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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

 

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

The Glendale Police Department Uses Tech to Expedite its 9-1-1 Response

The Glendale Police Department Uses Tech to Expedite its 9-1-1 Response

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

The Glendale Arizona Police Department was alerted to a shooting by following a 9-1-1 call’s real-time transcript.  The real-time crime center (RTCC) analysts immediately pulled up the security camera at the intersection and saw the homicide suspect fleeing in the victim’s vehicle. The officer was able to react before a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) incident was entered and apprehended the suspect after a pursuit.

Motorola Solutions’ CommandCentral Aware unifies voice, video, and data feeds from public safety, private enterprise, and community-facing systems, leveraging AI to verify incident data and speed up response. Built to the highest security standards, the command center solution surfaces, on a single pane of glass in the RTCC, 9-1-1 call details, the location of resources in the field, data from license plate readers and footage from fixed video, mobile, and body cameras.

 

SOURCE: 

Arizona police department utilizes Motorola 9-1-1 intelligence to halt active shooter, Security Infowatch, 10/17/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Factors to Consider When Implementing a Physical Security System.

Factors to Consider When Implementing a Physical Security System.

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

While technology like cameras, alarms, and access control systems are crucial components, they are only as effective as the people who use and manage them and the systems that deploy them. When installing physical security systems, the focus should be on the holistic operation of the system rather than the functioning of individual components. 

Tight collaboration between security and IT stakeholders delivers significant value to both security and business operations, but it’s important to clearly define and communicate goals and expectations from the start. 

 

SOURCE: 

Anderson, L. What Is The Most Overlooked Factor When Installing Physical Security?, Security Infomed, 09/10/2024.
#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

 

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

 

License Plate Recognition Technology

License Plate Recognition Technology Is A Powerful Tool To Track Individuals Movements Through Vehicles.

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

License plate recognition technology, also known as Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) or LPR (License Plate Recognition), is a surveillance system that captures vehicles’ images and identifies their license number. It uses optical character recognition on images to read vehicle license plates. 

The technology provides the ability to capture an image of a license plate code, convert the code into readable text, and compare it to a registration database for identification. License plate recognition technology is used for vehicle management operations such as ticketless parking, tolling, ITS, stolen vehicles detection, smart billing, and many other applications.

Many police departments tout them as tools to enhance community security, reduce crime, and make communities safer. The technology collects data about neighborhood crimes, including burglary, home theft, vandalism. 

Civil rights groups have cautioned ALPRs pose a potential violation of privacy. ALPRs collect and store data on the cars they scan, and this data is often kept for years with few or no restrictions to protect privacy rights.

 

SOURCE: 

Wolfe, C. WHITEPAPER: Building Robust ORC Cases with License Plate Recognition Technology. Loss Prevention Magazine, 04/01/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats