a security breach occurs.

 

SOURCE: 

Berg, D. Playing a Crucial Role, Security Today, 09/1672024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

Artificial Intelligence Technology Delivers Proactive Security

Artificial Intelligence Technology Delivers Proactive Security and Efficient Crisis Response.

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

The early days of artificial intelligence technology (AI) and facial recognition in video surveillance were often inaccurate and prone to false positives, limiting their effectiveness. Continuous advancements in AI algorithms and processing power have significantly improved the accuracy and reliability of these technologies.

Artificial intelligence and cloud technologies have become mainstream in the video surveillance industry.  Cloud-based solutions offer scalable, flexible storage and processing capabilities, reducing the need for on-prem infrastructure. 

True artificial intelligence will enable even more sophisticated analytics, predictive capabilities and autonomous decision-making. As technology continues to evolve, the possibilities for enhancing security and operational efficiency are limitless.

 

SOURCE: 

Hile, R. Teaching Old Dogs, New Tricks: 21st Century Video and Video Integration, Security Today, 09/16/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats