With crime on the rise, businesses are seeing more attacks that are having a great impact on the way that they operate. However, this can be prevented through the use of technology. As well as demonstrating compliance through duty of care and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), not to mention taking necessary steps to protect your brand’s reputation, you should be looking to make security a top priority at your business. We’ve teamed up with 2020 Vision, providers of access control systems, which has created a guide on how you can protect your business:
Using CCTV as a business
Sometimes CCTV can be overlooked; however, research provided by the University of Leicester found that offences in burglary and vehicle crime areas were lowered when CCTV was used in Newcastle and King’s Lynn. The College of Policing’s Crime Reduction Toolkit has also found that for every 100 crimes, an average of 16 crimes managed to be prevented due to the use of CCTV.
But how is this case? For one, CCTV systems can be used by police as an electronic witness to assist when proving that someone is guilty or at least provided assistance in a crime at a business. Criminals will also be put off committing crime at a building if they believe there is a good chance that they will be watched when doing so.
To gain the most from your CCTV, it is vital that you place cameras at all entrances of the company — this will allow your business to capture footage of the highest quality of anyone entering and exiting your building. For this, the camera should be able to clearly pick up an individual’s face, unique characteristics of clothing and any items they might be carrying.
Design that can help reduce robberies
Design can have a huge influence on the amount of crime a business might face, Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) can help manipulate any operational grounds that will equal in a reduction of criminal activity.
When it comes to design, techniques are split into two components. For single components, consider looking into cash handling procedures so that significant amounts of money can be safely and securely delivered from one secure location to another, hiring guards when buildings are sitting empty and setting up security hardware systems. CCTV is covered in this again, although, it also includes alarms.
Multiple components include: ensuring good visibility is maintained around a business’ premises, only keeping a minimum amount of money in registers on-site at one time, and limiting entry and escape from buildings.
The use of both components has led to a fall in commercial robberies in retail settings, according to The College of Policing’s Crime Reduction Toolkit.
Using your neighbours
Although neighbourhood watch schemes are commonly associated with homes, these can also help businesses operating in a certain area. In fact, the College of Policing’s Crime Reduction Toolkit has found in an analysis of 18 studies that an average of 26 crimes out of every 100 is prevented due to Neighbourhood Watch.
By getting the community involved, these types of schemes aim to lower crime that is happening within the area and promote the importance of safety. Here are some steps to consider when working on an initiative involving your business and nearby organisations:
- Encourage workers, both at your business and neighbouring companies, to look out for and report any suspicious activity around your premises.
- Enhance community cohesion and increase the effectiveness of informal social control — break down the walls between your employees and colleagues at nearby organisations too by arranging regular social gatherings and events which involve all businesses.
- Facilitate detection of crime with an increased flow of intelligence between workers and the police.
The power of street lamps
Many businesses have an issue where their building is situated in a dark corner, is this the case for you? If so, it is encouraged that you enhance the space with improved street lighting. By increasing visibility around the external areas of your premises, you can prevent crime and make people walking past your workplace easier to identify.
There are many benefits of street lights that have helped businesses, according to the College of Policing’s Crime Reduction Toolkit. In a review of 13 studies, both violent and property crime dropped by an average of 21% in areas with improved street lighting compared to areas without.
