Access control systems control persons,
vehicles, & materials through entrance and exits of protected area. Access
control systems use hardware & specialized procedures to control &
monitor movements into, out of, or within a protected area. Access Control
depends upon the authorized person being correctly identified as part of
approval process. Large systems with numerous personnel with individual with
varying levels of authorization are best managed with systems that identify
such persons automatically & with a high degree of certainly. Such systems
typically involve use of three features:
a.
Something
that the person knows: This can be an access code or password A known
only to the individual.
b. Something that the individual possesses: For example, an approved identification (ID) card or a token that cannot be easily counter field.
c.
Something physical and unique about the
individual: This
could be a biometric feature such as a fingerprint or a person’s voice.
These characteristics can be designed into manual, semi-automatic, or automatic
systems. Discriminatory levels can be set depending on the level of security
desired.
Identification numbers and Password:
ID cards & Tokens
·
All
personnel and visitors must be properly checked by the security before the
entry is allowed into the premises.
·
Proper
ID Card or temporary ID Card, token or permit must be scrutinized at the entry
gate.
·
Similarly,
Visitors must be issued valid pass after continuing from the officer to be
visited.
Biometric Features
A password can be learned by another
person, who could misuse it. An ID card, badge, or token may be lost or stolen
and used by another until the card is no longer system accessible. However,
biometric features, such as fingerprints and iris or retinal information,
rarely alter over a lifetime. Therefore, in theory, systems that use these
features have a more reliable means of identification.
Biometric systems have been made more
user-friendly in recent years. They are no longer as expensive and now rely on
simple hardware interfaces. New commercial biometric applications—like facial
recognition—have intriguing possible applications.
Alarm system
Alarm systems are created to deter, delay, & detected burgley, robbery, smoke & heat signals etc. Such alarms may sound locally or be monitored by Police, a proprietary system, or commercial control station.
In addition to receiving and verifying
alarm conditions, operators at the monitoring service may call and request that
police be dispatched; call designated persons and inform them of the alarm
condition; send security personnel to the premises; dispatch someone to reset
the alarm; call the fire department or an ambulance; direct maintenance staff
to check a machine or process stoppage or irregularity; and perform other
desired actions.
Because of the perennial concern with
false alarms, alarm installation and monitoring businesses endeavor to select
systems with low likelihood of inaccurate signals. The customer may wish to
have someone physically present as an anti-burglary measure at the facility
until alarm service is restored. Training users how to avoid false alarms is
emphasized.
Nonetheless, false alarms remain a problem. Therefore, many systems will verify the alarm before calling police or taking other action. This may be accomplished through a telephone call, real-time CCTV, or other means. An inherent weakness of most alarm systems is that their signals travel over wires or cables that can be cut, intentionally or accidentally, leaving the alarmed premises without services. At the least, the monitoring center should confirm that a connection has been broken and inform customers promptly that service has been interrupted at their facility. The loss of a primary method of communication may be backed up with a radio frequency system that does not depend upon wires or cables.
Communications
Effective security operations must allow
seamless communication among managers, supervisors, staff personnel, and
others. This is a requirement during normal operations. During an emergency,
this requirement is even more important. Because a single system might be
compromised or incapacitated due to an emergency, security planners think in
terms of multiple means by which personnel can stay in touch during such times.
Typically, security planners rely on
commercial telephone service as the basis for communications. However, some
applications will merit the use of a dedicated system that only serves a single
organization or network. Dedicated lines to local law enforcement authorities,
fire, or ambulance services are common features at larger central monitoring stations.
In the event that land-line communications are down, contact with significant parties
by two-way radio or cell phones is important.
Many security managers
have different layers of personal communications. They will have available ordinary
telephone service and, in high-security applications, a separate encrypted
communications system. They may also carry with them a two-way radio, personal pagers,
and cellular telephones.
X-RAY Screening Machine
Packages, garments, and baggage may be inspected by X-ray technology for contraband, including explosives and illegal drugs. Computer-enhanced and -analyzed images increase the accuracy of contraband identification. Agents must monitor the enhanced images to determine whether a physical search is indicated. The principle of X-ray technology is that pulsed energy that penetrates most objects (lead and some alloys are exceptions) is absorbed by a plate, which then intensifies the image of materials programmed to be highlighted by intense, distinctive coloring. The images are projected for analysis on a color monitor.
X-rays have some disadvantages. Some explosives and bomb-making materials may mimic items normally found within packages or luggage. Similarly, some firearms have plastic parts and are not easily identifiable in enhanced X-ray imaging. Much depends on the skills of the agent who interprets the images.
Explosive & Drug Detection
While X-rays may detect some explosives and illegal drugs, other technology may be specifically devoted to such detection. The physical principle is that explosive compounds and illegal drugs may be identified either by sniffing for telltale molecules of the contraband materials or by bombarding a container with energy that will “excite” materials such that they can be identified automatically. Walk-through detectors currently are available on a limited basis and are found in preboard screening programs of airlines and other high-risk locations. This technology permits screening packages or luggage without opening the contents. The accuracy and utility of such systems vary greatly.
A bomb-detection system may be highly reliable, but it could also be stationary, costly to operate, subject to variable service problems, slow to process items, and expensive to purchase. Other devices are lighter, portable, and less expensive, but with an equivalent lower detection rate.
A drawback is that some materials may be prepared with such awareness of the detection technology and its limitations so that their contraband contents are undetected.
Metal Detectors
Most metal detectors operate by transmitting a time-varying magnetic field that is monitored by a receiver. When a metallic object is introduced into the electromagnetic field, reception of the signal is disturbed; this is reported by a light, an audio signal, or both. Walk-through metal detectors may also indicate where on the body metal has been identified. A security officer may then use a handheld metal detector to identify precisely where under the clothing the metal is hidden. A disadvantage of metal detectors is that they can provide false alarms from metal within the body, such as from a prosthetic device or other types of surgical implants. Also, the sensitivity of metal detectors may be changed at the discretion of the operator For example, sensitivity can be so acute that a single coin or a metal button weighing less than one-half an ounce can be detected. In such cases, however Yet the same instrument can be set less sensitively so that small weapons will escape detection.
Searches
Following points must be borne in mind by the security staff:
·
As far as possible a senior person, either
security supervisor or assistant security officer must carry out the search.
·
Search must always be done in the presence of
another person/security staff.
·
Search of a woman employee should be, as far as
possible, carried out by a woman security staff or in the presence of another
woman employee.
·
All employees must be made to read management
policy about searches and should sign as having read, in the absence of it,
some employee can raise a legal objection to it.
·
If an employee resist for the search, then he/she
should not be forced, but the particulars of employee and reasons for not
allowing the search should be noted for future action if need be.
·
Security officer must ensure that all security
staff is fully aware of the policies of management.
·
Security staff must be courteous and polite
towards staff at the time of search.
·
Security officer must differentiate between the
routine searches of the employees and the search of a person who is caught
while indulging in theft, espionage and pilferage, etc. his search should be
thorough in order to find out any hidden arms ammunition and explosive, etc. on
his body or person.
Computerized
Vehicle Access Control
