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Active Shooter Situations: Handling Conflicts & De-Escalation Tactics

Active Shooter Situations: Handling Conflicts & De-Escalation Tactics

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Active Shooter Situation

A violent altercation at an AutoZone auto parts store on Broadway in Newburgh, Orange County, left one man dead from a gunshot wound and another injured from stab wounds.

Frank Costa, NEXGEN Protection Services

NEXGEN Protection offers 24/7 security for your business with armed guards trained to protect and de-escalate conflicts. Our team of professional, armed guards is rigorously trained and experienced in handling complex security challenges, ensuring safety, peace of mind, and compliance with regulations.

Two men were injured—one sustained stab wounds, while the other was shot. Officers immediately rendered medical aid to both individuals. The man with stab wounds was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, while the man with the gunshot wound was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Rise of Physical Security De-escalation Tactics

The Rise of Physical Security De-escalation Tactics

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Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

In recent years, one of the most pressing issues at the center of national conversations has been the use of excessive and unnecessary police force. This topic will continue to be a focal point, and one major shift in the security industry will be the increased emphasis on de-escalation tactics and training for safety officers, with a focus on making this a first resort.

De-escalation training equips security personnel with the tools they need to resolve emergencies without the use of force. It empowers officers to slow down, assess situations more effectively, and communicate clearly with both the individual involved and their team. Just as importantly, it helps mitigate the risk of liability and reduce the potential for injuries to security personnel.

While having a physical security or human guarding team on-site is crucial and can prevent further escalation, hybrid security strategies that incorporate technology are becoming increasingly important. The remote work revolution is well underway, and many companies have adopted a hybrid office model, allowing employees to spend time both on- and off-site.

SOURCE: 

Weingot, D. Guard trends to watch in 2022. Security InforWatch, 02/14/2022.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Supply Chain Attacks: Exploiting Third-Party Vulnerabilities

Supply Chain Attacks: Exploiting Third-Party Vulnerabilities

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Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

The cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace. With the rise of sophisticated attack methods, the integration of new technologies, and increasing connectivity across sectors, businesses are facing more complex cybersecurity threats than ever before. Staying informed and prepared is critical to protecting data, maintaining trust, and ensuring business continuity.

Supply Chain Attacks

As businesses increasingly rely on external vendors and partners, supply chain attacks have become a significant cybersecurity concern. In these attacks, threat actors infiltrate a company’s system by compromising a third-party provider, gaining access to multiple organizations through a single vulnerability.

How to Prepare:

  • Vendor Risk Assessments: Conduct thorough security assessments for all vendors and partners to identify potential vulnerabilities.
  • Contractual Security Requirements: Include cybersecurity clauses in vendor contracts to ensure security standards are upheld.
  • Network Segmentation: Isolate critical systems from external partners to prevent attackers from moving freely within your network.
  • Continuous Monitoring: Use real-time monitoring to track vendor activity and detect any unusual behavior early.

 

SOURCE: 

Top Cybersecurity Threats to Watch in 2025: How Businesses Can Prepare, Boston Institute of Analytics, 11/14/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Do’s and Don’ts of GenAI for Security Metrics

Do’s and Don’ts of GenAI for Security Metrics

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Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

 

Security teams must get it right—there’s no room for error.

Do you use ChatGPT or other AI generators for your business security? Regardless of how you implement GenAI, what truly matters is what you do—and don’t do.

There’s no doubt that GenAI models are powerful tools. When adopted responsibly, they can help streamline security protocols, optimize time, and more. However, it’s crucial to remain fully aware of the limitations of GenAI models.

For starters, never underestimate the importance of keeping the human touch in your work. As smart as AI might seem, it cannot capture the intangibles that come from human intuition.

AI lacks a sense of bias and is unaware of what constitutes correct or incorrect facts. Therefore, it is vital to proofread any AI-generated content and verify all facts before acting on the data.

GenAI models are trained on vast amounts of data from multiple sources, meaning there is always a risk that AI-generated content could contain plagiarized text.

 

SOURCE: 

Shelmire, A. Liars in the wires: Getting the most from GenAI without getting duped, Security Magazine, 09/19/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Organizations Must Be Ready to Assess Potential Security Risks to Protect Everyone

Organizations Must Be Ready to Assess Potential Security Risks to Protect Everyone

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

Security leaders across environments — spanning retail stores, corporate businesses, residential communities and cities — should prepare for threats that will require fast and informed action. We all have experienced major cultural moments, including the 2020 election, COVID-19 pandemic, and nationwide protests. 

It is critical for organizations to put in place security protocols to preserve employee and public safety while respecting the rights of citizens.  Creating a plan and protocols to address these incidents will help you ensure a coordinated response.

  • Establish communication protocols. Create clear communication protocols that explain how information will flow to key parties, such as store or business leadership, employees, customers, neighboring businesses and law enforcement.

  • Assess physical defense measures. How can you protect your building from damage or control the flow of traffic and people?

  • Promote de-escalation tactics. Reinforce your communication protocols during this training. Ensure that the safety of every employee and customer is the number one priority, reminding them to not get involved if physical violence occurs.

  • Implement safety technology. Cameras, alarms, motion detectors, and motion-triggered lights can all bring visibility to situations, add necessary deterrence if you make the decision to close a location, and gather evidence to help law enforcement pursue bad actors. Revisit your existing security investments to assess their capabilities, and consider whether you need new solutions to cover your gaps.   

 

SOURCE: 

Kelley, M. 3 potential security risks to stay ahead of post-election, Security Magazine, 11/20/2024.
#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

Remote Loss Prevention Monitoring Enables Businesses to Secure Operations from Anywhere

Remote Loss Prevention Monitoring Enables Businesses to Secure Operations from Anywhere

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

In-person loss prevention and security audit for retail locations isn’t going away any time soon, and shouldn’t. Sometimes you just need to visit a place, if only to show the frontline workers that you genuinely care and are serious about theft and loss, and nothing can replace walking through a retail space with the on-site leader. 

Remote video monitoring allows businesses to conduct loss prevention audits from anywhere. This has a couple major benefits over traditional loss prevention audits:

  • It’s cheaper because you don’t need to travel to a location to conduct the audit. .
  • It’s faster, so you can audit more stores in a day and increase the frequency of your audits

Today, asset protection professionals are being asked to do more with less these days. Remote loss prevention and security audits allow field workers and leaders to do just that. 

 

SOURCE: 

Langley, C. Loss Prevention And Security Audits In Retail. Security Informed, September 2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Physical Security Provides a Secure, Stable and Healthy Workplace

Physical Security Provides a Secure, Stable and Healthy Workplace

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

 

The range, value, and tampering sensitivity of merchandise passing through e-commerce portals is vast, throwing up new challenges for security details.  Protection against theft, against threats to staff, and against tampering, sabotage and the reputational damage resulting are the top priorities.

Physical security serves as a shield for such workers against unauthorized access while protecting against theft, vandalism, and violence.

In workplaces, educational facilities and other public spaces, physical security is the first line of defense. It not only prevents unauthorized entry but also creates a sense of safety and calmness. Providing a secure, stable and healthy workplace is an asset to retention and productivity.

 

SOURCE: 

Fisher, M. Distribution Facilities Ramp Up Safety Measures. The Urban Developer, 09/222024
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Retailers-Must-Implement-Ironclad-Loss-Prevention-Strategies

Retailers Must Implement Ironclad Loss Prevention Strategies

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

One of the biggest threats to retail profits is “shrink,” or preventable losses due to theft or human error. Retail shrink accounts for billions of dollars per year in lost revenue, so it’s in retailers’ best interests to have a comprehensive set of standards designed to avoid these losses. 

The rise of retail organized crime, cyberattacks, and new methods of theft have made reducing shrink harder than ever for retailers. In order to be prepared for these modern threats, retail store owners and managers must have ironclad loss prevention strategies in place, as well as the tools to enforce them.

SOURCE: 

Shein, M. Reassessing the role of loss prevention, Security Magazine, 04/04/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats


The Presence of Security is Still The Best Deterrent to Crime

The Presence of Security is Still The Best Deterrent to Crime

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

CVS, Target and other chains have barricaded everything from toiletries to cleaning supplies. It’s backfired in almost every way. Different products experience different theft rates, depending on store location and other factors. 

Beyond the financial impact of these crimes, the violence and concerns over safety continue to be the priority for all retailers. Professional security services is a strong deterrent, forcing criminals to think twice before they try to steal something. Security guards also handle vandalism and disturbances, ensuring customers’ shopping experience remains peaceful.

 

SOURCE:  Mull, A., Retailers Locked Up Their Products—and Broke Shopping in America, Bloomberg.com, 8/01/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats