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Bias-Free Security

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Choosing the right security system for a facility can be daunting. Selecting the most effective and reliable options for your specific needs and unique threats needs to be a high priority. Not only does a good system protect physical good, digital assets, employees, and customers; it also gives everyone peace of mind while acting as crime deterrent. However, a faulty security system can do the opposite.

 

Taken in Toronto, Ontario
Interlocking Security Doors

Security systems obviously come with an array of benefits, but you’ve likely never considered how security could become a detriment to a business. Any security protocol can come with drawbacks, but many business owners overlook the danger of bad press due to a flawed implementation. 

When people think of securing a building, first thoughts tend to be guards. With a security guard, numerous risks like vandalism, theft, and assaults can either be preemptively averted with their mere presence or stopped in real time as the guard intervenes. The guards can also detect suspicious behavior and react in real time. The physical presence of a security guard also provides a heightened sense of security for employees and customers alike.

Despite the benefits that a security guard may be able to provide, they are still human, and prone to flaws. In addition to human error, a security guard also comes with something no one wants associated with their business – bias.  No human is without it, and while it’s something we all strive to eliminate, it is unavoidable. No matter how thorough the vetting process, it is impossible to guarantee that bias won’t factor into split-second decision making. 

The term ‘suspicious behavior’ means something different to each individual. A human guard has the potential to think a customer is a plausible threat, and perhaps they are right… but when they are wrong, the results can be severe. A perceived act of racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, or any other bias can quickly make headlines. Even if it was an innocent mistake, incidents like these can spread like wildfire and damage reputations for years.

Once on the internet, bad publicity can always come back around. A recording of a guard acting disrespectfully won’t disappear and public outrage is hard to work around. Your company’s name runs the risk of being associated with a terrible incident, not to mention the possibility of embarrassing lawsuits. As the world attempts to become more open and accepting, any bias can have explosive results. Of course, this coin has two sides. By trying to be cautious, a guard may allow a threat to gain entry.

The best way to still maintain a secure environment while eliminating human prejudice, is to implement a smarter security system. An electronic security system can negate the needs for a security guard, while maintaining their benefits. An imposing security solution can deter attacks on looks alone. It won’t be able to detect ‘suspicious behavior’ but improves upon that idea. It will only determine who is dangerous individuals based on your decided criteria, replacing gut reactions. For example, if weapons detection is the goal, a metal detector can ensure that only unarmed individuals may enter. Instead of reacting the threats, it will stop them before they start. The objectivity of the machine cannot be compromised, undermined, or manipulated.

Isotec’s access control solutions won’t just protect your building, but also your reputation. We’ve worked with a variety of different industries to find the smart security solutions that work for them and are ready to prepare a custom solution for you. Every entrance interface system we create is designed specially to fit your security needs and engineered to your facility and businesses specifications. Some of our security solutions, like our Mantrap Security DoorsBallistic Security Doors, and the increasingly popular Anti-passback system, have been used to protect some of the planet’s most secure facilities like military baseslaw enforcement agenciesIT facilities, and more. With Isotec, you’re not only getting a high-quality security solution that will prevent threats from endangering your personal, customers, and all other aspects of your business but a system designed around your facility’s Form, Fit, and Function.

Contact us today to schedule a physical security risk assessment and get on the path to making all aspects of your business more secure!

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