The Need for Security Communications

Many organizations use security officers as a part of their overall security program. These officers make routine patrols, respond to security incidents, and provide other services to employees and to the general public. For security officers to work effectively, it is essential that they have a good communications system in place. This system needs to allow security officers to be summoned when their help is needed, as well as allow communications between security officers as they carry out their daily activities.

In larger organizations, there is typically some form of central security command center that serves as the hub of the security operation. In these cases, calls for security service are typically made to the command center, which in turn dispatches a security officer to the location where needed. For example, if an employee sees someone suspicious in the parking lot, she would call the number of the security command center to report the incident. The command center would then dispatch one or more security officers to the parking lot to investigate. The command center would monitor the incident, coordinate activities between security officers, and if needed, call in outside agencies for help.

Smaller organizations may not have a security command center and may only have one security officer on site at any one time. In these cases, employees usually communicate directly with the security officer who is on duty. For example. if an employee was locked out of his office and needed access, he would contact the security officer on duty and ask him to respond to unlock the door.

Communications Options

The two most common methods of security communications used today are the cell phone and the two-way radio. In the past, pagers were also commonly used but have now been mostly replaced by cell phones.

Security managers often have difficulty in deciding which communications devices should be issued to security officers: should they issue cell phones, two-way radios, or both? Within this article, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both options and provide some ideas that may be helpful when planning your security communications system.

Two-Way Radios

Two-way radio systems have been used for business, public safety, and security communications for more than fifty years. Prior to the introduction of cell phones, two-way radios were really the only option when you wanted two-way communications with someone on the go.

Two-way radios consist of two parts, a radio transmitter, and a radio receiver. These two parts are combined into a single unit known as a radio “transceiver”. There are three types of radio transceivers: portable transceivers, mobile transceivers, and base station transceivers. The following is a brief description of each transceiver type:

Portable Transceivers

Portable transceivers, often called “walkie-talkies”, are hand-held units that can easily be carried by the security officer. These units are battery powered and have a self-contained speaker, microphone, and antenna. External microphones and earphones can also be used.

Portable transceivers typically have a range of between one and three miles depending on power, frequency, and the type of obstructions between units. Range within concrete or steel buildings can be considerably less.

Mobile Transceivers

Mobile transceivers are larger units that are designed to be mounted in vehicles. Mobile transceivers have an external microphone that makes using the radio while driving more convenient. Mobile transceivers are powered from the the vehicle’s electrical system and typically transmit at a much higher power than that used by portable transceivers. Mobile transceivers also have an external antenna that is usually mounted on the roof or trunk of the vehicle. The combination of a higher transmitting power and an external antenna gives mobile transceivers a much greater range than portable transceivers; typically five to fifteen miles depending on conditions.

Base Station Transceivers

Base station transceivers are designed to be mounted at a fixed location, such as at the security command center. Base station transceivers typically operate at high power levels and use an external antenna mounted on the roof of the building. Base station transceivers can be provided with desktop microphones and speakers that can allow use of the radio from multiple locations in the security command center.

The typical security department would probably use a combination of transceiver types; portable transceivers would be carried by security officers, mobile transceivers would be used in security patrol vehicles, and a base station transceiver would be used at the security command center.

Two-way radio systems are available in several different frequency ranges. VHF high band (130 -174 MHz) and UHF (400 – 512 MHz) are the frequencies most commonly used for security purposes. Most security organizations use conventional analog two-way radio systems, although some very large organizations may use digital or trunked radio systems.

Many campuses are so large that they exceed the limited range of a portable two-way radio transceiver. To solve this problem, radio repeaters are often used. Radio repeaters are mounted at a high-point on the campus (such as at the top of a building or water tower) and extend the range of signals by receiving and retransmitting them. A repeater mounted in a very high place (such as on a mountaintop or high-rise building) can often allow portable transceivers to cover an entire city or county.

Some buildings are so densely constructed that they block out radio signals, preventing communications through more than one or two floors. To solve this problem, distributed antenna systems can be used within the building to pickup and and distribute signals between floors. These systems often use “leaky coax” type antennas installed above the ceilings.

Many large organizations may need to use a combination of both radio repeaters and distributed antenna systems to provide reliable two-way radio system coverage throughout their entire campus.

Cell Phones

Cellular telephones (“cell phones”) were first introduced about twenty-five years ago. Early cell phones were bulky and expensive and only worked in limited areas. Today, cell phones are small, convenient, relatively inexpensive and used by almost everyone from small children to senior citizens. Many of today’s cell phones are “smartphones” that in addition to being used to make calls, can be used for email, text messaging, web browsing, listening to music and running application programs.

Unknown to many people, cell phones are actually a form of radio transceiver, This transceiver transmits and receives low-power radio signals to and from nearby radio stations known as “cell sites”. These cell sites each cover a small geographic area and communicate with all of a given service provider’s cell phones within that area. In suburban areas, each cell site may cover an area of several miles, while in dense urban areas, each cell site may cover an area of a quarter-mile or less.

All cell sites are connected to a central computer which manages communications between the cell phones and the sites. As a user travels down the road using his cell phone, the computer keeps track of the phone’s location and automatically switches the cell phone to the nearest site. The computer can also adjust the phone’s transmitting power so that an appropriate level of power is always used. When someone dials a cell phone number, the central computer routes the call to the the cell site nearest to where the cell phone is located and rings the phone.

Good cell phone coverage is now available in most metropolitan areas of the United States. Chances are very good that your cell phone will work almost everywhere in the outdoor areas on your campus. Indoor coverage is another matter. While cell phones usually work well in wood frame buildings, coverage can be spotty in concrete or steel frame buildings, except when standing near outside walls. Cell phone coverage in below-grade basements or underground parking garages can also be a problem.

To provide good cell phone coverage within all areas of large buildings, it is sometimes necessary to install distributed antenna systems similar to those used with two-way radio systems. These systems are usually custom engineered to meet the specific needs of the building. The cost of installing these systems is sometimes subsidized by the cell phone carrier if the organization is a significant customer.

Comparison Between Two-Way Radios and Cell Phones

Two-way radios and cell phones each have their advantages and disadvantages. Here is a brief comparison of each option:

Two-Way Radios

ADVANTAGES

• Simple and easy to use.
• Rugged and reliable – suitable for use in outdoor and heavy industrial environments.
• Loud audio output – suitable for use in noisy areas.
• Available with many accessories designed specifically for security use.
• Allows “one-to-many” communications – all officers can hear all communications. Very beneficial when many officers are involved in responding to the same security incident. Also provides officers with overall awareness of what is happening on the campus.
• System is completely owned and operated by the organization.
• System can continue to work during times of crisis (earthquake, tornado, etc.) that may overwhelm public cell phone network.
• Less opportunity for misuse by security officers.
• No ongoing fees for cell phone service or airtime.

DISADVANTAGES

• Requires initial capital investment for radios, licensing and installation.
• Must install and maintain own infrastructure (antennas, repeaters, emergency power, etc.)
• Limited coverage – only works in designated areas. Generally can’t be used away from campus.
• No ability to make or receive telephone calls ^(a).
• No ability to use for text messaging, email, or web browsing.
• No ability to use with security monitoring applications (guard tour, remote video viewing, etc.).
• Easy for outside parties to eavesdrop on security communications using radio scanner ^(b).

Cell Phones

ADVANTAGES

• Little or no initial capital investment (with 2 year service committment)
• No need to install and maintain infrastructure  (antennas, repeaters, emergency power, etc.)
• Wide coverage – works anywhere cell service is available.
• Ability to make or receive calls to and from any telephone.
• Ability to use for text messaging, email, or web browsing.
• Ability to use with security monitoring applications (guard tour, remote video viewing, etc.).
• Difficult for outside parties to eavesdrop on security communications using radio scanner.

DISADVANTAGES

• More complicated to use.
• Generally less rugged and reliable than radio units. May not last long  in outdoor or heavy industrial environments.
• May be difficult to use in noisy areas.
• Few accessories designed specifically for security use are available.
• Higher potential for misuse by security officers. Officers may make personal calls, text, or participate in social media activity while on duty.
• Only allows “one-to-one” communications ^(c)  – security officers can’t hear communications between other officers. Awkward when multiple officers are involved in responding to the same security incident. Deprives officers of overall awareness of what is happening on the campus.
• Reliant on outside party (cell phone service provider) for operation of the system.
• Public cell phone network can be overwhelmed during times of crisis (earthquake, tornado, etc.). Service may not be available at times when it is needed most.
• Ongoing fees for cellular service and airtime.

Our Conclusions and Recommendations

It is our opinion that the simplicity, ruggedness, and reliability of two-way radios makes them the best choice for security officer communications in most situations. Just as law enforcement and other public service agencies continue to use two-way radios, we feel that most security departments are still best served by using two-way radios over other communications devices.

The only exception is very small organizations where there may only be one security officer on duty at a time. In these cases, a cell phone is probably the only communications option that makes sense.

Tips for Using Radios and Cell Phones

1. In general, security officers should carry only a single type of communications device while on duty. If officers are issued two-way radios, the carrying of cell phones (including personal cell phones) by officers should not be allowed. An exception can be made for supervisory officers who may occasionally have a legitimate need to use a cell phone. A formal policy concerning the use of cell phones while on duty should be written and enforced.
2. All communications devices used by the security officer while on duty should be provided by the organization and not by the individual employee or contract security provider.
3. All communications to and from security officers in the field should be routed through the security command center. It is important that the command center know what security officers are up to at all times. Arrangements where employees directly contact security officers without going through the command center should be discouraged.
4. A system should be established so that all security officers in the field check in with the security command center at regular intervals, such as every hour. At small facilities with only a single security officer, arrangements should be made with an outside service to check on the status of the officer on a 24/7 basis. This can be the dispatch center of a contract security company, or an alarm monitoring company or answering service.
5. Commercial grade two-way radios on a licensed business frequency should be used for security purposes. The inexpensive Family Radio Service (FRS) radios sold in retail outlets are not suitable for professional use and are subject to interference from outside users. The price of high-quality, professional grade radios will prove to be money well spent over the long run.
6. In larger organizations, it may be beneficial for the security department to share a radio channel with other building services departments, such as facilities management, maintenance and janitorial services. There are advantages to having all team members on the same channel, especially during times of emergency. Employees of other departments can also act as informal “eyes and ears” for security and quickly report suspicious activity to the security command center. That being said, there are some times when conversations between security officers should not be heard by those outside the department. To accommodate this, we suggest that two-channel radios be used; one channel that is shared by all departments and used for routine purposes, and a second channel that can be used exclusively by the security department at times when this is needed.
7. There have been many recent security and surveillance applications developed for use on smartphones. These include video viewing and remote alarm monitoring applications. Sellers of these applications claim that they can allow a security officer to monitor and control the facility’s security systems while on patrol. While there may be some uses for these applications, we feel that they are more of a novelty than a useful tool. We feel that the monitoring of security systems and the making of security patrols are two distinctly different functions, and that an officer trying to do both at the same time will do neither particularly well. Trying to monitor security systems while on patrol can be a major distraction and may place the roving security officer at risk.

Footnotes

^(a)It is possible to make and receive telephone calls with a two-way radio if a telephone interconnection unit is provided at the radio base station. While these units were widely-used prior to the introduction of cell phones, they are rarely used today.

^(b)It is possible to provide two-way radios that have an encrypted signal that cannot be easily listened to with a radio scanner. Radios that have this feature are more expensive and not commonly used in most security communications applications.

^(c)Some cell phone providers offer a service that they claim provides “one-to-many” functionality. An example of one such service is Sprint/Nextel’s Direct Connect. It is our opinion that these services have many limitations and do not fully replicate the “one-to-many” capability provided by a two-way radio system.

Purpose

Many companies hire security officers to provide protection of company facilities on twenty-four hour, seven day per week basis. One important duty of these officers is to provide periodic patrols of the facility to detect suspicious and abnormal activity, including doors left unlocked, burned out lights, water leaks, safety hazards, and other such conditions. In an industrial facility, the officer’s duties may also include checking various types of machinery to observe temperature readings or pressure settings.

To get maximum value from the security officer, it is essential that the officer make patrols according to established procedures. In general, patrols should be made at least several times per shift, and should cover all important areas of the facility. Many times, the person managing the security program will establish a patrol route or “tour” that includes stops at all the important points that the security officer needs to check. Depending on the size of the facility, there may be several different tours, each which includes different areas of the plant. The officer usually alternates between tours, doing one tour during the first hour, and a different tour during the second hour, and so on throughout the shift. In this way, all important areas of the facility are checked at least every two hours.

During many shifts, security officers may work alone and with very little or no supervision. Sometimes, security officers want to remain at their posts and don’t want to go on patrol. This can be particularly tempting at times when the weather is bad and going on patrol means going out in the cold or rain. Even when officers do go on patrol, there may be certain portions of the tour that are difficult to access or that require that a large number of stairs be climbed. There can be a tendency for officers to skip these portions of the tour much of the time.

“Guard Tour” systems have been developed to solve these problems. In general, guard tour systems record the activities of the security officers to determine if officers are making their tours when they should, and to verify that they are covering all portions of their tour.

The use of a guard tour system provides two important benefits. First, if officers know that their activities are being recorded, there is a strong motivation for them to follow the rules and make patrols the way that they are supposed to. Second, the guard tour system provides a written record of all patrol activities, allowing discrepancies in patrol procedures to be quickly identified. Appropriate disciplinary actions can be taken against officers who fail to comply with established procedures. The written record provided by the guard tour system can also be used for incident investigation and as proof of patrol activities for insurance companies or regulatory agencies.

Types of Guard Tour Systems

There are three basic types of guard tour systems in use:

Watchman’s Clock System

The “watchman’s clock” is the oldest type of guard tour system in use and has been around since the middle of the 19th Century. The watchman’s clock is a circular device about eight-inches in diameter and has an analog clock face on the front of it. The watchman’s clock is usually provided in a leather carrying case with shoulder strap which allows it to be carried by the security officer when on patrol. Inside of the watchman’s clock is a circular paper dial. This dial is printed with markings that indicate each of the 24 hours in the day.

At various points along the patrol route, “key stations” are installed. Each key station contains a large metal key that looks something like a skeleton key. Each key has a unique key number. The key is usually fastened to the key station using a metal chain to keep the key from being removed. The key station usually has a door that allows the key to be stored when not in use.

When on patrol, the security officer stops at each key station along the route, removes the key, and inserts it into the watchman’s clock. Doing this causes the key number to be printed on the paper dial located within the clock. The key number is printed next to the markings on the dial which indicate the present time. This provides a record of which keys were used and at what times.

At the end of each day, the paper dial is removed from the watchman’s clock and replaced with a new one. The paper dials can be examined by the security manager or supervisor to determine if patrols were completed on time and that all stops along the patrol route were properly made. The paper dials can be filed away to provide a long-term record of all patrol activity.

Advantages of Watchman’s Clock System

• Least expensive type of system
• Simple and easy to use

Disadvantages of Watchman’s Clock System

• Limited number of key stations can be used in system (usually 30 or less)
• Watchman’s clock is fairly large and bulky to carry
• Paper dial must be changed every 24 hours
• No ability to create automatic reports
• No ability to provide incident codes to indicate abnormal conditions
• Long term storage of paper dials can be a problem
• Does not provide real-time reporting of officer’s activity 

Electronic Guard Tour System

Electronic guard tour systems are similar in function to the watchman’s clock system except use electronic rather than mechanical components. An electronic data gathering device, called a “wand”, is used in place of the watchman’s clock. The physical shape of the wand varies depending on the manufacturer, but is usually a small hand-held device in the shape of a pen or small PDA. The wand is carried by the security officer when on patrol.

“Checkpoint stations” are used in place of key stations. These stations contain some type of device that can be read electronically and are used in place of the mechanical key. Depending on the manufacturer and type of system used, a barcode, magnetic strip, or memory button may be used in the checkpoint station. Like key stations, checkpoint stations are installed at various points along the desired patrol route.

When on patrol, the security officer stops at each checkpoint station and scans it using the wand. This causes the location of the station as well as the current time to be recorded in the wand. Most electronic systems also allow the security officer to make a record of any abnormal conditions found at or near the checkpoint station. For example, if a checkpoint station was located at a door, and this door was found unlocked when checked by the security officer, he or she could enter a code indicating that the door was found unsecured. Depending on the system, this code can be entered either on a keypad located on the wand itself, or by scanning the appropriate code in an “incident booklet” that is carried by the officer.

At the conclusion of the tour or at the end of each shift, the security officer places the wand into a “docking station”. This docking station is connected either to a printer or personal computer and is used to download information from the wand. If connected to a printer, all information concerning patrol activities can be immediately printed to create a written report. If connected to a computer, the information from the wand is downloaded into a computer database. This database can then be sorted and various types of activity reports can be displayed on the computer screen and/or printed.

Advantages of Electronic Guard Tour Systems

• Wand is smaller and easier to carry than watchman’s clock
• Large or unlimited number of checkpoint stations possible
• Small size of checkpoint stations allows them to be placed almost anywhere
• Provides ability to enter incident codes to indicate abnormal conditions found when on patrol
• Much more complete and advanced reports can be created. Easier to identify missed stops and abnormal patrol activity
• No need to store paper dials – system can store many months or years worth of activity on computer
• No need to change paper dial every 24 hours – data is downloaded automatically when wand is placed in docking station
• Ability to create random patrols with wand telling officer which checkpoint station is next on patrol route (some systems)

Disadvantages of Electronic Guard Tour Systems

• More expensive than watchman’s clock system
• Somewhat more complicated to use
• Does not provide real-time reporting of officer’s activity

 Integrated Guard Tour System

Many facilities already have an electronic security management system that is used to provide card access control, alarm monitoring, and closed-circuit television monitoring. At these facilities, it is possible to integrate the guard tour system with the security management system. This type of arrangement is known as an “integrated guard tour system”.

Integrated guard tour systems use card readers instead of key stations or checkpoint stations. Most often, existing card readers that are already used to control doors are also used as “guard tour” readers, allowing them to perform double duty. If needed, additional card readers can be installed at certain points where guard tour stations are needed and a reader doesn’t already exist.

Security officers do not need to carry any special type of equipment such as a watchman’s clock or wand. Instead, they can use a regular access card at the card readers set up as guard tour readers.

Special “guard tour” software is provided on the computer that controls the security management system. This software is programmed so that system knows which card readers are to be used as guard tour readers and which access cards will be used by the security officers.

When on patrol, the security officer stops at each location along the patrol route and swipes his or her access card at the card reader. This causes the time and location to be recorded into the guard tour software. At any time, a report can be created that shows all guard tour activity for any time period. This report can be displayed on a computer screen or printed to create a written report.

Advantages of Integrated Guard Tour Systems

• No special equipment required – no need for officer to carry wand or watchman’s clock
• Can use existing card readers as guard tour readers – no need to install special key stations or checkpoint stations
• Much more complete and advanced reports can be created. Easier to identify missed stops and abnormal patrol activity
• Provides real-time tracking of officer activity – missing a stop or performing a tour off-schedule or out of sequence can generate an immediate alert at the security monitoring center
• Large or unlimited number of guard tour readers possible

Disadvantages of Integrated Guard Tour Systems

• No ability to enter incident codes to indicate abnormal conditions found when on patrol (some systems)
• The need to provide cabling to card readers sometimes makes it difficult to place a station in all locations where they might be needed (perimeter fence lines, inside vehicles, etc.)
• Generally not cost effective if facility does not already have an extensive card access control system

Other Considerations

• Make sure that key stations, checkpoint stations, or guard tour readers are located at the points that you wish the security officer to patrol. In general, stations should be located within the room that requires attention rather than just at the door. For example, if you have a freezer in a room that needs to be checked, it is best to place the station in the room near the freezer rather than on the entrance door to the room.
• Provide an adequate number of stations. There is a tendency for some customers to be frugal when it comes to placing stations and often will only provide one or two within a very large building. The guard tour system provides maximum benefits when an adequate number of stations are widely placed throughout the buildings.
• Don’t forget to provide stations at the perimeter of the site (along fence lines and at gates) as well as at critical equipment (generators, pump stations, etc.) located on the exterior of the property.
• Make certain that security officers are trained to remain observant while on patrol and don’t just travel from station to station. With a guard tour system, there can be a tendency for officers to be so focused on “hitting the stations” that they become oblivious to their surroundings.
• The best guard tour system is worthless if it is not regularly monitored by the security manager or supervisor. If a contract security agency is used, both the customer and the security agency’s site supervisor should have access to the reports created by the guard tour system.

 What the Future Holds

New technology is being employed to enhance the capabilities of the basic guard tour system. New features that are already available or soon to be released include:

• Built-in email and cell phone capability in guard tour device.
• GPS integration to enable active and real-time tracking of security officers.
• Built-in security incident reporting capability in guard tour device. Real-time status updates for all incidents.
• Built-in equipment inspection reporting capability to automate things such as the inspection of fire extinguishers.

1. Don’t bother to provide a written specification outlining your requirements when you go out to bid for a contract security guard agency. After all, they are supposed to be experts in their field and should know what to provide you without being told.
2. Don’t ask the contract security agency about the type of salary, training or benefits that they provide for their security officers. These questions are an internal matter and are none of your business.
3. Always select the lowest bidder. Guard agencies are all the same – why not get the lowest price?
4. Don’t bother to teach the security officers anything about the way your business operates. After all, there is so much turnover in the guard business that it is a waste of time to teach the security officers anything.
5. Don’t provide written operating procedures for the security officers. If you must provide something in writing, be sure that it is outdated or that it conflicts directly with something that you verbally told the security officer.
6. Don’t provide a person at your company for the security officer to contact in case he encounters a problem after-hours. Let him solve the problem on his own; after all, that is what you are paying him for.
7. Give the security officers plenty of non-security duties to perform. This is a good way to reduce employee “head count” at your company and make it look like you are doing the same work with less people. If possible, have the security officers perform duties that will degrade the officer in the eyes of your employees. Having the security officer deliver newspapers, wash company cars, or bring in lunches for employees are all good ways to show that the officer is a “gopher” rather than a security professional.
8. If you have a sophisticated security system that must be monitored, always select security officers who have no technical background and are uncomfortable around computers. Don’t train the officers on the proper use of the monitoring equipment. (It is fun to set off several alarms and then watch an inexperienced security officer try to figure out how to silence them.)
9. Don’t bother to monitor the performance of the contract security agency. You have better things to do on weekends than to come in and check up on the security officer.
10. Don’t bother to communicate regularly with the management of the contract security agency. What good will complaining do anyway? When things get too bad, fire the present security agency and go out to bid again.

(Sarcasm intended.)