In this month’s video, an intoxicated resident became a danger to other residents, as well as the on-site security guard.
Around two o’clock in the morning, one of our trained Stealth security operators saw a woman collapse in the entrance of an apartment building. She appeared to be intoxicated. A security guard and another gentleman tried to get her up on her feet. At one point, she became extremely violent as other residents tried to enter the building.
Our operator contacted the on-site security guard to see if he had the situation handled. When he responded that she was out of control, our operator let him know help would be on the way.
When police officers and members of the fire department arrived, the woman shouted profanities at them, as well as at the guard. They eventually got her up, handcuffed her and escorted her from the property.
How Effective are Guards as Your Sole Security Solution?
Having a security guard on-site can be reassuring to your residents. However, relying on them as your sole security solution may have you dealing with a few limitations.
One person cannot be everywhere at the same time. Hiring a team of guards can add an expense that many properties cannot afford. Even if the guard concentrates on more problematic areas, he/she can still miss something happening in another part of the property.
Guards also face risks in their jobs. For one, they can become injured or killed while on duty. According to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of fatal workplace injuries to security guards was more than twice that of workers in general.
On the flip side, they can become risks if they in turn injure someone while in the line of duty. This can open the door for costly liability cases.
Replace or Supplement Your Security Solution with Live Video Monitoring
Many apartment communities are choosing to augment or replace traditional security guards with live video monitoring. This is a proactive solution with the ability to view on-site surveillance cameras from a remote monitoring center. It combines state-of-the-art video technology with human intelligence to help identify and deter crime before it happens.
Because our operators are safely located in a remote place, they cannot be intimidated or injured. As a result, they can help better ensure the safety of your staff and residents while minimizing the liability that could occur if a guard got injured or injured someone else.
There are other benefits of live video monitoring:
- Proactive Response: Highly trained site operators can make judgements and respond appropriately, just as a security guard would.
- Extensive Site Coverage: Video monitoring technology allows operators to simultaneously cover many areas and view them at any time.
- Cost Savings: Live video monitoring is typically up to 60% less than the cost of traditional security guards
- Quicker Response Time: Live video monitoring gives the authorities confirmation that there is an event happening in real time; often resulting in much quicker response times since the police raise the priority level when they can verify that an incident is in progress.
Live video surveillance has proven to be a successful crime deterrent and an effective way to help maintain a safe environment for staff and residents. For more information about this proactive security solution for your multifamily community, contact us.
