DARFORP SECURITY: ESTATE SECURITY

In order to find some security, people are increasingly avoiding stand alone accommodations and moving into gated estates. This has obvious security advantages. First, the gates offer opportunity for proper access control. Second, the chances of a particular house being chosen for an attack are small (security in number). And third, Neighborhood Response (intervention) is easy to raise in the event of an attack.

Whether the estate is large or small, best practice security is to deploy multi-layered, integrated security solutions to give residents the peace of mind to sleep with both eyes closed. The following are a number of mutually reinforcing security solutions to consider in the protection of residential estates:

Perimeter fence: minimum of 7ft and topped with concertina wire or good spikes. The would-be intruder should at least do some work before gaining access.

Keep away ladders, blocks, and other objects that could aid an intruder in scaling the walls.

Proper lighting on both the inner and outer sides of the walls removes dark spots where criminals could hide.

Infra-red intrusion alarms that enunciate in a Control Room when an attempt is made to breach the perimeter security in any way.

Access Control - manual, and electronic where possible.

Trained man guards to ensure the human interface with electronic security

CCTV surveillance cameras intelligently deployed, will cover security blind spots and gaps when human intervention fails for whatever reason.

Central Monitoring Station: remote monitoring of alarms and CCTV cameras is done from here 24/7.

Armed Response Team: Except there is an intervention team to respond to distress calls and alarm situations, all the monies spent on electronic security is as good as wasted.

Manual/Virtual Patrols: Every system is as good as the men that man it. The best electronic security system that has no one to monitor it ( say, from a Control Room) is useless. In the same vein, a system that is supported by poorly-motivated, untrained man guards is not going to give the expected results. A good camera might capture a thief attempting to breach security, but it cannot stop or arrest him. Some interventionist force ( e.g, a human being or a guard dog) has to do this.

Again, the above is meant to be a guide. Obviously, funds are going to be a major determinant of what is deployed. Good professional advice is able to determine the optimum mix of the human and electronic elements of the desired deployment.