Perimeter protection is your first line of defence, writes Caroline Cooper, of the distributor Norbain.
Perimeter protection sums up the whole essence of physical security, the idea being to make it so difficult or time consuming for a criminal to gain entry that they quit and go elsewhere. The boundary of any site offers the very first opportunity to detect a threat or that something is amiss, and this is what makes it valuable. This can be the first ‘line of defence’. All too often though, a business optimises the security it has ‘inside’ the site without considering the benefit of adequately protecting the perimeter.
By identifying incidents at the periphery, defensive action can be taken swiftly at that point, thereby maximising security and safety. A customer’s ideal will normally be to detect issues at the earliest opportunity and react immediately. These days the reactive solutions such as short distance radar, lasers, ground sensors or motion sensors are being superseded by a number of economical network video cameras armed with advanced technologies. This opens up the technology to use in medium or even low risk scenarios. And for high risk, there is still a place for the reactive options, particularly as part of a multi-layered solution. More about your options later.
Of course, sourcing and installing any security solution involves investment, both in time and money. So, the best place to start is by assessing the severity of the risk. What is it that you need to protect, what’s the potential cost of a breach of security and, therefore, what do you need to install to protect it?
Risk assessment and liability
Normally, the degree of risk varies depending on the type of property to be protected as well as what is contained on site. For example, a residential property might be considered low risk, requiring a couple of CCTV cameras along with PIRs above possible entry points. These allow an attempted intrusion to initiate a reaction (e.g. lights coming on) on the external property. This type of trigger, coupled with a house alarm, is generally considered cost-effective given the value of what is being protected.
At the other end of the scale, a multi-layered proactive solution will be needed to adequately protect critical national infrastructure such as power stations, MoD machinery and so on. So much more investment will be needed across multiple systems to ensure breaches are negated as far as possible.
Therefore, an individual organisation must consider how important it is to protect their site including security at the periphery, or is the perimeter fence or wall just there to ‘mark’ the boundary. A factor not to be overlooked might be the requirements for perimeter security placed on a business by insurers assessing liability risks.
Another significant factor in more recent years has been the constraints on law enforcement budgets and the resulting impracticality of relying on the police to respond to an incidence in the first instance. Knowing this, many companies have investigated cost-effective perimeter protection solutions that empower them to respond to any threat of intrusion at the first opportunity, taking action before any damage is incurred. Internal intruder systems are then installed as a secondary defence in a layered approach.
The continued improvement of wireless options has also impacted how security at the perimeter is viewed. These options are now far more stable, offering higher performance along with a simplified way to increase protection, particularly when supplementing existing security.
See our related article on Wireless Security Solutions: https://norbain.com/news/what-you-should-know-about-wireless-security-solutions
Perimeter Protection is ideal to employ in conjunction with other systems and this is sometimes referred to as a PID system, i.e. perimeter, intruder and detection systems working together as one intelligent security solution.
See our TechTalk video on Integration within Security Solutions: https://norbain.com/news/norbain-tech-talk-integration-in-security
On the fence
The level of protection you have at your perimeter will likely be based on your assessment of your risk, with a variety of subsequent options to then consider.
High Risk
For example, national infrastructure, a prison and organisations in specific sectors. Options include:
1.Outer-edge fence: Thermal imaging combined with video surveillance, reliable in all levels of light or weather conditions.
2.In-between fences: Pressure pads to detect intruders. A ‘Sterile zone’ between the 14/15ft high fences, wired with intelligence to detect any shaking or cutting.
3.Second fence: Looped wired system to detect climbers.
4.CCTV with thermal imaging plus lighting in addition to the fences.
5.Infrared sensor beams, set to reduce the risk of false alerts.
6.Laser detection to accurately detect objects and people passing through a shield, allowing zoned alarms or triggering PTZ-enabled cameras to zoom in and record.
7.Fence-mounted sensor systems to detect any attempts to cut, climb or interfere with the perimeter, along with zoning capability to quickly identify the location of a threat.
8.Solutions combining analytics to allow very specific set up as well as intelligent management information. These can detect, track and analyse targets, set up pre-defined alarms or generate data for understanding activity.
Medium Risk
This might be an education facility, an office block or an industrial park. Options include:
1.Single fence: looped wired system on 15 ft high fence, PIR & beams, backed up by thermal imaging CCTV or analytics or both.
2.A standalone perimeter detection sensor offering a cost-effective option for smaller sites.
3.Wireless outdoor PIR sensors, designed for monitoring open areas and reporting intrusions, or for activating another integrated system such as video surveillance or illumination of the area.
The organisation must consider that the fences might only be used at the rear of buildings – say in a retail park or education block – so careful consideration should be taken as to the different requirements for each zone.
Low Risk
At the lower end, residential housing or small offices require less expensive security solutions. Options include:
1.Boundary indicator: fence, hedge, barrier with gated access/no gate.
2.CCTV with analytics: attempted intrusion triggers an alert on an app on a mobile device.
The level of solution you need will be governed by a combination of risk and budget. Your level of PID system will indicate how your site is monitored, for example, a school that is medium risk will be monitored in the daytime by the office, but at night it might switch over to be monitored by an alarm receiving centre (ARC) who will react to any attempted intrusion.
Or, a high-risk enterprise may be well advised to ‘zone’ their perimeter fences and use PTZ cameras to zoom in on an exact point of interest. They may integrate audio as well to warn intruders or trespassers that they have been spotted and to leave the premises.
Growth of the Double Knock Scenario
The advent of attainably priced video surveillance solutions containing AI or video analytics has allowed a behaviour-based approach to develop with regard to perimeter protection. Progressively, systems relying on a ‘double knock’ configuration become relevant to the medium or even low risk establishment. Such solutions refer to scenarios where detection devices have been linked together with other detectors or CCTV systems. An alarm or response is only triggered if both devices detect an extraordinary event. Analytics allow the perimeter solution to be configured so that these events must be detected concurrently or within a programmed time frame to progress to the next stage, perhaps sounding an alert to security management and/or an audio warning to the intruder.
Behavioural based smart technologies within video surveillance will drive an increasing amount of integration between perimeter protection and other security systems employed at any one time.
It is also important to note that whilst passive physical perimeter protection is important – having a fence acts as a very clear physical barrier and deterrent to opportunist theft – it can never offer complete protection. Electronic perimeter systems have now evolved to become a credible option in lower risk applications allowing you to take a more proactive approach.
Manufacturers
There are a number of manufacturers who produce solutions for perimeter protection across the whole spectrum of need. Some are specialists in this field. Several have seen the opportunity to pull together their different areas of expertise – IP networks, video management and audio for example – to offer a very effective perimeter protection solution.
There are certainly a depth of options now available for the conscientious security manager at all levels of risk and budget.
In summary: Pre-empt the risk
Just as installing a PIR light on a residential property’s boundary in addition to an internal alarm system offers a much stronger security combination, so a business that can afford it and the risk warrants it, can benefit from two levels of detection. Perimeter protection undoubtably allows for detection of intruders at the earliest opportunity, creating a greater time-window in which to respond. Modern technological advances have evolved resulting in more cost effective and stable solutions being developed.
Either as a standalone system or when integrated with other security functions, demand for protection to begin right at the boundary is growing and it is no longer the preserve of high-risk scenarios.
Norbain can advise you on the options available for your customer’s perimeter protection scenario and we’d love to help. We work with some of the leading manufacturers of perimeter protection systems and PID integrated solutions.
We also understand that every business is unique, and some solutions can’t be delivered in a box. That’s why we have Solutions Specialists to provide you with ongoing support, help define project roadmaps and work with you to optimise technology investments. Get in touch with us to discuss your requirements.
Watch Pocket Size Buzz video on Perimeter Protection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4xctsM24wE.
