Category: Uncategorized

There might not be a single “best” form, but there sure are “different” methods. And if there is a best form of biometircs, it’s often someone’s opinion that determines this.

Pictured above is a time and attendance biometrics unit by Find Biometrics.

For example, in an article written in the August 2012 edition of the Security Systems News, Jim Pangburn, VP of Engineering at Big Sky, Inc. believes there is not only a better system now, but one that may be coming in the future as well.

For now, he prefers hand vascular technology, also called blood vessel authentication. Says the article, with hand vascular they don’t have problems found in more prevalent methods like fingerprint and iris scans, such as environmental conditions and false reads.

With the growing popularity and ease of use with megapixel cameras, it is now more possible to use them to scan eye patterns. Pangburn sees this as a future method of biometrics, as is written in the article.

Also, British researchers claim that iris recognition is the most accurate form of biometrics access control due to its low false rejection rate. The National Physical Laboratory representing the Communications Electronics Security Group conducted the study.

The main types of biometrics access control are:

Facial recognition: Can search through large groups of people who spent only a short time in front of a camera. Assigns numerical quantities based on facial characteristics to form a code for identification purposes. Non-intrusive.

Fingerprint: Completely unique; no two exist that are the same.

Hand geometry: Can work in harsh environments.

Retina and Iris Scans: Completely unique but take relatively longer to achieve the scan.

Signature and Voice analysis: Signature is easy to gather and not intrusive. Voice analysis can be done without the subject’s knowledge.

In terms of future forms of biometrics, in addition to the megapixel scanning of eye patterns mentioned above by Pangburn, two other methods may present themselves down the road more often.

While it is mentioned as a subject of controversy at this point, DNA sampling may be an option. Cost and portability are two obstacles as of now.

And another body part being studied as a possible use for biometric reading is the tongue. Laser scanning would be used to achieve a 3-D picture of the tongue, says an article published on cnn.com on December 13, 2008.

Speaking of tongues, we wanted to give you a taste of the common methods of biometric access control systems, what some consider better forms and a touch of future incarnations that may be on the horizon.

We hope you gained a little from our article today. Thanks for spending some time with us.

Security for liquor stores is serious business. There’s simply so much at stake. Inventory. Cash. Employee safety and more.

If you’re the owner or manager of a liquor store, you most likely already have an alarm system and also video surveillance. But more can always be done and adjustments to your current system can always be made.

Use your smart phone for things such as remotely viewing your employees while they close.

We’ve highlighted six areas below to focus on in order to improve the security of your store and the safety of your employees.

1. The need to protect inventory. Let’s face it. You’re selling what is considered a vice to people. Something people are addicted to. Something of great value.

You need to make sure your alarm system is sufficient and working properly.

Give it a test. Call your security company or monitoring station and put your system on test. You want to make sure if there’s a break in after-hours that your security system is going to function properly.

Once your system is on test, arm it then open doors, walk past motion detectors and open any windows—let that siren scream. No need to worry about any authorities being called because it’s on test status.

2. The need to protect employees. Besides having security cameras in clear sight which provide a degree of a deterrent and having security stickers on the doors, panic buttons are a great device for employee protection.

Be sure to have them installed under the counter and in other locations throughout the store such as the back office where cash may be kept.

This allows employees to secretly inform the police that a robbery is taking place with one press of a button without needing to make it to a phone.

We’ll talk more about employee safety when we address remote video monitoring below.

3. The need to identify the bad guy. As we mentioned at the beginning of this post, it’s likely that your store already has video surveillance in place. But what type?

Analog security cameras, which are very prevalent and often the less expensive route to go, can suffice in some cases.

However, they don’t provide the same level of clarity that megapixel security cameras do. Megapixel cameras can provide the resolution necessary to identify the robber or burglar.

We’ve all seen images of perpetrators broadcast by news channels. In order for the public to help you, make it easy on them by providing the clearest possible footage.

Facial recognition is necessary in many court cases to achieve a conviction. Why have cameras in place that may or may not provide that facial recognition. Talk to your security integrator about megapixel technology.

4. The need to be in two places at once. Be sure to use remote video monitoring at your liquor store. This will come in handy in many ways.

To further ensure safety of your employees, monitor openings and closings via your smart phone, tablet or PC. Especially closings when it’s late at night and ambushes can occur.

Receive email alerts containing video clips if there is any motion in your store when the alarm system is armed.

Keep an eye on employees who may be tempted by the inventory. You most likely have honest employees who won’t steal inventory or drink it while on the job, but to be able to check in on them no matter where you are may keep you more at ease.

While we’re on this topic, be sure to have a camera viewing inside your cooler. This of course is a place where employees can go and sample the goods in an enclosed setting.

5. The need to see all. Consider 180° and 360° security cameras. These megapixel cameras can provide panoramic views that typical security cameras couldn’t, as those would be offering a limited field of view.

Place a 360° security camera on the ceiling in the middle of your store. Have a 180° camera installed on the outside of your building facing the parking lot. Ensure that you identify those that are about to enter with ill intentions and also capture makes of cars, etc.

6. The need to secure your perimeter. An alarm system and cameras are very important, but if your doors and door hardware are vulnerable and easy to be broken down, a burglar can still enter and exit without being apprehended.

Have a qualified locksmith give you a survey to ensure that your doors are secure and that your door hardware is in good working order. It should be easy to find a locksmith who will give you a survey at no charge.

We hope this has given you a few things to think of for the security of your liquor store.

Thanks for spending some time with us today.

To say that companies need to watch their bottom line in this economy is an understatement. Every opportunity should be taken advantage of whenever a firm can identify areas to reduce wasteful spending, shrinkage, energy loss and more.

Security companies can actually play a big role in reducing financial losses of many kinds, not just stopping vandals or catching thieves.

Pictured above are several security systems from access control to video surveillance.

To that end, you may have heard of the term security “integration”. Quite simply, this happens when a security company allows its various systems to talk to one another and achieve a higher security result than if systems were stand-alone. It’s sort of like synergy.

Integration is the answer to many of the 12 issues listed below that plague many companies, especially those in manufacturing. So we’ve listed the issues along with a brief product and/or solution that security provides.

1. Employees that prop doors open: Having an access control system (keyless) benefits you in many ways. One such way is that a sounder goes off after a certain amount of time if a door is left open.
2. Unauthorized visitors who wander around your building(s): The integration here would be between the access control system and the video surveillance system.
3. Overhead doors left open which let out A/C or heat: The alarm and access systems team up to ensure that these doors are kept secured. As mentioned above, sounders would come into play if they are left open. And if contacts between the overhead doors and the wall are not aligned in the closed position, the alarm will not be able to be set.
4. Employees who come in on the weekend without management’s knowledge: This issue pretty much encompasses all tenants of security – access control, video surveillance and alarm.
5. Employees who claim overtime that they have not worked: Card readers and video systems will provide access control audit trails on your software system and there will also be video evidence.
6. Doors left open all weekend or all night: The security system will indicate on the keypad that a door is open. Once again, this is an issue of the contacts not being aligned. Also, the sounders will sound if the door is open for too long.
7. Employees or visitors who claim bogus accidents inside or outside of your building: Video surveillance is the answer here.
8. Vandalism—internal and external: Again, video, or CCTV, would provide the results needed. Security lighting is also a strong preventative.
9. Shrinkage: Here, video would obviously isolate shoppers or employees stealing goods and access control would create an audit trail to indicate if a certain employee was in a given area from which goods may have been missing, for instance.
10. The need to change locks whenever some leaves your employment or loses a key: Having a keyless entry system is the solution here—you can simply de-activate his or her card or fob.
11. Unauthorized 2nd and 3rd shift employees who snoop in offices: This would encompass all systems—alarmed doors would keep the employees out. Video would record their actions. Access control would track where they went and prevent access as well.
12. Alarms which are tripped by employees who enter unauthorized doors: Again, all systems would come into play here.