Safety is one of the most important considerations that people make when looking for a property to live or invest in. Whether it’s a young family with small kids, a retired couple or a single working professional, everyone wants to feel safe and secure in their home.

It’s not enough for a property to have patrolling security officers anymore. Modern-day criminals are often too smart for such tactics. You have to put in place extra security measures, such as security checkpoint systems.

Read on to find out why you should implement this innovative security technology as a property manager or owner.

What is a Security Checkpoint System?

Before we delve into why you should implement security checkpoint systems for your property, let’s clarify what this software does. A security checkpoint system is also referred to as a security patrol system or a guard tour patrol system. It helps property owners to keep track of security personnel and ensure that they’re making their rounds as required.

It does this by recording the number of times a guard makes a stop at a particular checkpoint or watch station. This is a great way to protect your investment and keep your tenants safe because it ensures that all corners of your property are safe at all times.

The security checkpoint system started as a mechanical watch clock many years ago. Computerized systems were later introduced in the 1980s. Engineers in the security industry continue to improve on this invention.

Nowadays, you can integrate it to your smartphone or tablet device for added convenience.  Most security

checkpoint systems offer real-time data access. So, always know where your security personnel is stationed within the property. This helps to ensure that your security guards perform their duties at all times.

All told, security checkpoint systems are designed to improve your ability to keep your property safe.  Now you know what a security checkpoint system is, let’s take a look at the benefits it offers.

How it works 

To implement a security checkpoint system you must first install proximity microchips at each checkpoint in your patrol route. This could be NFC or magnetic strips. Most property managers design their patrol routes with checkpoints that are based on the most vulnerable areas of the property, such as entryways and openings.

Each security guard must carry a portable electronic sensor that can pick up the signal from the NFC from every checkpoint. Most security companies use QR codes that can be scanned by an Android smartphone. But since most Android phones have a built-in NFC scanner it would be a good idea to use RFID tags as checkpoints instead of QR codes.

The Benefits of Security Checkpoint Systems and why Implement Them:

• Keeps security guards productive

Like most employees, security guards are not immune to “slacking off.” There are far too many avoidable incidents that happen because of negligence or a lack of diligence by security personnel.  A security checkpoint system is a great way to ensure your security guards are performing their duties like they’re supposed to.

The system requires guards to scan and log every checkpoint as they make their rounds throughout the property. If they miss a checkpoint, the software will alert you so you can instigate the proper consequences.

A security checkpoint system generates periodic reports from each security guard as they patrol the property based on their particular shift schedule. This helps to improve the level of accountability, productivity, and reliability of your security guards.

• Makes sure all areas of a property has been patrolled

Most security checkpoint software come with features that enable safety guards to scan each checkpoint they report to. This feature will also let you know the time they spend in that location of the property. Other systems even come with a feature that geo-tags the area with a satellite photo as proof of the patrol.

As a property owner or manager, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that security guards are patrolling the area as per the predetermined schedule.  If one of the security guards spots something amiss while scanning their patrol, they can report it immediately using an integrated app, such as the one found on Condo Control’s Security Patrol feature.

Security checkpoint systems allow you to schedule patrols without using conventional methods. You can create and share the schedule with your security company and they’ll take care of the rest. If a security guard misses a patrol, the app will alert you immediately so you can take action.

Lastly, the system will send you an email alert after every patrol. The security guards can alert you of all incidents that take place during their patrol.

• Ensure guard’s safety when patrolling

Security guards place their safety on the line every day to protect your property. Their presence doesn’t always deter criminals, however. There will always be lawbreakers who try their luck, placing your security guards in danger.

The security checkpoint system enables security guards to instantaneously report incidents to the property manager. That way, you can send back up to contain the situation so it doesn’t reach your tenants or result in a fatality.  You are also able to monitor the patrol in real-time.

The guard may even make notes and upload images to support the report and answer questions you might have about the incident. You can then use this data as evidence for legal or insurance purposes.

• It’s very convenient

We can’t forget the convenience factor of a security checkpoint system. You’re able to oversee all security operations straight from your smartphone.  You can track and manage patrols and view alerts that security guards send you in real time.

You’ll know which a guard is at which checkpoint and at what time. You’ll know if each security guard is conducting their tours and performing their tasks properly.

The system will alert you after the completion of each patrol and will let you know if any missed patrols. All this information is available to you via your smartphone or desktop through the security patrol cloud interface.

• It allows you to customize your security system

Ever wanted to create a customized security system that runs like clockwork and according to your preferences? You can do just that with a security checkpoint system.  First, you can generate unique patrol routes around your property.

You can base your route based on the most vulnerable points on your property. From entryways to pathways and other entrances, you can place an NFC enabled token at each checkpoint to make sure that security personnel makes a stop at each location.

All the security guard has to do is scan the NFC token when they reach a particular checkpoint or route using their Android smartphone.

• Allows you to analyze trends

A security checkpoint system gives you on-demand access to your property’s security trends. This means you could look back and analyze the effectiveness of your security measures based on logged incidents and patrol data. You can use this data to improve your security system and implement changes like protocol updates as needed.

• Decrease on-site supervision

Although it’s important to supervise your security personnel, it can be tiring sometimes. From checking vehicle and security office maintenance to keeping track of patrol patterns and making sure that security guards are fully uniformed.

Security checkpoint systems simplify the process of supervising your security operations thus minimizing the risk of security breaches. Once you’ve set up the system, it’ll automatically monitor your guards, alert you about each security log and update your workflows.

All you need to do is generate the initial patrol route and install the relevant tags.  The best part is that a security checkpoint system is accessible from anywhere. As long as you have your smartphone, you can track multiple sites on your property 24/7. It will generate daily, weekly and monthly reports of all logged security activity.

Still not convinced?

As you can see, a security checkpoint system is a great way to save time and money while improving the effectiveness of your security system. Not only will you see increased productivity from your security personnel, but you’ll be able to improve your security systems based on reliable data. Say goodbye to paper reports and manual pattern tracking.

With a security checkpoint system, all your information is automatically generated and organized based on security logs and real-time patrol information.  You’ll no longer have to spend hours of your time compiling security reports from fragmented data. Plus, you’ll have peace of mind knowing you have on-demand access to data that you can use in court and for insurance.

The fact that you can access this technology from your phone is the icing on the cake. You can manage your entire patrol route through a cloud interface in your smartphone and you’ll receive email alerts for checkpoint logs. This is just one of many ways that the security industry is working to improve your ability to protect your property as a manager or owner.

Security Patrol System

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