Secure by Design

Residential Security Handbook 2022: SMART Estate Living Editor's Choice, Residential Estate (Industry), Training & Education

Rob Anderson’s new book, Secure by Design: A Guide to Residential Estate Security, is a very welcome and necessary handbook on the South African electronic security scene. Not since the 2013, third edition, publication of the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa’s Recommended CCTV Industry Guidelines, has there been a more useful guide.

Not only has the past decade seen a surge in reported crime, but the perceptions of crime in South Africa have also played an important role in the continued fast pace of the development of residential estates and in many areas of our country, ‘gated’ suburbs. This growth has, of course, seen a concomitant growth in the number of security services and products serving these markets.

The growth of the latter and the recent harsh economic realities of our country, have seen the blossoming of many registered and unregistered security service providers providing, at best, questionable levels of quality advice and service in the electronic security environment, which they offer at cut-throat prices; the Afrikaans idiom, ‘goedkoop is duurkoop’, springs to mind here.

Being an electrical engineer by profession, with more than 20 years in the security industry, Rob approaches his topic from a practical perspective; the guide’s content is almost equally split between ‘theory’ and ‘practice’. The aim of Secure by Design is to educate all parties, whether security service providers, homeowners, or body corporate board members and provides a good basis to do so.

Perhaps the best approach, in a review such as this, is to list some of the contents of the publication and hope that it elicits the desired level of salivation by the reader.

Secure by Design has three Parts, covering a rather comprehensive and delightful number of subject areas:

Part 1 – The Principles of Security Engineering

1.1. Basic Security Concepts

1.1.1. The Crime Triangle

1.1.2. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design

1.1.3. Risk Assessment and the CPTED Audit

1.1.4. Intelligence and Information

1.1.5. Investigation and Reporting Tool (the 5W1H)

1.1.6. The 5 Ds in Security

1.1.7. The Game of Numbers

1.1.8. What is Cyber Security and why should we be worried?

1.2. The Generic Solution

1.2.1. Guarding Staff

1.2.2. Electronics

1.2.3. Data/Cyber Security

1.2.4. Intelligence

1.2.5. Monitoring and Control

1.2.6. Security Management

1.2.7. The Audit Process

1.2.8. Entrances and Access Control

1.2.9. Perimeters and Detection

Part 2 – A Guide to Control Rooms

2.1. A Structured Approach

2.2. Defining Requirements

2.3. Engineered Approach

2.4. Key Components and Technologies

2.5. The Control Facility Spaces

2.5.1. General

2.5.2. Equipment Room

2.5.3. Administration and Management Offices

2.5.4. The Control Room

2.5.5. The Desk and Workstation Layout

2.5.6. Drawings and Sketches

2.5.7. Disaster Management

2.6. Putting the Ideas into Practice

2.6.1. Finance

2.6.2. The Construction Project

2.6.3. The People

2.6.4. Staff Hierarchy

2.6.5. Interpretation of Data

2.6.6. Managing the Control Room

Part 3 – Putting Principles into Practice

3.1. The Risk Assessment

3.2. Developing a Security Plan and Operating Procedures

3.2.1. How to Make a Plan

3.3. Security Plan

3.4. The Emergency Response Plan

3.4.1. Possible Emergency Events

3.4.2. Emergency Plan Procedures Outline Templates

3.5. Medical Emergency

3.6. Fire Emergency

3.7. Bomb Threat Emergency

3.8. Hostage Emergency

3.9. Armed Robbery Emergency

3.10. Civil Unrest

3.11. Extreme Weather Emergency

3.12. Applying CPTED and Undertaking a CPTED Audit

3.12.1. Design Principles

3.12.2. Considerations

3.12.3. Understanding the Concepts

3.13. CPTED Audit Template

3.14. The Standard Orders and Procedures Document

3.15. Access Control Schedule

3.16. Security Audit Checklist

3.17. References

Most appealing for me is Rob’s drawing together the various elements of a well-thought-out security programme, with a focus on the risk assessment as the cornerstone. He looks at the three component aspects of a properly considered security risk management system – the three Ps: People, Products (technology) and Paperwork (risk assessment, plans, procedures, etc.) which inform the design and selection of appropriate risk mitigation measures. The failure of far too many security risk management programmes is rooted in the absence of a properly conducted security risk assessment and a siloed approach to implementing and managing the risk mitigation measures.

Another big plus for me is the short section ‘The People’, buried away about halfway through the guide. It would be great to see a bit more comprehensive guidance on this, as people failures are a large cause of electronic security systems failing to perform optimally. However, I understand in taking a dig at Rob, that people and engineers don’t always get on well together.

A further useful aspect is the provision of several document templates to aid those people establishing or wishing to improve the documentation of their security management system. In my experience, basing a set of procedures, etc. on a Quality Management System such as the ISO 9001 QMS standard, is very useful and enhances the level of the security service, if conducted properly.

It is very pleasing to see that the important aspect of cybersecurity and data/privacy is covered in this guide, because it is still ignored in far too many instances. However, I believe that a bit more space should have been given to the legal aspects, such as those contained in the Protection of Personal Information Act, No. 4 of 2013.

Indeed, perhaps a future edition could list the legislation which applies to electronic security and the data collected and stored by an estate’s security services and offer guidance as to whom, between the estate’s governing body, management and security service provider/s is responsible for which aspects of cybersecurity and data/privacy protection. Allied to this would be some guidance of the principles of ‘secure design’, given that many networked devices (IoT – Internet-of-Things) used in electronic security are still not sold with acceptable levels of built-in security.

Another opportunity for improvement in my view, would be to list in the References section, a comprehensive selection of relevant standards, such as those published by the various standards development organisations, for ease of reference.

The final analysis: A ‘must-have’ for those who have an interest in implementing or reviewing their electronic security systems as an integral aspect of their estate’s professionally run security risk management programme.

For more information on obtaining Secure by Design: A Guide to Residential Estate Security, got to www.robanderson.co.za



Bruce Robertson.

Bruce Robertson is a security governance and management consultant in the converged security field, with 35 years’ experience in the Police Crime Intelligence, corporate and private security environments (the latter in the EMEA context). He is a member of, inter alia, SABS/TC 0068 ‘Electrical and electronic security systems’ and SABS/TC 0001/SC 40 ‘IT Services Management and IT Governance’ (also serving as a SABS representative on ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 40) and follows the activities of the major foreign regional and national standards development organisations in this regard. Bruce is a past chairman of the South African Institute of Security (SAIS).


Credit(s)




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

From the editor's desk: Can it be October already?
Technews Publishing News & Events
Welcome to the final SMART Handbook of the year. In this issue, we focus on residential estate security, from the fence to the gate and beyond. We also review our Durban SMART Estate Security Conference, ...

Read more...
Vetting people in security estates
iFacts Security Services & Risk Management Residential Estate (Industry)
In today’s security-conscious South Africa, estate management’s responsibility extends beyond gates and patrols; it involves ensuring that every resident, staff member, and service provider upholds the community’s safety standards.

Read more...
Smarter security for safer estate living
neaMetrics Suprema Integrated Solutions Surveillance Access Control & Identity Management Residential Estate (Industry)
The expansion of residential estates has led to many communities being constructed with security as an afterthought. Unfortunately, fencing, cameras, and a guard at the gate only create a false sense of safety, which vanishes after the first incident.

Read more...
Making drone security more accessible
Editor's Choice Integrated Solutions Residential Estate (Industry) AI & Data Analytics IoT & Automation
Michael Lever discusses advances in drone technology, focusing on cost reductions and the implementation of automated services, including beyond line of sight capabilities, for residential estates with SMART Security Solutions.

Read more...
Private fire services becoming the norm?
Technews Publishing SMART Security Solutions Editor's Choice
As the infrastructure and service delivery in many of South Africa’s major cities decline, with a few, limited exceptions, more of the work that should be done by the state has fallen to private companies.

Read more...
Electrical fire safety in lithium-ion battery rooms
Fire & Safety Residential Estate (Industry) Products & Solutions
Pratliperl is a non-combustible, ultra-lightweight aggregate that can be mixed with cement and applied as a plaster or screed to walls, floors, and ceilings. When applied at just 30 mm thickness, it delivers a two-hour fire rating.

Read more...
View from the trenches
Technews Publishing SMART Security Solutions Editor's Choice Integrated Solutions Security Services & Risk Management Residential Estate (Industry)
There are many great options available to estates for effectively managing their security and operations, but those in the trenches are often limited by body corporate/HOA budget restrictions and misunderstandings.

Read more...
Visitor management views
Entry Pro ATG Digital Technews Publishing SMART Security Solutions Access Control & Identity Management Residential Estate (Industry)
Visitor management is always changing, taking technology and legislation into account. SMART Security Solutions examines the latest trends with input from ATG Digital and Entry Pro.

Read more...
Securing your estate beyond the gate
ATG Digital Access Control & Identity Management Residential Estate (Industry) AI & Data Analytics
Protecting gated communities and lifestyle estates requires a modern, intelligent approach. A truly intelligent system protects both physical and digital perimeters, it must be a fully integrated ecosystem.

Read more...
The first choice for electric fence management
Stafix Perimeter Security, Alarms & Intruder Detection Residential Estate (Industry) Products & Solutions
In South Africa, over 500 housing estates use JVA Perimeter Patrol, making it a widely used Electric Fence Management providing seamless integration with alarms, CCTV, VMS, access control and control room third-party software.

Read more...










While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd. | All Rights Reserved.